Fuel Mileage Root Cause Analysis
Why C-Max Hybrids are getting low MPGs Tim Gulden 7/23/2013 Introduction - It appears that the majority of C-Max owners are experiencing 20 to 25% lower MPGs than the rated 47/47. While 90 miles into a 110 mile trip, a 2013 C-Max experienced a MPG/RPM anomaly while traveling on a sunny 65 degree day. The C-Max entered the bottom of a long level straight stretch after descending a minor slope along the Mississippi river. The RPM remained low at 1589 on the flats while traveling 65 MPH with a sl
Experimenting with my 2003 Jetta Diesel revealed different MPGs going up a mile long 10% grade hill while using different gears at a constant speed of 30 MPH in each of these gears. The car attained 9 MPG @ 30 MPH in 2nd gear (very high reving engine), 15 MPG @ 30 MPH in 3rd gear, and 22 MPG @ 30 MPH in 4th gear (which had to have the accelerator pedal almost pushed to the floor and had a very low RPM). The take away is that you have to lower the Engine RPM and make it work harder to increase
