Fuel mileage drop....cold weather?

[d7602002]

Exactly, that's what I do. I am showing 20-21, so I subtract 2 just to be safe and say 18-19.

I hear you but I honestly can not say that my display is off 2 mpg when it's never been off that much and I have manually checked it numerous times. I decided that even being off slightly it's a lot easier than manually figure it out when at times it's very close. Well less than 1 mpg .7. Even if at times it maybe higher for me, it's not enough to worry or cry about. Unfortunately when posting the mpg and the drop in winter I thought I should add that the mpg is slightly skewed.
[/QUOTE]


It's just a thing with me. When I do a budget Even though I know a bill is going to be 70 bucks a month I will make it a hundred bucks a month and deduct that. And even if I know my take-home is going to be say 2000 a week I will assume I'm only going to get $1,300 so that way my bills are always higher and my income is always lower so I'm always ahead when I"calculate" my so called budget. Same thing here I just deduct two and I figure if it's better than that then I'm ahead rather than deducting a half or one and finding out it's more You know what I mean?

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[AngryGoose]

Now that it has been below 0F here, my mpg plummeted even further, 26-28 city. Started with no trouble sitting outdoors at -14F this morning, and I neglected to put the battery tender on so I was a little nervous, so I will take the hit without serious complaint.

I was getting a bit worried since I've only had my hybrid for a week, but haven't seen better than 28mpg yet. It's been below freezing the whole time,so I'm assuming that's the main reason

 

[jmatchco]

Also, the ethanol mix in gas can significantly affect milage (up to ~10%). That can change with seasons as part of the refinery mix.

 

[Master Blaster]

I have a '24 2.0 XLT AWD. It just kicked over 4,000 miles. According to the computer I have been getting roughly 26-28 mpg. For about the last week or so it has dropped down to 21.0 mpg. The only change has been the weather. It's been averaging about 25° lately. Could this be the cause? I usually run 87 octane if it matters.

The are a number of probable causes, so its almost expected.
I see you have an EcoBoost, so:
1) You run the heater, costing a lot of energy that has to come from the fuel. If you warm it up before driving, that's another huge loss. If you have the heated steering wheel and seat options, you only need much lower heat just to stop the windows from misting up with all the water on the floor.
2) The engine takes longer to warm up, consuming fuel. The engine warmup is particularly heavy on fuel while the water temperature is low, in order to get the cat converters, coolant and oil up to temperature. If you got the block heater option, use it.
3) Winter fuel has lower volatility to vaporize at lower temperatures, but contains 3-5% less heat energy per gallon.
4) Ethanol additive in the fuel has 30% less energy than straight gasoline, so 10% ethanol is going to give you a 3% mileage hit plus another 2% due to the intake cooling effects of alcohol. Lots of stations add ethanol to their fuel to prevent water accumulation in their tanks in winter.
5) You drivetrain is cold, and the oils and greases take more energy to move the thicker fluids. Figure on another 10% for that.
6) Your tires don't flex as easily, costing more energy to roll down the road. That's anywhere from 10-25% more, depending on the tires that you have. Then there is the amount of snow that your tires are moving. That's highly variable, from almost nothing to an easy 50hp in bumper-height loose snow.
When all that is added up, its probably about 50% more fuel required to go down the road in winter, not counting the snow that you're moving. So, no surprise.

 

[Master Blaster]

I have a '24 2.0 XLT AWD. It just kicked over 4,000 miles. According to the computer I have been getting roughly 26-28 mpg. For about the last week or so it has dropped down to 21.0 mpg. The only change has been the weather. It's been averaging about 25° lately. Could this be the cause? I usually run 87 octane if it matters.

A second thought: Now that you're getting used to how it drives, is it possible that you're unconsciously driving more aggressively and using more fuel as a result?
Also, when did you check your tire pressures? Cold temperatures affect truck tires a lot more since they have more air in them than car tires.

 

[chadrob30]

A second thought: Now that you're getting used to how it drives, is it possible that you're unconsciously driving more aggressively and using more fuel as a result?
Also, when did you check your tire pressures? Cold temperatures affect truck tires a lot more since they have more air in them than car tires.

I'll check them in the morning. It only gets driven 66 miles a week so I wouldn't think any aggressive driving would be occuring. 11 miles to work and back 3 times a week. Interesting theory though. I always use Eco or Normal mode and CC on the highway.

 

[RyuRonin1977]

I’m in the same boat. My MPG has been reduced quite a bit lately as well this winter. I was routinely getting 25-26 MPG (bigger tires) and now and getting 18-19 MPG. Nothing besides the cold has changed.

2.0 Ecoboost - *not a hybrid.

I have driven it very easily during this period and at the 100 mile mark it was at 15.3 mpg. At the 200 mile mark it was at 16.4 mpg. It now has 237 miles and at 19.8 mpg. Since delivery the temperature has ranged from the low 20's at night, (only driven it for about 1 hour at night), and around 40's to 50's during the day. My dealer used 87 octane for the 1st fill up but I will be using 93 moving forward. *side note: my wife borrowed it and put 93 in it the 1st time it got to half a tank. Wish I could have jotted down the mileage at that point and wish she would have waited until almost empty.

 

[Jworth914]

I have a '24 2.0 XLT AWD. It just kicked over 4,000 miles. According to the computer I have been getting roughly 26-28 mpg. For about the last week or so it has dropped down to 21.0 mpg. The only change has been the weather. It's been averaging about 25° lately. Could this be the cause? I usually run 87 octane if it matters.

Yes. My 22 Hybrid drops like a stone in the cold. From an average on my commute of 42 down to 36 mpg when it gets cold.

 

[HeyBales]

I'll check them in the morning. It only gets driven 66 miles a week so I wouldn't think any aggressive driving would be occuring. 11 miles to work and back 3 times a week. Interesting theory though. I always use Eco or Normal mode and CC on the highway.

Well see - you don't get to drive it enough, so automatically more aggressive to have more fun on less time!

 

[chadrob30]

Great theory!

 

[mr mojo risen]

Since I bought my Maverick I've been recording the mileage, gallons purchased, etc whenever I fill up. During warm weather I've been getting 26-28 mpg, but last winter and so far this winter my mileage has gone down to 22-24 mpg.

 

[yank283]

I was getting a bit worried since I've only had my hybrid for a week, but haven't seen better than 28mpg yet. It's been below freezing the whole time,so I'm assuming that's the main reason

Same here, it’s been in the teens and single digits and I was getting 25 to 26mpg. Temp got up to 33 yesterday and was relieved when I got about 39 mpg on my commute home. 2025 AWD hybrid with 4k.

 

[chadrob30]

Since I bought my Maverick I've been recording the mileage, gallons purchased, etc whenever I fill up. During warm weather I've been getting 26-28 mpg, but last winter and so far this winter my mileage has gone down to 22-24 mpg.

Pretty much my exact numbers.

 

[BobcatBenny]

I have a '24 2.0 XLT AWD. It just kicked over 4,000 miles. According to the computer I have been getting roughly 26-28 mpg. For about the last week or so it has dropped down to 21.0 mpg. The only change has been the weather. It's been averaging about 25° lately. Could this be the cause? I usually run 87 octane if it matters.

I have been having the same issue. Noticed it in November. I was averaging 24-26 MPG for over a year w/ Bigger Tires and 2in lift. November comes along and now I am down to 19-21 MPG.

 

[AngryGoose]

Same here, it’s been in the teens and single digits and I was getting 25 to 26mpg. Temp got up to 33 yesterday and was relieved when I got about 39 mpg on my commute home. 2025 AWD hybrid with 4k.

I filled up yesterday with top tier 87 octane to see if it was partially bad gas too.
I only put about 200 miles on in the first week and it's been below freezing the entire time. As odd as it sounds, I'm glad other 25 hybrid owners are having the same experience.
I'm excited for break in to be over and slightly warmer temps to get the advertised fuel economy

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