Disappointing 31.5 mpg on 850 miles trip: LA-Arizona-LA

[Starwatcher]

As I took delivery of my Maverick in December last year, the gas mileage was great. With the first tank I almost got 600 miles and moving forward I was averaging always 40mpg+. I had done all the software updates 2 or 3 weeks ago and noticed that the city mpg had gone down significantly but my overall mpg on my last tank of gas seemed to be unchanged. I still got great gas mileage when I drove freeway routes within LA. In the meantime I have 8k miles on the truck.
Now I took my first longer trip and drove with my Dad from LA to Arizona (a small town around 80-90 miles beyond phoenix) and back in one day. Total of 850 miles. The gas mileage was super disappointing. I got around 31.5 mpg average on this trip. I don't know if it was the strong side wind, the fact that I had my dad in the truck (I usually drive alone) or the fact I had to go up and down the hill, but this is not what I am used from this truck on the freeway. Until now, I actually got the higher mpg on the 30-40 mile trips of the freeway. I would get 50 or 60 mpg on some of my freeway rides. Anyone an idea what was happening here?

Could be lots of stuff that are not the truck. I just got back from 850 mile round trip, Phoenix to Greer, from 1000 feet to 8,400 feet and back, got 42.5 mpg. Truck loaded with people and baggage. 60-65 mph all the way. Stable speeds, little wind. High density altitude. Don’t give up. My Honda went haywire from Phoenix to LA also. Got way less than it should have.

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[inthecabin]

Ok, here’s my take. Sometimes people rely on mpg numbers to justify their purchase for budgetary reasons. That said they don’t take into account many other factors like traffic, temperature, fuel quality and driving habits. Your mileage will vary!! If you purchase a vehicle based on rated mpg and you get more or less mpg AND tried to budget for it then you’re not living in the real world. You probably should rethink your budget techniques..

Heck if 33 mpg breaks your budget then it’s way too tight!!

My last vehicle was 15 mpg tops, my 2021 Ranger is 18 mpg average around town… hybrid in build stage and if I get 30 mpg I will be ecstatic!!

 

[LAClippers420]

Still better than an eco boost on a great day.

 

[Sylvester]

Ok, here’s my take. Sometimes people rely on mpg numbers to justify their purchase for budgetary reasons. That said they don’t take into account many other factors like traffic, temperature, fuel quality and driving habits. Your mileage will vary!! If you purchase a vehicle based on rated mpg and you get more or less mpg AND tried to budget for it then you’re not living in the real world. You probably should rethink your budget techniques..

Heck if 33 mpg breaks your budget then it’s way too tight!!

My last vehicle was 15 mpg tops, my 2021 Ranger is 18 mpg average around town… hybrid in build stage and if I get 30 mpg I will be ecstatic!!

It is really not about my budget. It is about something I used to get all the time (40+mpg) which is now gone. As mentioned earlier, things changed after they did the software update.

 

[Mach 1]

You guys that are not getting reasonable fuel economy, are you getting the sleep mode errors? I am trying to correlate (have a theory here) to see if there is a connection between the lose of the electrical connection of the 12v system and loss of or reduced usage of HVB.

Any input will be appreciated.

 

[Sylvester]

You guys that are not getting reasonable fuel economy, are you getting the sleep mode errors? I am trying to correlate (have a theory here) to see if there is a connection between the lose of the electrical connection of the 12v system and loss of or reduced usage of HVB.

Any input will be appreciated.

No I get the sleep mode message randomly here and there but not more often than the average owner here.

 

[Mach 1]

Thx. Thats the info I am looking for. There are alot of Mav owners here that don't get the sleep errors, including me, I have not had one yet. (I get 700mpt)

Have you considered my theory?

We had a test vehicle going were the member was getting terrible FE and I suggested my theory and that night he charged the 12v battery, then he drove it and expressed he got the FE back to normal.

 

[Aza]

Thx. Thats the info I am looking for. There are alot of Mav owners here that don't get the sleep errors, including me, I have not had one yet. (I get 700mpt)

Have you considered my theory?

We had a test vehicle going were the member was getting terrible FE and I suggested my theory and that night he charged the 12v battery, then he drove it and expressed he got the FE back to normal.

You may be on to something!!

 

[MakinDoForNow]

You guys that are not getting reasonable fuel economy, are you getting the sleep mode errors? I am trying to correlate (have a theory here) to see if there is a connection between the lose of the electrical connection of the 12v system and loss of or reduced usage of HVB.

Any input will be appreciated.

So you asked for any input..... I have hybrid lariat first edition now has 4,700 miles on & I took possession early March. Have never had sleep mode appear on dash and truck has always started. I have a 2012 Honda crv and it ate batteries. 24-30 months. After the third one I started leaving running lights, radio and ac fans on all the time as that seemed to help keep battery charged and now have almost 4 years on battery. It may or may not matter on my maverick but I am into the habit now of leaving an active draw in the 12v circuits and am doing so on my maverick. I have a voltage meter (+/- 0.1v accuracy) plugged into my front power point which shows the open circuit voltage on the 12v buss not at the battery terminal. When I get in truck, push ready button, things start up and the voltage meter will normally read 14.5-14.7 which I believe varies due to sos of the 12v battery. Then if the start/stop button is pushed and (apparently) if the 12v has a charge over the amount where the regulator will kick in to charge it (on mine 14.7v) (also I turn off any items pulling current as they can reduce reading 0.1-0.3v). The reading after truck is off will normally be 12.5v-12.7v which will be the battery sos. This range is apparently well over the turn on voltage for the HVB charging (or it would be charging). I am just guessing but expect the turn on voltage to be no greater than 12.1-12.2v. This may be totally irrelevant to your thinking but hopefully may give you an idea or two.

 

[bilyjck]

I got 35.5 on 1700 mile road trip to Louisiana. I’m getting 41.5 around town in the last 900 miles. For reference, I fill up with 93 octane.

Wasting money on 93 octane, not required nor needed.

 

[Mach 1]

yes, we are on to something here.

Makin, yes I have made those same observations as well, I have the same PP meter AND a fluke on at the battery inside truck, I am like you haven't figured out what voltage level HVB turns on to recharge 12v system.

I am working with no less then 3 members about voltage drops and mileage losses. If there's any differential in voltage at those 2 points..its cable time.

Here's what I have discovered as well, several members are losing Fuel economy that is like 25-50%, this is too big hit for just AC loss.
The bad battery connection is causing the electronics to wack out(unreliable) and not allow the HVB to fully charge and the members express they don't have E mode or very limited. Which makes sense to me.

Hope this helps.

 

[Mach 1]

Makin, keep ideas coming, I think recharge is 11.8vdc? I have seen 12.1, 12.0 and I believe I saw 11s but not alot, its usually 12.6 and then drops to 12.3 and then 12.1v which I thought was just generally too low for a 12v system. 60% charged, but I am coming over from old school, slow charge alternator systems, not 300v quick charge.

Another observation is the key turns on and it jumps to 14.5 immediately and mine stays there pretty much all time ignition is on, I think only once have I seen it drop to like 14.2vdc?

 

[Shay]

You guys that are not getting reasonable fuel economy, are you getting the sleep mode errors? I am trying to correlate (have a theory here) to see if there is a connection between the lose of the electrical connection of the 12v system and loss of or reduced usage of HVB.

Any input will be appreciated.

It's not that complicated. Heat

 

[gstiglitz]

I have read posts that state one of the first clues of a terminal post problem is a significant decrease in MPG. This causes the ICE to operate more, thus reducing MPG.

At the end of the day, I am convinced that the recent software updates I mentioned in my initial post had something to do with this relatively low mpg. Ever since they have done the updates, my overall mpg is down significantly. I should have just left it alone and not update those damn modules.....

 

[Pure Michigan]

5900 miles 40.8 avg
Half city. Half hwy.

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