Using Terrain Response to Improve Gas Mileage

[HoopdyLR3]

Horrible Mileage

I am in the SF Bay Area and my gas mileage sucks (our other car is a g500 and it generally has a comparable average over long term). Around town my LR3 stays down at 10 MPG or worse and on the highway the best I have gotten is 17 or so. The average is 11.7 currently (which tracks the past week since I filled it).

Any suggestions? I have tried taking it very easy, using command shift, even coasting in neutral down hills.

What should I check before I actually assume it is a big problem.

I actually do not drive very often and not very far. Nevertheless I see it as a challenge to increase the average MPH as much as possible.

Thanks

 

[davidfkon]

p.s. want some real fun? put it in SAND on the pavement, wait 30 seconds, floor it. Priceless. Your wives will be so ****** at you for the whiplash!

gotta try that today on the way home!!

 

[nwoods]

Just remember that in Sand Mode the first few mph (take off) will be modulated, but once you get moving a little bit, the torque curve really ramps up!

 

[USAFbuckeye]

I am in the SF Bay Area and my gas mileage sucks (our other car is a g500 and it generally has a comparable average over long term). Around town my LR3 stays down at 10 MPG or worse and on the highway the best I have gotten is 17 or so. The average is 11.7 currently (which tracks the past week since I filled it).

Any suggestions? I have tried taking it very easy, using command shift, even coasting in neutral down hills.

What should I check before I actually assume it is a big problem.

I actually do not drive very often and not very far. Nevertheless I see it as a challenge to increase the average MPH as much as possible.

Thanks

Maybe already addressed but, have you performed a tune up? I replaced my air filter and noticed a 1.5 mpg gain on average. I'm close to 60K and will be looking at spark plugs next.

 

[Bad Bonez BJ]

I am in the SF Bay Area and my gas mileage sucks (our other car is a g500 and it generally has a comparable average over long term). Around town my LR3 stays down at 10 MPG or worse and on the highway the best I have gotten is 17 or so. The average is 11.7 currently (which tracks the past week since I filled it).

Any suggestions? I have tried taking it very easy, using command shift, even coasting in neutral down hills.

What should I check before I actually assume it is a big problem.

I actually do not drive very often and not very far. Nevertheless I see it as a challenge to increase the average MPH as much as possible.

Thanks

Is this a sudden drop or has that been pretty much it the whole time you've had it? If it's sudden or been gradual, a new filter, a good cleaning of both the Throttle Body and the MAF will do wonders for performance & mileage. Time to do mine again.

BJ

 

[e24kgold]

Spark plugs made a 2mpg difference for me

 

[Disco Mike]

I would put money on it that you wouldn't experience that sort of gas savings.
Some people have played around with the Sport mode on their D2's and have saved maybe 1/2 MPG, in town only, but by starting up in a different gear , although there may be a small change, it will only be in town for stop and go traffic with a real light foot and no change when on the road.

 

[timtiedemann]

I filled up and switched modes today. I have only burned about 1/8 of a tank so far and it's already gone from 12.8 average to 14.9. Go figure.

 

[thorgal]

This is what I fixed to gain significant amount of fuel savings.Not because I wanted to ,but cus I had to do...something about a poorer performance than usual.
Back in the June when my car was giving' 21-22 MPG on the highway ,I was pretty happy with it,until LR3 started to trow a REP message and occasionally, check engine light followed for short period of time.No biggie...I have read the fault codes and started to check and change things to fix this problem.Obviously mileage went down drastically over time,not only coused by persisting message,but also an upcoming winter and winter blend fuel.Yes,it took me many months to get rid of pesky light entirely.Anyway,from 22 MPG I went down to 17-17.8 on the highway.Mixed driving was rather disappointing also - 14 to 15 . I was also on AT tires back then.To fix things,I checked loose clamps on intake hoses,replaced spark plugs , MAF sensor and air filter,checked throttle body ,but both problems persisted:REP and check engine light,that was coming on almost every day and poor gas millage.Car was also stalling occasionally when turning or stopped at traffic lights.One fault code was still showing (PO 101) which usually means MAF sensor faulty,but I find out , that in LR3 it usually means ,that there is something wrong with Throttle body and there it was...faulty positioning sensor inside T body.So,I ,ve ordered it thru dealer ( with 20% coupon was not that bad) and replaced .This is the part that made all the difference in mileage , with little help of other parts that i have changed.Yes , I had to reset a transmission adaptations,but this was covered by my Faultmate MS V2.Actually...THIS reset made all the difference and gain in fuel economy .Almost immediately I have experienced a LOT smoother acceleration,gear changing and overall driving,not only that,but now in mix driving on winter blend I am getting 21.8 MPG .I can wait for my ski trip next week to test it on the highway with steady foot.I actually observed,that driving 70 burns less fuel then going 60,probably because RPMs are closer to our Jaguar engine's sweet spot which is 2300 (at 70 you are at 2000 rpm).I also forgot to mention that I run a new all weather tires now,which probably helped me too a bit to achieve this kind of mileage.So overall , your air intake system is to be first one to check along with properly inflated tires, I guess.Cheers

 

[HoopdyLR3]

Thanks everyone. I will look into plugs and air filter and go from there. I should have mentioned that I just got the LR a few weeks ago and so have no long term basis for comparison.

I am going to add a front brush guard because a lot of people seem to "touch park" around here (and I sort of like the way it looks). Should I expect this to negatively affect MPG at all?

By the bye, and I am sure most know this, but the front brush guards are currently on clearance from Land Rover since they are discontinued and cost $150 through most dealers.

Does anyone live in the bay area? I want to take my new baby off road, have not done it since I was a teenager, and need ideas in terms of where to go...

thanks