I have an 02 Hnda CR-V that has 176,000 and runs like a top. I’ve notice over the last two winters this be the second a reduction in mpg up to 6 miles. I’ve tried the fuel injector cleaner with no luck. The car has be well maintained. And it came back in the spring/summer time?? Any thoughts
There are many factors that affect gas mileage; the most important is your driving style and pattern. I once moved houses and ended up only 2 miles from work. My total miles driven decreased but the fuel mileage really went downhill due to the short drives.
You have to carefully analyze what changed with respect to your driving, and the weather we had during the last 2 winters compared to before.
It is true that an older car with the engine compression dropping will get poorer gas milegae. But I would begin by making sure the ingnition system was in top form, followed by the fuel injectors.
Cold weather alone results in a drop of MPG (assuming you drive where it actually gets winter.)
Cold weather also lowers the air pressure in your tires if you don’t check them.
maybe the gas suppliers are adding more ethanol in the winter than they used to.
That’s what’s happened with my Civic. My last tank got me only 18.8 mpg. Though it doesn’t help letting it run for several minutes on a sub-zero day, but comfort, and a clear windshield, is more important than fuel mileage
Someone else wrote about additives. Here in the midwest, you can’t buy gas w/o ethanol. While it may have the same octane, it doesn’t burn at the same BTU. I noticed about a 2 mpg drop in my little truck when I use gas that is 10% ethanol versus 15% ethanol. Cars also run richer (increase the gasonline to air mixture) until the engine warms up. Of course, it takes longer to warm up your engine in the winter. Also, some injectors, I have read, don’t like ethanol and get gummed up. Tank additives really don’t work that well either.
Hope this helps.
Headlights, heaters, wipers add extra load to the engine and reduce mileage too. A cars rolling resistance increases as bearing grease and rubber tires get stiff in cold weather.
Getting a car to run like new will sometimes require a new car or a lot of new parts. If you are well financed, it may be time for that new car soon.
Then again if the MPG returns in warm weather simply accept it as winter MPG is down so what. I get a 1-2 MPG drop (5-10% drop) in my Subaru WRX since new.
Personally I think people are more in tune to MPG recently due to raise in fuel prices. They don’t realize this was happening when their vehicles were new.
I too have noticed a drop in mileage with 10% ethanol.
I’ve yet to talk with anyone who has not. Typically they’ll testify to 2-3 mpg.