I am visiting cold cold Canada for most of the winter, coming from North Carolina. I have expirienced about 20% drop in milage (was 310 miles per tank, now its at 160) since we have arrived Canada. We have put winter tires on it and the car idles some mornings to warm up, but 20% fuel economy loss seems excesive. We only bought the car 5 months ago and have had no other problems. Can anybody give me an idea of what could be wrong? Thanks,

Ed

PS- we love the car!

If it truly was getting 310 and now its getting 160 thats almost 50% but the cold does seem to make a difference. also you might want to look at the valve timing belt or chain it should be replaced every 90,000 miles to maintain maximum fuel economy.:cool:

I suggest you move back and I bet your fuel economy will improve as well as you may be able to stop shivering. I am not saying there is nothing wrong with your car but expect a substantial loss in mpg in winter conditions.

I am visiting cold cold Canada for most of the winter, coming from North Carolina. I have expirienced about 20% drop in milage (was 310 miles per tank, now its at 160) since we have arrived Canada. We have put winter tires on it and the car idles some mornings to warm up, but 20% fuel economy loss seems excesive. We only bought the car 5 months ago and have had no other problems. Can anybody give me an idea of what could be wrong? Thanks,

Ed

PS- we love the car!

 

The two things combined will kill gas mileage. Ideling the car to warm up knocked 20% of my mpg. Winter tires will kill mpg, then add winter fuel.... everythig sounds normal to me for wimnter driving in extreme cold.

How far is your avg trip in the car daily?

 

nipper

Cold air, cold wheel bearing grease, tranny oil, and other lubricants, winter tires, winter gas, longer warm-up time (even if you just drive away cold, it still takes longer to heat up), snow and water on the roads, these all combine to lower fuel economy substantially. I get as much as 15 km/l in summer, but have a hard time breaking 12 km/l in the winter. Rob.

First- sorry its normally 310 mpg and is now 260 mpg (not 160 mpg). I knew cold weather driving would decrease milage but am surprized its so much. We will be making a trip home to NC in a few weeks and will get a tune up (too cold to do it myself) and have the timing belt checked. I will pay close attention to the milage on the trip and compare.

Average daily drive is 12 km. Moving back is not an option as my wife is Canadian and we plan to relocate here perminantly in the near future.

Thanks for the comments,

Ed

That sounds normal judging from my experience when I lived in Ottawa. All cars get bad mileage until they fully warm up. In the summer that might only take 1 km of your 12km drive. In a cold Canadian winter it can easily take 6 km (or more).

 

The good news spring is coming in a couple months. Or you can move to Vancouver like I did. It rarely ever goes below freezing here.

 

 

 

White Rock, BC

91 Legacy LS wagon (daily driver)

95 Grand Cherokee (my ladies ride)

91 Trooper (needs a motor, anyone got one?)

72 Sprite Musketeer (14.5 feet of home-away-from-home)

I am visiting cold cold Canada for most of the winter, coming from North Carolina. I have expirienced about 20% drop in milage (was 310 miles per tank, now its at 160) since we have arrived Canada. We have put winter tires on it and the car idles some mornings to warm up, but 20% fuel economy loss seems excesive. We only bought the car 5 months ago and have had no other problems. Can anybody give me an idea of what could be wrong? Thanks,

Ed

PS- we love the car!

 

This is all weather related. The more agresive tires have higher rolling resistance, winter fuel has less power density, and warming up the car can put a big dent in it too.

 

nipper