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Thread: Fuel Economy this Winter Has been Extraordinarily Bad. What Should I do?

  1. #11
    Senior Member IchabodCrane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spadesheart View Post
    How should I? I am rudementally educated when it comes to car mechanics and the Mitsu service people wont do anything. Who would be a smart person to take this too that could diagnose whats wrong?
    Make sure your air filter is clean.
    Keep idling warmup short, get moving asap. I drive at/below 2000rpm till temp light goes off.
    If you don't have one, absolutely get a block heater and use it.
    Drive at the slowest comfortable/safe speed to keep wind chill from working cabin heater too hard.
    Keep tires inflated to at least 35psi. (check pressure on a cold day to make sure)


    As far as finding someone to diagnose fuel consumption issues? I don't know. Some of the guys on here with diagnostic tools may be able to help you do it yourself if none of the suggestions you're getting help.
    P.S. it's -25°C this morn. Highway mileage wouldn't drop below 6L/100km until I lowered cruise speed by 10km/h.


    Last edited by IchabodCrane; 01-30-2018 at 11:41 AM. Reason: Ps add
    Will weld for beer.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE 1.2 automatic: 45.3 mpg (US) ... 19.3 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 54.5 mpg (Imp)


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  3. #12
    Senior Member 01-7700's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spadesheart View Post
    How should I? I am rudementally educated when it comes to car mechanics and the Mitsu service people wont do anything. Who would be a smart person to take this too that could diagnose whats wrong?
    Have you tried buying your gas at a different station?
    Skills: Cage fighting, computer chatting, making sweet moula

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage 1.2 manual: 38.0 mpg (US) ... 16.1 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.6 mpg (Imp)


  4. #13
    Administrator Daox's Avatar
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    A difference of 20% from summer to winter is not unheard of at all. My last tank I only got 38.1 mpg / 6.2l/100km. I have a short commute, I use a block heater, a grill block, and I drive quite efficiently. Its been very cold, plus winter fuel, plus snow/slush, plus a heater use and cold starts. It all really adds up.
    Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block

    Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)


  5. #14
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    Snow tires really plays a role, especially since the stock tires has low resistance. I saw a significant change in mileage switching from the stock Enasaves to the 175 65 14 snow tires, according to my fuel logs, in the summer I got high 4L/100 km. In the winter, I'm getting 5-6L/100 km. As others have said, check tire pressure, driving, AC, etc. I have my tires at 40 psi all around.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 43.4 mpg (US) ... 18.5 km/L ... 5.4 L/100 km ... 52.2 mpg (Imp)


  6. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Spadesheart View Post
    So I have not gotten my fuel economy under 6 L/100 km the entire winter. It seems to be hovering unless I'm taking longer highway drives in the 7-9 range, which is pretty unacceptable. Last winter I was at least able to get it to into the 6's city and into the 5's on the highway.

    I've taken it to Mitsubishi, and they've said that they couldn't see anything out of the ordinary as nothing was showing a code.

    The tires are 175 winters, different from last winter, but last winter also had 175 winter tires.

    I am having cold starts now, but as it's winter, that issue is obvious. However if you've been reading my posts about this throughout the year, I've been having cold starts all the way through the summer starting last fall. I believe there is something wrong, perhaps with the cold start sensor, but I don't know how to actually get someone to tell me so. I took it to Mitsubishi and they wouldn't do anything.

    Engine oil and transmission oil is up to date.

    I believe my alignment is a little out of whack too, or at least it seems to be. The Mitsubishi service center near me can't check alignment. If I take it to one that does, will they charge me?

    Considering it is so much worse than last winter, I'm quite sure there is a combination of issues this time around.

    Does anyone have any solid suggestions. Can any other 2014 CVT mirage owner around my area (southern ontario) tell me how their fuel economy is?

    It's really disappointing that I'm getting numbers like this, especially when it was even bad in the summer. I'm super annoyed its worse now. It was so good for the first 4 months I had it.

    Let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks
    How are you checking your mileage? I only check the trip b economy when I have cars in for service. The 2015 cvt here that see's 100-110 kph(60-70ish mph) all day shows an average of 6l/100km on trip b. That's with cheap 185-60-14 snow tires(on stock steel wheels). All the other car's I see vary from 5-6.4/l/100k. Check your air filter and tire pressures as mentioned already. It's easy to have a low tire and not even notice it on these cars especially in the snow.
    Or the simplest explication could just be a lead foot
    Last edited by Fummins; 01-30-2018 at 05:34 PM.
    Mirage videos:

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE wussie cvt edition. 1.2 automatic: 37.7 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.3 mpg (Imp)


  7. #16
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    I'm telling you guys, there's some mechanical differences from last year. I had an hour trip last week on the highway that averaged 7.6 in -9 weather. The air was refilled on the tires before the trip.

    My trip B average has gone up to 6.3 from last winters 6.0, and there were definitely some problems last winter making it low already. I know how to drive the car for fuel economy as I used to often get 4.4 for the first summer when I had it; I can't say I have a lead foot. The car's fuel economy in the summer has even gone up drastically, which is why i think there's something wrong with the temperature sensor.

    Warm up to "reasonable" mileage (below 9) takes more than 20 minutes.

    I have followed all of the common sense suggestions here, and buy my gas from costco as it is quite a bit cheaper.

    Air filter was changed a few months ago in the fall.

    If I had to guess, considering I'm having something like an enriched start all the way through the summer now, the fixable concerns would seem to be something along the lines of something wrong with the temperature sensor and the alignment being off being the thing causing the big difference this winter.

    Anyone in southern ontario have some diagnostic tools for testing? hahaha

  8. #17
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spadesheart View Post
    Anyone in southern ontario have some diagnostic tools for testing? hahaha
    Are you monitoring your coolant temperature?

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


  9. #18
    I was just going to ask something similar: thermostat stuck open?

    ---

    How close are you to your dealership? It might be useful to do an identical drive loop with a new Mirage vs. yours. They would have to be warmed up to the same degree though for it to tell you anything.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  10. #19
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    Because I've noticed Speck doesn't quite reach full operating temperature in this cold weather. Adding a grill block helped this substantially and I could tell all this only because I have been monitoring my coolant temperature.

    I regret not doing that grill block sooner (I waited for the right material to fall in my lap...) The payback will be nearly immediate.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


  11. #20
    Senior Member 01-7700's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spadesheart View Post
    and buy my gas from costco as it is quite a bit cheaper.
    a couple extra bucks for a tank of good gas at a different station might tell you something, or it might not, but then you only paid a couple extra bucks - look for a station with new underground tanks and high volume sales


    Skills: Cage fighting, computer chatting, making sweet moula

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage 1.2 manual: 38.0 mpg (US) ... 16.1 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.6 mpg (Imp)


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