Low MPG displayed on short trips in Hybrid

[FamousAmos]

As I was writing this, I took a break to look through my menu options in the truck. Turns out I had 'trailer sway assist' turned on- which I must have somehow done by accident. Turning it off returned my truck to 50mpg around town. I'm so relieved and a little embarrassed, but figured I should post this anyways in case anyone else is having the same issue!
Original post below:

When I drove the Maverick home from the dealership I was getting almost 50 mpg. Now, 1,100 miles on the odometer and I'm getting 13-19 mpg around town. I am not a lead foot and I don't speed. I keep it in eco mode most of the time unless I forget. I drove mostly on the highway and I'm averaging 32mpg there. My overall mpg is 30mpg now and I'm thinking there's a problem with my truck.

Last picture is my new mpg with the setting turned off. Incredible how much of a difference it makes! Can't wait to see what I get on the highway now.

Man, Qanzilla, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I have been in Normal mode for 20 months, and didn't know where the mode button was until last week! I have GOT to read my on-line manual again, as 90 percent of it was over my head the first time I read it, before I had my truck. I am a dumb-phone guy, so most of the manual is beyond my ken. From what most Forum folks tell me, I should be on Slippery mode. And my speedometer screen IS FROM ANOTHER PLANET. Sometimes it shows a big speedometer, sometimes it shows a photo of my truck, sometimes it shows a message from the Jehovah's Witnesses! And let's not discuss the buttons on the steering wheel! Why can't a steering wheel just steer the damn car?

Anyway, thanks for the "me too" post. My New's Year resolution will be to try to figure out what the stuff in my truck is for. I really don't need the 50 pages on Child Seat or 300 pages on Entertainment Center and smartphone and blue teeth.

Happy New Year,

GAB

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[Qanzilla]

You are right. They are all short trips just to and from my job. The only other driving I do is highway driving where I average about 32mpg.

I was not aware that the average mpg the truck says each trip was inaccurate, or only accurate on longer trips. I'm not sure I understand why. I was under the impression that shorter trips around town would equal higher mpgs. Are you suggesting that my actual mpg is higher than the truck says?

 

[GPSMan]

This setting has nothing to do with your low (or high) MPG.

 

[GPSMan]

You are right. They are all short trips just to and from my job. The only other driving I do is highway driving where I average about 32mpg.

I was not aware that the average mpg the truck says each trip was inaccurate, or only accurate on longer trips. I'm not sure I understand why. I was under the impression that shorter trips around town would equal higher mpgs. Are you suggesting that my actual mpg is higher than the truck says?

It is short trips that are the issue.
There is nothing wrong with your truck or your settings.

If you burn two thimble fulls of gasoline on a short trip and it is off by one thimble that is 50% mathematical error.

If you burn 10 gallons on a long trip the computer may still be off by one thimble of gasoline. One thimble error out of 10 gallons is 0.0005% error.

It really can be that simple.
But add to that if you start with a high battery charge and end with a low battery charge your numbers will be artificially inflated.

Start with an empty battery and end with a full battery, and your numbers will be artificially deflated.

 

[GPSMan]

The feds state that it takes roughly 1/2gal of fuel to warm up an engine to the point where the cat converter is operating properly...

I'm 99.9% sure they don't say that.
The catalytic converter in modern vehicles is ready and doing it's thing in 2-3 minutes of engine run time. But the concept a cold engine pollutes more is generally true.

 

[TheSEARCH]

I'm 99.9% sure they don't say that.
The catalytic converter in modern vehicles is ready and doing it's thing in 2-3 minutes of engine run time. But the concept a cold engine pollutes more is generally true.

Google says this

After one minute, warming begins in the second quarter; only two minutes after starting the engine does the third quarter warm up. It takes a total of three and a half minutes for the catalytic converter to heat up to three quarters and clean all of the engine's exhaust gases at 140 degrees Celsius

 

[Ozarkbeard]

I was under the impression that shorter trips around town would equal higher mpgs.

Trips in stop & go traffic and with lots of traffic lights, equal higher Hybrid mileage.

But, short trips where the truck never warms up completely, will typically yield worse mileage.

Consider the mileage calculation on the truck as an optimistic estimate. For accurate mileage, calculate it yourself at fillup.

 

[colinl]

You are right. They are all short trips just to and from my job. The only other driving I do is highway driving where I average about 32mpg.

I was not aware that the average mpg the truck says each trip was inaccurate, or only accurate on longer trips. I'm not sure I understand why. I was under the impression that shorter trips around town would equal higher mpgs. Are you suggesting that my actual mpg is higher than the truck says?

I think people have adequately explained why very short trips can give very high or very low mpg ratings.

I also think you should just drive and put gas in it when required. You're overthinking it.

 

[2022EOW]

You are right. They are all short trips just to and from my job. The only other driving I do is highway driving where I average about 32mpg.

I was not aware that the average mpg the truck says each trip was inaccurate, or only accurate on longer trips. I'm not sure I understand why. I was under the impression that shorter trips around town would equal higher mpgs. Are you suggesting that my actual mpg is higher than the truck says?

If I lived that close to work, I'd be walking.

 

[Qanzilla]

If I lived that close to work, I'd be walking.

I am a painter and I have my tools in my truck, plus I live in the North East. Anyways, I think this issue has been resolved. I can't count on getting high miles per gallon when I'm just making very short trips around town.

 

[flashfearless]

You were driving less than 1 mile and taking those results as your mpg.
If you get in the truck and the hybrid battery happens to be low it may take a mile or 2 for the battery to charge to even be able to go into EV mode

Yeah, I've even seen the opposite happen. Drive less than a mile and get 999.9 MPG because you can't divide by 0.

 

[Oside Bill]

I tried it on 2 15 mile trips. No difference, yet. Gonna reset all settings and try a long run. I usually drive in the Eco mode and turn off traction control too. I wish I could default those settings. Love my XLT Hybrid.

 

[GPSMan]

Most experts agree, the in dash MPG runs about 5% higher than reality over the long term. You can change the formula the truck uses, or mentally subtract 5%.

 

[Qanzilla]

I have been noticing that as long as the trip is over 2 miles the MPGs on the dash go way up. I am consistently getting 45-50mpg on 10-15+ minute trips around town.
I checked my tire pressure and the dealership (or someone) had them all over 43+PSI. They are supposed to be 35 PSI, so I let the air out of them and I'm getting 2mpg more now, most noticable on the highway. Where I was averaging 32 mpg on 40+ mile highway trips I'm now seeing 35-36 mpg. I also filled up at Mobil instead of the usual cheapo gas station I use. Maybe that helped too.
In any case, I cancelled my service appointment because I am very happy with the MPG I am now getting.

 

[realshelby]

My hybrid gets about 33 or 34 on local drives. LOTS of stop signs and lights, slow traffic. Yet I average about 37-38 mpg per tank driving around the home area. That is because I sometimes drive several miles on local roads that I get 43-44 mpg on ( true "urban" driving). I have adjusted my mpg rating on the dash so it is usually less than 1 mpg from what I get when hand calculating mpg after filling up. So, really slow local just isn't the highest mpg some might think. But man does it do well in some areas! My jeep was getting about 13.....

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