Hey guys! I have an '05 FEH 4X4.. about 45,000 miles.. no NAV.

Normally, on our "Average Fuel Economy" display, it fluctuates between 31.2 and 31.5, occasionally flipping one-tenth down (like on the highway) and one or two tenths up (like in stop-n-go). We reset it when we got this car a few months ago, but haven't reset it since.

Anyways, my wife took the car out of town today for a small drive (about 150 miles) to visit a friend. She was using the cruise control.. which by the way she won't do again as she's not happy with how it affected the economy. Anyways, while climbing a hill she said the RPM's jumped all the way up on the gauge (well in the red.. 7000+) and she could not turn off the cruise, not with the cancel button or the brake pedal, and the vehicle continued to maintain the set speed.

She also verified that the engine noise was quite high (but unable to verify if it really sounded like 7000 rpm or not). Once she started going down hill, the RPM's dropped back down to normal, and she was able to turn the cruise on and off with no problems at all, and the vehicle has driven just fine ever since.

However there is one abnormality still present.. the MPG display has increased dramatically, and is fluctuating crazily (almost like it does right after a reset).

We just now took it down the street to the store and I witnessed it fluctuating between 32MPG and 39MPG. Otherwise the vehicle runs great (actually better than before in my opinion), and it is staying in Electric mode a lot longer.. allowing for a bit more throttle before ICU engagement and climbing hills on electric only that it wouldn't do before.

The ICU still kicks on normally (30MPH at moderate throttle, 40MPH at light throttle).. it just simply seems like the electric has more power than before!

I reset the MPG display so we'll see what happens in a couple days when it stabilizes, and while it would be great to find out that I am actually getting 35+MPG, I have a feeling that simply isn't the case (I'll find out after my next fill up when I calculate the actual MPG).

Keep in mind, no wrench light and no MIL has lit up, and all systems say OK going through the list. Also the cruise could have simply been the behavior of the CVT and perhaps a bit of exaggeration by the wife, but something has definitely changed.

Do you think there is a problem here? Or is this just the result of a simple battery reconditioning?

Thanks!

One gallon of gas - $3.49

One used four wheel drive SUV that gets 30+ Miles Per Gallon - $15,999

Purchasing it used for $5000 UNDER bluebook because the dealership did not realize it was a hybrid - PRICELESS