I have just joined this forum, and look forward to improving my driving habits to get even more benefit from my 06 Civic Hybrid. I hope those of you with more experience (with hybrids, with cars!) can offer some advice or insight...

I have had my car since last February. In general, I seemed to average about 45-50+ mpg, depending on the driving I was doing. It was highest during spring road trips, over 50 mpg, and dipped during summer AC use. I base this both on the calculator and what the car tells me. I recently got the second service, including an oil change, at the dealership. Since then (or around then), I've noticed a dip in my mpg! For the last several tanks of gas. Lately I've been getting 40 mpg on average, at best. I can't seem to get it to climb back up over 42 mpg at all! It has gotten colder here, but not much. In fact, that's one reason I'm worried... will it go down even more when winter really hits?!

I've searched on here for some of the possibilities, but I'm looking for any ideas. For now, I plan to... Check the air pressure in the tires and check the trunk for junk (I think there may be a big jug laundry detergent in there, and maybe cat litter! Oops.). Do you think the dealership may have done anything wrong with the last service, like used the wrong oil? I suppose I could call them. Any other ideas??

I (and my checkbook) miss my 50 mpg bragging rights. Thanks!

 

During your last service at the dealership they may have left the clilmate control set to a setting that has the A/C enabled all the time. The other factor is the colder weather and maybe a change to winter blend fuel in your state. A 10% ethanol mix will lower your mileage by about 3-4 mpg. Do you live in a state that recently mandated the switch from MTBE to 10% ethanol? Here in MA the ethanol switch was made last spring/summer and my mpg has gone down accordingly.

hope this helps.

 

Or, maybe the tech was new and thought nothing of putting regular oil into your HCH and now your engine is working harder??
Just a thought.

 

I bet it's the slightly cooler temps and the hideous 10% ethanol winter-fuel mix.
I'm in Texas, and experiencing the negative MPG effects as well.
It's probably been similar in prior autos, we just weren't "in-tune" to it as much.
This psychological change is one of the reasons some folks are not as happy with their hybrids' MPG as they should be. They think the MPG should be higher, not realizing their previous vehicle should have been dissapointing them as well, especially in winter. We are now taking extreme notice of our MPG, and many of us have never contemplated tank-to-tank differences before, even if we always recorded MPG before. I sure do notice the differences now.

 

The colder weather killed me...went from 51+ mpg to 43 on the last tank.

 

I'm not sure exactly when my state (DE) switched to 10% ethanol, but I have noticed those stickers at the pump more in recent months (even before the noticed dip). The weather was much colder when I first bought the car last February than it has been during this mild-thus-far winter, so I'm not convinced that's playing the biggest role. Our morning and evening temps right now (when I mostly drive) are about 35-45 degrees.

I have removed a couple heavier items from the trunk, and will check and fill the tires this weekend. I may still call the dealership and ask them about the climate setting, and to confirm (if they can) that the right oil was put in the car.

My average on the current tank, according to the car itself, is currently just under 40 even. About the lowest ever, and not much better than my last car (Hyundai Elantra). I bought this car as much to "put my money where my mouth is" as anything - not necessarily for big MPG or money savings. But the drop was so distinct, I suspected a problem.

Thanks for the ideas thus far, and any others are still welcomed!

 

Jessica, what gives? It's been cold up here, too, probably moreso than you desert types, and I'm still barely missing 50mpg. Has something else changed?

 

Chris, I am not sure what is going on. Nothing has changed and I will check my tire pressure this weekend. My route is the same but the temp has gone down to mid-30's when I leave in the am and no matter how hard I try, I cannot get the mpg up. My maintenance minder says that I am at 50% so that should not be the cause.

Well, that is too weird...my car said that the last tank was 43.6 mpg and my fuel gauge said that I was empty but when I entered my info in the database for this tank (just this moment), it says that I got 52.7 mpg. Maybe my mpg has not gone down but something does not seem right. I will have to see what happens with this tank...

 

How many miles did you actually drive on that tank? If you were getting 43.6, the trip odo should have read somewhere around 480. If you got 52.7, then 580. My temps lately have been 20-25 in the morning, and 40 afternoon. Climate control is set to foot blowers only, temp hi, a/c off, and two fan bars. Are you running on auto, or maybe leaving the a/c engaged?

 

Hello,

I had 519 miles but the gas gauge said that the tank was empty and the trip odm showed so low a mpg that I figured it was right but I only put in 9.9 gallons of fuel and that filled it up. I always use the same gas station but not always the same pump.

I do not have any climate control on, the unit is set to off as it is in a garage at night and I don't need heat/cool/defrost...

I guess we will just see what the next tank does and go from there.