Toyota Tacoma "Real World" Gas Mileage

I've had my used 2014 DCSB Off-Road for a little over a month now. I've filled it up three times so far. I'm averaging 17 MPG. My driving is 90% city. Stop & go with speeds between 35 & 50 mph. I keep it below 2000 RPM 90+% of the time. Was hoping to get about 19 mpg. Not sure how much the winter blend is hurting me right now. Truck just hit 10,000 miles.

 

All stock and I have avg 21 hwy and city around 16.

 

I just finished reading this thread, looking for an answer to the variants in mpg with the 4.0. No answer yet,, but some good questions though.
It seems the majority of poor mpg reports happen in colder climates. This includes me.
It seems the best reports are in the warmer regions, or in warmer months in colder regions. This includes me also.
I have noticed a 2-3mpg drop I attribute to cold starts. It seems to be the most noticeable above/below 32°. Warm engine mileage checks in cold weather are closer to summer mpg's.
Does anyone know anything about ecu air/fuel ratios and ecu mapping? Does the ecu change air/fuel ratios on cold start with absolute temp thresholds, like 32°? Does the ecu adjust air/fuel ratios on a warm engine, primarily based on outside air temps?
Answer's to these questions could, at least, help us understand why our 4.0's mpg changes, sometimes drastically!

 

Most cars today upon a cold start will run the engine rich to aid in starting and perhaps warming up the cat. This rich condition stays that way until the computer switches to closed loop. Using a stopwatch phone ap and an obd2 scanner that monitors open-closed loop status, I have determined this takes 2-5 minutes depending on ambient temperatures. This can be significantly reduced by running an engine block heater ahead of time.

 

Cold starts, and warming up the vehicle, spinning wheels on ice at lights, etc., all affect things in the winter. But there is more to it than that. My highway mileage drops about 3-5mpg from summer to winter here.

AFAIK, there is no official winter gas up here, at least at any of the stations I have gone to across Canada. So that is not a factor.

I have heard the 2016 is a 3rd gen. Curious to see fuel economy on it, as they haven't seem to have improved it really over the last 5 years.

 

I experience the same drop from winter to summer as well, the mileage I get in the winter is aweful. Right now I get about 15 US MPG in the summer and 11-12 US MPG in the winter. I have had 265/75/16 tires on since I bought the truck so I'm not sure how much that affected the MPG but I do know that my 1.75" lift did not change the MPG and also switching from 91 octane to 87 octane doesn't seem to do much either. Also I have a really hard time dricing slower than 70MPH in the highway so I'm getting about 15MPG on the highway as well which also sucks...

 

Hey neighbor! I'm in Midland. Are those results based on your 97? I also have an 01 TRD off road as well as the 2013. I have found that the 01 seems to be much more efficient than the 13 in cold weather. In warm temps they're very similar, averaging 20-22mpg. The 13, 4.0 has dropped from 20.5 down to 17, the colder temps and winter fuel being the variables. I recently checked the 13's warm engine mpg's. All highway, 94.5 mi from midland to Davidson and back. I filled up in midland, all highway to davidson, filled up again, then drove back to the same station in midland and filled again. 17.3 down, 19.4 back. Very flat terrain, light east wind, sunny day cruise set at 73mph both ways. The main difference? Outside air temps. Going down, 25°-31°. Coming back, 32°-36°. That's why my question on ecu mapping on the 4.0 and ambient air temps and an absolute threshold, such as 32°. It seems to be becoming a constant with the 4.0 and 32°? Cold start mpg above 32° is noticeably better than below 32° also. Its at least a start to developing a pattern with the 4.0 and its apparent problem with cold weather mph, I hope.
Your inclusion in this discussion is very valuable, thank you Mikey. Joel.

 

Hey Cleung. I'm also looking into the ECU's timing parameters. Toyota has issued a TSB on the 4.0 regarding spark knock or pinging on newer 4.0's. I have read where owners that have had this done are doing (better) with mpg's. I haven't had this done yet as I do have some pinging under low torque, but, I am considering it after I figure out the 4.0's issue with ambient air temps. I do know that the US recently dropped it's mandatory ethanol % content in US gasoline. Its sorta ( not) true. The epa still mandates billions be spent on corn alcohol for fuel. I also know ethanol, (alcohol) is used in cold weather climates to a greater degree, it stops fuel line freeze and also makes a cold engine run better? It also has been tested with a 25-30% reduction in fuel economy, e-85 vs regular gas. It could explain part of the problem our neighbors to the north are having with their mpg's. I don't know this to be true but, it could explain the mpg variables between the US and Canada. It sure would be nice for all of us to know for sure?

 

2015 DCSB 4x4 - mixed driving has pretty well been at 18mpg running 87 octane. Only have 1500 miles - best tank has been 18.6, worse tank (first one, I don't think the dealer filled the tank) was 16.85.

 

It'll probably get better. These ECU's take a while, learning their driver. I started getting my best mpg's at 3000-4000 mi. Its hard to believe but I know it's true. An experiment for non believers, disconnect your battery for about 30 minutes. Reconnect and drive as normal. Watch the mileage. It surprised me! Enjoy your new truck!

 

I have the 265 long trails. The Taco's that come with the 245's seem to get 1-2 mpg better. This thread gets confusing when the 4-banger guys post their mileage. Should be seperate thread for each motor.

 

Agreed! Most mpg problems seem to involve the 4.0. As far as tires, weight and rolling resistance seems to be the biggest issues. Weight differences are huge. Low 30# to high 78#. Some of our mpg issues are self inflicted. An odometer check should be done with any tire change to check for discrepancies. The rotational % should be factored in. That includes factory tires, when new. Its been my experience they're not all right?

 

Worst to date, 18mpg with holiday traffic at the malls.

Just filled up again after mostly interstate and country road driving 20.7

These trucks are really sensitive to driving style.

 

I only got 11 last week but it takes fuel to make power

 

Hey tfeltz, yea, that's pretty bad. But, I don't think it should be that bad unless,,, you're that heavy on the skinny pedal!. I still think there's a problem with the ECU's programing in colder temps. I see you live in Wisconsin, same (cold) weather as I've had here in Michigan.
I'm sure there's someone on this site that's knows what their doing with ecu mapping and current cold weather programing on our ECU's. There is an answer to the mpg variants and colder temps. We might not be able to adjust them under warranty, but, enough of us putting pressure on Toyota might get us a fix?

 

Yeah I think there's something wrong to. On average I normally get 12 -13.

 

2wd v6 averaging 18.5-18.9 every fill up. My drive is about 80% freeway too.

 

This is what I'm getting...
(See below)

 

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4.10s, 285s, 6-speed! Lots of heavy stuff too!