Im loving my new truck, but the miledge sucks. I have almost 2k on the clock and it doesn't seem to be changing. The truck is a 2500 4WD LWB A4 w/ 3.73s

I don't know whow to find the build date or engine date but the truck is about a month old. On the overhead the best i've seen is 12.8 mpg, and towing a 9k load in tow.haul mode, the best is 8.5 mpg. I mean i drive the truck under 70 mph and around 60 - 65 towing, i just don't see why the mileage is this bad. I've seen others getting better and i've talked to my service department and they say it will just get better. Is there something i'm doing wrong? anything i could do my self? aftermarket? I just feel the computer is off or something, because even my 03 6.0L PSD work truck was better than this new, and it gets 15 mpg towing heavier loads. Im doing a manual calculation this time but i saw only 375 miles to the last tank towing at 65 mph, i mean what the heck. I don't wanna start a whole new thread but i was just wondering what I should do and if theres a light at the end of this tunnel?

Russell

 

I'll go on and tell you this, it may sound ignorant but it has given me results. In the last 3 tanks I went from 13.5 mpg to 14.9 mpg to 16.2 mpg.

I have driven a Tacoma for the last 6 yrs, I think I have finally stopped driving this truck like the Toyota and learned how to drive a Cummins.

First- the Dodge can "coast" like no other. I have learned to anticipate a stop by letting off the gas and coasting to it. The truck will hardly lose any speed for about a 1/4 after letting off the gas at about 45 mph. This makes a HUGE difference in mileage as you will see while watching your overhead.

Second- you can kinda get gently off and on the gas at hwy speeds, because it can coast so well you don't need to stay on the gas to mantain speed when you go down a dip in the road.

Third- Avoid stop lights and letting the engine run when it doesn't have to. Some say it is better to leave it running when you run in to seven eleven or something, my overhead says otherwise, if you sit at a light long enough you can watch your mpg decrease on the overhead.

Use these with common sense things like, not taking off fast or driving 90 mph and I bet you will see a difference.

I know all this sounds a bit dumb, but I'm getting nearly 3 mpg better than most people so it's worth something. People know this stuff already, they just forget to practice it. Hope it helps.

 

Russel I have 2004.5 with 9+K on the clock Coolslice did give some good advice on coasting it will coast a long--- long way--- However I have pulled my trailer 8.5x18 toy hauler down to FL. / Meartal Beach and Mileage dose get beater after a while. Good luck towing and I tow with out locking out tow mode while on highway my truck likes it within 2100-2200 RPM's best mpg.

 

txpi239 - Why would you be in tow/haul when you've got your trailer on, unless you're pulling a large load up a steep climb or something like that?

I assume the tow/haul in your 2004.05 is the same as the 'OD off' button on my 2003 - it disables overdrive & drops you to 3rd gear at hwy speeds.

I would think that if you're doing that on normal hwy cruising, that would explain your very low MPG when towing. What kind of RPM's are you running at hwy speeds in tow/haul? I run about 1700-1900 depending on speed in overdrive. I find that anything past 1900 RPM and the MPG starts to come down fast.

I pulled 5K about 80 miles today & got about 16 MPG at moderate Hwy speeds in OD.

ZS

 

Your not alone in the bad mpg's department. I have never towed yet, but I do drive with a egg under my foot to get into the teens. Have about 6000 miles on it.

 

well im taking yalls comments to heart. Today i reset the overhead when i was onlyon the highway and i coasted as much as possible keeping it at 65 mph to 60 mph, and the overhead read about 15.6 to 16.0 but as soon as i hit the city, even coasting and driving it like it was broken, it steadily dropped to around the mid 12s, My next idea is to try and not use tow haul mode on the highway. Now will it hurt the tranny by not using it at all? My half-ton chevrolet tranny went out the and dealer said it was because i was not using tow/haul mode. I have only pulled loads with manuals in diesels, this is my first auto in a diesel. So let me know if i can just not use the tow/haul mode

thanks again guys, im waiting for some kind of programmer to come along and help this out. My buddies 01 2wd gets 24 mpg with a tune on it.

 

If you put the tranny into tow/haul mode you will not go into OD and adversly impact your fuel mileage.

 

First of all you need to get some miles on your baby.. I didn't really start to get in the 17-18 mpg untill 16,000 mi. I'm at 25 now and if I run at 68 mph I can get 20mpg. I just took a trip (875 mi) and ran 70-75 mph and got 18.3 on the overhead. By the way, I coast and skip gears when I can.

 

I didn't see the good mileage until about 15K. At 26K I get about 17-20 mpg at 70-75 and at 60-65 about 21-23 mpg. Towing the 16 K Gooseneck about 12-16 mpg depending on the mountain and the mesa. The 600 may be down a little from that.

Mileage continues to steadily improve.

I change the air cleaner every 5k to 7k and oil 3K to 4K.

 

I towed my jeep/ trailer combo last weekend from Silverthorne, CO to Steamboat Springs, CO over Rabbit Ears Pass and back I averaged 70-80 mph most of the way with few higher bursts. I was around 14.5 mpg. I would say you have a problem with mpg's you are seeing.

I had my truck in for service earlier in the week and the manager asked if I was having any issues with my mileage. Sounds like there have been more than a few complaints.

Oh ya I have 4.10's.

 

My truck has 50k on it and i am here to tell you that it is getting poor gas milage. when i am climing a hill the truck measeures about 10mpg, when driving on the highway it reads about 16mpg. I am going to call my dealer tomorrow and see if there is a TSB for my truck.

I installed an AFM cold-air kit and it seemed to help a little bit, but not much.

towing my 22ft Racetrailer at 10K i only get 8-11 mpg.

thought i'd give my 0.02c