I just bought a 2004 HCH and just put in my 1st tank of gas. I put in 13.234 gals and had 480 Miles. Which is only 36mpg but the odometer said I averaged 44.2. What is up? Also what is the size of the fuel tank? It says it has a 13.2 gal tank but I put in over 13.234 gals and had little bit less than 1/4 of a tank and had just turned 3 green bars.



Taz

 

Did you stop when the handle clicked or top it off? That would affect your mileage too, if you squeezed and extra 2-3 gallons in it. Some owners have put in 16 gallons before (and had I think 1150 miles on that tank). My fuel light came on the other night, it dropped to no bars for a few seconds then back to one, and I only put in 11.5 gallons. It clicked a couple tenths before that, but I rounded it to $27. I don't plan on topping it off, but mine doesn't like it anyway (will click very easily even adding just a little bit more). It seems like your guage is way off if you didn't top off. Yes, you are right, a ULEV (most states) has a 13.2, and an AT-PZEV (CA & NE U.S.) have an 11.9 gallon tank.

But if I assume you topped it off like a fellow GH member, than you put an extra 3 gallons in it. You would then have around 47 mpg. The computer on mine said 44.1, but by calculation I had 46.8 (2.7 mpg variation). Add that 2.7 to your computer calculation and you would have almost 47 mpg. I know this is all guesswork, and also not knowing your driving style. I know someone who was getting 34.x, changed thier style after a little coaching and jumped by 10+ mpg.

If you didn't top it off, and it concerns you, The car is under warranty, so take it in and have them adjust it. I would rather it say I have less than actual than that much more!!! I am really hoping for that reason that you filled it to the brim.

Take care and get back with us about the circumstances!

 

Even if you bought the car with a so-called "full" tank, the amount of gasoline in the tank could have been less than the amount you filled it with. When I accepted delivery of my HCH, it had 63 miles on it (test drives, etc) and the fuel gauge read FULL. It wasn't.

So, from this tank on out, you can use the "actual fuel consumed" methodology. Even if you don't exactly fill up the tank the same way from fill up to fill up, after you put mileage on the car, the amount of error will approach zero.

Shaun's facts seem all correct. I have also put more than 13.2 gallons in my HCH. See my chart.

Good luck with your new HCH and be sure to check the tire pressure! (I am a big propoent of that.)

 

Would be difficult to draw conclusions about the FE without knowing how it was filled before you got it. If you got a "full" tank from the dealer, many things could have happened. Idling kills FE, and kills it quick. On a car lot, cars are idled often to warm them up (if it's cold - and in Denver I bet it is) so when buyers jump into them for a test drive the car is good to go. Also, test drives are likely short, stop and go adventures which also kills FE. Lastly, your FE guage has an error margin. Personally on my 03, the FE guage is consistently 2-3 MPG higher than actual. In any event, I would not read too much into it. All it takes is a couple of 10 minute "warm ups" or a couple short 10 mile test drives and that would taint your overall FE on the tank. Neither event would register on your gas display as having used any gas - you can do that and have full bars easily.

The 13.2+ gallons you put in should only be possible if you topped off the tank (filled past the first click). Lots have been said on the virtues and risks of doing that. As previously noted, a lot of members here have claimed to fill their HCH well past the 13.2 gallon mark, so it's possible. The key to reducing the variables involved in filling your tank is to do it consistently each time (stop on the first click, or whatever your preference is). Now that you've possibly over-filled the tank, you may get an unususally long run. For another data point, over 3 years I average right around 11 gallons each fillup, and I drive 500-550 miles on each tank (usually 2-3 bars left). I fill to the first click. I've never put more than 12 gallons in.

 

Ok yes I topped off the tank. And we haven't been real cold yet we are above average. Been in the 50's and 60's and will be this week as well. So yes I figure the next one will be more true and I'll be happier. I will also put one trip odometer for fuel fillups and one for lifetime to see how it looks. What should the tires psi be best at?
True the dealership probably only filled to first click if that. Also how do I get the Greenhybrid MPG mileage banner to show up on my posts?

 

Happy to hear you topped it off and it wasn't your guage that far off From what I have read once you get around 50s you are reaching the low point of decent FE, but others would be more qualified for that answer.

For tire pressure, do what is going to make you comfortable. There is a cold max on the side of your tires. Mine say 51 psi ... I inflated all four to 55 psi, but I had driven on them about 20 miles, then let it set for about an hour or so and pulled to the air pump in the gas station (located in the same parking lot so I didn't go above 10 mph and for only about 100 yards). I have had no problems with it feeling too rough, they grip fine, and I can tell I have better coasting capabilities.

The Greenhybrid MPG banner is a code you put for you signature, I think if you click on your mailbox, the link to the signature should be on the right side (but don't quote me)


Hope this helps!!!

your I.D. # for your current car in the database is 1857 ... so to make it easier for you, your direct code would be ...

( <a href="https://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/mileage/car/1857.html" style="border:0" title="Hybrid Cars Mileage"><img src="https://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/mileage/car/1857/signature.png" border=0 alt="Hybrid Cars Mileage"></a> )

and would look like this





use from the starting arrow (<) to the ending arrow(>)

 

The HCH-I tank capacity in at least one car was 16.2 gallons. A driver on this board once got that much into his tank. Listed tank capacities are general and almost universally rated less than what can actually be pumped in there.

 

Ok now this is my 3rd full tank and I am not going to top off anymore. With 3-4 bars left I filled up and it took 13.001 gallons. I didn't go past the first click at the pump.

 

You can fit way more in because you're overflowing it internally and filling up the carbon canister with gas. So it's possible to overfill, but your tank capacity is actually 13.2 gallons.

 

Is it possible my tank is smaller? I run it past the warning light with no bars and then filling it up it consistently only holds about 10 gallons (most was 10.3) at about 400 miles. The calculated mpg runs 1~2 below what the dash meter says. Could I really go another 100 miles past empty??

Maybe there's a secret storage compartment added for drug smuggling?