Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Dodge Ram Real World MPG Numbers

123457

Comments

  • llvalllval Member Posts: 1
    Have a 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 turbo diesel. Initially got slightly over 20 MPG interstate highway, & 10 MPG towing. When I inquired about towing mileage, was told it would increase after ca. 30K miles. Somewhere after ca. 10K miles, highway MPG dropped by 20% [to ca. 16MPG], & towing MPG dropped to ca. 7.5. Do not believe this is characteristic of the Cummins engine. Had the truck to 2 different dealers and they find nothing wrong. Trying to get a response frim Chrysler.
  • sectionviiisectionviii Member Posts: 4
    edited January 2011
    I get around 13.1MPG calculated manually and EVIC tells me 13.3MPG.

    98% City / 2% Highway
    5.7 HEMI
    3.55 ratio

    Time for 2nd Oil Change (6020 on Odo with change oil message). Been using 89 Octane as recommended in manual. Mostly "generic" gas. Towed 5 times but each time towing ~800-1200 lbs.
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    City mileage is horrible with the HEMI, IMO it's, because with all the stop and go I'll bet it it seldom goes into 4 cylinder mode. My suburban driving, with an '09,equipped just like yours, is a tad less than 16MPG - and that's with being very careful all the time: gradual accelerations, lots of coasting to stops, etc.
    Use the HEMI power and the MPG drops a bunch. The cylinder deactivation does help, but a light throttle and probably at least 40MPH is required for it to work. If anyone knows for sure when these things go into 4 cylinder mode - please share. I do know that once into MDS, it will downshift under light loading rather than go back to 8 cylinders. Just my $.02...Richard
  • stanoskistanoski Member Posts: 76
    I believe the HEMI MDS (2006 and newer models) works betweeen approx: 40 mph to 60 mph (+or-).

    You can feel in going into MDS because between these speeds the engine lugs a bit and the RPM's drop. You have to push down on the gas peddle to pop it out of it. Most drivers probably wont even notice it but I can.

    Dodge doesnt put out a lot about their MDS (not sure why) because a lot of people ask this same question. You'd think it would be all over the place, again, not sure why not since its a nice benefit for a large engine.

    p.s. You get your best mileage between 40 mph & 60 mph anyway. Below 40 mph you are using gas to get up to speed and over 60 mph you are working against wind resistance.
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    My son has a Honda Odyssey with MDS, and the Honda has a light that activates to show when it's running on less than 6 cylinders. How hard would it be for Dodge to do the same - or put it in the info center right in the middle of the instruments?
  • frenchy5frenchy5 Member Posts: 1
    I also have a 2010 2500 HD Cummins. Auto/4:10 4X4. It is sad that they get poor mpg. It is not necessarily the Cummins, which has the capability of way better, but the EPA and chryslers programing. I bought a monster and one "COMPUTER UPGRADE" at the dealership and all was lost! Their claim is that it operates within normal parameters. I contacted Chrysler customer support {if you can call it that} and they pretty much blew me off. They said I was stuck with it and it couldn"t be reprogrammed back to default settings.
    I went from 17 to 15.5 mpg average. I calculate miles driven divided by gallons, NOT the mpg indicator on the dash, also called the LIE-O-METER. I was told when it breaks in it will improve but 36K later it has not. I am a heavy duty sales rep and drive ALOT. I call on many diesel engine builders and they saythat the tolerances are built into the engine. They are what they are, and from that point on it is wear. A break in period is no more than 5K miles to SEAT the moving parts together' IE: rings/cam etc. The main culprit of fuel economy is the Diesel Particulate Filter, or DPF. There is a sensor before and after it. When the DPF starts to get congested the sensors send a signal to the ECM and the injectors activate on the exhaust stroke sending raw fuel into the exhaust stream. This increases EGT's and cleans out the DPF. Unfortunatly it also contaminates your oil at the same time. I have watched this very carefully and paid close attention to the way it seems to operate. This is my experience.---You probably sometimes notice a HOT smell near the rear of the vehicle if you happen to stop while the RE-GEN is in progress. You also probably also notice the aforementioned LIE-O-METER make a drastic reduction in the instant MPG reading. This regeneration,as it is called, at least in my vehice lasts 15 minutes at speeds over 40 mph almost to the second and happens every 1.5 to 2.5 hours of operation depending on the topography of the area and driving conditions at the time. I happen to do my driving in western Washington state in the Puget Sound region. This one operation consumes ALOT of fuel! I have been told between 4 and 5 gallons per tank. Next time you fill up subtract that from gallons delivered into your tank and divide it into the mikes driven and that is what you could get. Another culprit is the EGR. It sends between 5 and 30% of exhaust,- HOT- gasses BACK into the air intake stream. That is SOOT! Raw carbon, one of the hardest substances known to man being sucked right into your engine. Take that cross-over tube that is in front of the engine off and have a good look! I have done oil analysis and found that the it shows signs of soot contamination at around 4500 miles. I change mine at 4000 because of that. Personally I use 76 GUARDOL and a BALDWIN BT7349 filter. This is also HOT air. We all know that more efficient combustion happens with cooler air. Thats why we buy cold air intake systems and have intercoolers! Dont believe the claims of these so-called tuners. They will give you more power at the cost of your injectors, and maybe a little better mpg. They trick the lie-o-meter to showing fantastic readings. I have also learned that all injectors are NOT all the same. They do not all have the exact same pattern or flow. I understand they can be blueprinted which is said to have favorable results. These are my findings. If I am wrong and you are a professional, by all means, let me know. I do like the rig and plan on having it for a long time and want to take the best care of it that I can. FRENCHY5
  • ern61ern61 Member Posts: 1
    Just drove a new 2010 dodge 1500 5.7 in suburban streets mds was kicking in at 30 mph cruising on highway 70 mph cruise.I drove chevy,ford and now the dodge.Ford felt loose and cheap inside,chevy has no torque and small crew cab,I am going with dodge and its proven 5.7,I have seen posts of people getting over 20 mpg.The ride is great,big inside a crew cab,only downside is 5.7feet box.Ford is more money and their engines are brand new
  • tmaktmak Member Posts: 6
    edited February 2011
    I have had this vehicle since AUG it was a Dealer retired DEMO with 3K miles I now have 14255 Miles and my AVG MPG is still at 16.43 (manually Calculated) on higways I get 16.7 MPG in City I get 12 MPG. If I hit a small upgrade on the Higway, forget it I lose power and mileage dips at 14 MPG (according to my CPU display).

    Oh by the way I am not towing.. Not too pleasing. my dealer says I am not to expect much because of the high alttudes in SLC, UT. I can't beleive that. I use 91 Octane to get these Fuel mileage. 85 Octane kills my power and I use more fuel driving. I don't have a heavy foot and I believe let the power and torque do the driving but I have to stay at 70 MPH to keep that power and momentum going when I hit an upgrade on the highway, in the city forgrt it no power and torque 2500 RPMs just to maintain.

    I got rid of my Chevy 2500 Duramax because of fuel mileage (16.7 MPG) went gas and I see the only advantage was I save money on fuel costs. Maybe I should had bought the Cummins and dealt with the fuel prices.....

    Is any one else experiencing this or am I expecting too much from Dodge...

    95% Highway Driving. 15% City Driving
  • fueledupfueledup Member Posts: 64
    I had a 2009 ram 1500 crew cab 4x2 with about exact same milage your experiencing. But when added any weight mpg would drop dramatically. I do mostly city driving in Miami, traded, ram in for a duramax after one year. Much happier with the ride mpg city has averaged at 14.8 , highway 16.9mpg. Worst than the mpg on ram was the giggly ride anytime you went over a bump, and hated the navigation.
  • stanoskistanoski Member Posts: 76
    Sounds about right bro. On the 4x4, you will also get about 1 mpg less than a 2x4 so 16 to 17 mpg sounds actually pretty good to me overall. My 2007 5.7 HEMI with MDS gets an average of 15 mpg (1/2 city and 1/2 highway) on a good week, NO towing or hauling [non-permissible content removed] around town either!!

    If you have the factory towing package, the rear gearing is probably geared for towing lessening your mpg. Might also be the same on the 4x4?

    If your looking for real good mileage, dont look for it in a full sized truck, doesnt exist "yet". Even the midside trucks dont get much better, maybe 20 mpg overall if your lucky.
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    You're right. When moving nearly 3 tons with truck aerodynamics and 390HP, there simply is no magic formula. I believe that on strict highway cruise at less than 70 MPH, these trucks can surpass 20MPG - but on anything else, forget it. The GM hybrid trucks are capable of getting better city mileage than other full size trucks, but they are not cheap.
    If you use your truck for commuting and other things where you really don't need a truck, get a cheap economy car for that stuff. Gas is headed to $4-5 a gallon and a couple $100+ fillups per week in our trucks won't be pretty.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    edited February 2011
    I've talked to three others with 2009 & 2010 Ram 1500s and we seemed to be getting the same results for gas mileage on the 5.7 Hemi. In August my YTD average was 18.4 MPG on my 2010 Ram 1500 Big Horn Quad, two-wheel drive, 3.91 LSD and 20 inch wheels. Since the cold weather and snow it's down to 17.04. The MPG has defintely dropped in winter, with my lowest at 14.45 so far. Keep in mind my daily work comute is 3.1 miles and I see mostly around town driving. My three trips from Rochester to Gettysburg, PA, gave me 20.63, 21.13, and 20.86, all summertime trips. Considering the power of the Hemi, I really don't think that's too bad.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • bigdave4269bigdave4269 Member Posts: 4
    I started this post years ago. I own a 2006 dodge ram megacab 2500 hemi 4x4 with the 411 rear end. I now have 35000 miles on it . I just took a 300 mile trip set the cruise at 75 mph and held a great mpg at 12.3. This is the usual. Icant get any better I just tell it how it is. The hemi loves to guzzle gas. If there was anything I could do to get better gas mpg im sure I have tried it any suggestions? Oh I also added a cold air intake and use full synthetic oil.
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    A few tips to improve your mileage:
    1. Never drive over 65MPH
    2. Swap the 4.11 for a 3.55
    3. When in the city or burbs, coast up to stop signs and red lights
    4. If you have a remote starter, don't use it - while your truck is warming
    up it's getting 0MPG
    5. Forget about all the claims to improve mileage with air cleaners,
    exhausts, etc., if any of these were any good, Dodge would have put
    them on your truck to start with
    These will improve your mileage, but are a real pain in the **s. For every 10K miles a year that you put on your truck, you're burning 800 gallons of gas. At $4/gal, that's $3200. If you do 1500 miles/mo, that's almost $500/mo. just for gas. $200/mo leases for economy cars are everywhere. Good luck....Richard
  • german_leogerman_leo Member Posts: 1
    I'm from Germany and even though gas prices are incomparably higher than in the US (about 8 $/gal) I am thinking about getting a RAM 1500 4x4 Crew Cab in the Laramie edition. I know that the gas miliage will cost me a fortune but considering the "cheap" price of the vehicle compared to similarily equipped cars in Germany I will probably still be better off in the end. HOWEVER, it is spread in the news that Dodge has signed a contract with the German automotive supplier and technology leader for transmissions, ZF, to equip future Dodge models with the new 8-speed automatic transmission which is the same model as used in the BMW 7-series or the Rolls Woyce Ghost. According to the news articles I found, the RAM 1500 is also going to be among those privileged cars to be equipped with the new transmission. ZF claims to gain a gas milage improvement on the RAM of at least 25 %! That would almost make the 1500 into a economic car. I'll wait to see if the RAM is really gonna get the transmission before I get one...
    I'm excited to see any progress to actually make those trucks more efficient!
    What do you think of the announced transmission, especially if used in the Dodge trucks?

    Best regards from Germany!
    Leo
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    The 8 speed ZF is, no doubt, a better tranny than the current 5-speed in the Ram. I would expect a mileage improvement, but their claims of over 25% seem overblown. Truck aerodynamics are poor and anything over 110KPH will absolutely kill fuel economy - regardless of the gearing. So gearing the Ram very high to make use of all those speeds in the ZF would not seem to work as good as in a more aerodynamic car. With the Ram, you need to be in top gear with the MDS engaged to get the best mileage. If the ZF allows top gear by 100KPH or so, 7 more gears below that speed seem redundant, especially considering the torque of the HEMI. Just my $.02....Richard
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    Now that the weather has warmed up, the mileage on my '09 HEMI ( 4WD, Quad cab, 20" wheels ) has also risen - it really seems to like the warmer temps. While it struggled to get even 14 MPG during the winter months, it's getting over 15 MPG now. Small town/suburban driving with almost no freeway time - although about half the driving is country roads in the 45-55MPH range.
    One thing I have learned is that in order to keep the MDS engaged and to avoid downshifts on slight grades on these country roads, I will not use the cruise control. Instead, I allow the speed to drop slightly in order to keep MDS and 5th gear engaged. When in cruise, the truck will hold its speed by downshifting, and that hurts the MPG. Keep truckin'!
  • tmaktmak Member Posts: 6
    I traded in my 2010 1500 RAM because my fuel mileage was 15 MPG while driving in High RPM on MDS. I went ahead and decided to trade it in for a 2011 Ram 2500 4x4 4dr Crew cab, thinking that I would get the better mileage and durability on the engine, also I missed my old diesel truck which I traded that in for the 1500. I am at 5118 miles on the 2500 which I am getting 13.8 MPG I drive mostly highways and it is perplexing. These new 6.7s are not what they are cracked up to be not sure what I can do. Thank you Mr OBAMA..... I miss my 5.9...
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    With the 6.7, the only axle that will give you good mileage is the 3.42 - and the trade-off there is loss of towing ability. Plus the new trucks are much heavier... my 2005 Ram 3500 Quad Cab dually weighs 1000 pounds more than my 1996 Ram 3500 Club Cab dually did. A 2011 Ram 3500 Crew Cab dually would add another couple hundred pounds.

    kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host
  • superman45superman45 Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2011
    your right these new 6.7's engines do suck [non-permissible content removed] i miss my 06 mega cab cummins that gave me 19 mpg and your lucky your getting 13.8 cause in my 2010 2500 laramie mega cab 4x4 gives me 9.8 mpg and if im lucky and drive good it gives me 10.3, i think it gives me that cause of the 35's tires i have on it but it should not suck that much and besides that it has no balls as the old one. My 06 gave me mid 13's or 14 flat at the track better than a mustang and the same as a camaro with a programer and this ***** dont even do 20's maybe at the track its really heavy and slow and it sucks at the beach 2. The only good thing about this truck is that no matter where i park it theres always people telling me how badass the truck is but thats about it. Its the best looking truck out there in the market ill give it that but the rest IDK
  • tmaktmak Member Posts: 6
    I now have around 6200 Miles and I am stuck on 13.8 MPG +/- .4 MPG. I checked and I have the 3.42 Transmission. Boy I am sooo glad I don't have the other one. I am taking my truck to the dealership this weekend to have the computer checked out and see if there is a malfunction in there.

    I Spoke with several Diesel owners of all makes at the pump, since my last post. The ones that own or owned deisels with the particulate filter in the exhaust system tells the same story, BAD fuel mileage.. Some claim that had clogging quite frequently. 3 owners I spoke with went to the other brands that has the DEF system and thier fuel mileage was much better around 16 MPG avg. The other owners that has the particulate filter disonnected thiers (I know it is illegal in most places) and they got MUCH better fuel mileage. One of the owners I spoke with claims they are getting nearly 18 MPG on the highway, The other one had chipped his diesel and did the breather and the exhaust with the monitor on the dash. He claims he is getting 19 MPG.. ???? not sure I can believe that, but that's what he had told me. Bottom line, my conclusion is the amount of additional fuel dollars that we use in our RAMS it is cheaper to have a vehicle that uses DEF fluid every 5K at approximately 30 dollars a fill up, to get better MPG.
  • tkd1988tkd1988 Member Posts: 1
    The problem with the 6.7 cummins mileage is that it has more emissions equipment than the 5.9. Not only does the extra Cat and DPF create much more restriction in airflow, but the DPF uses what is called active regeneration where the engine goes into "rich mode". In rich mode the engine completely eliminates all oxygen from the exhaust to raise the temperature in the exhaust drastically to burn off the soot trapped in the DPF. While it makes the engine "greener" if hurts gas mileage tremendously. Although Dodge brags about not using Urea injection, it has actually proven to be a great help to fuel economy in the DPF world. An option would be to remove the DPF and go with straight pipes. But this would void any factory warranty and technically make it illegal for street use, and also require a tuner to adjust the engines ECU to keep it from trying to go into regen mode. So basically damned if you do, damned if you don't. But it is an option none the less, and if you don't hammer on it too hard, it wont produce much black smoke, making it harder to detect as a DPF delete.
  • tmaktmak Member Posts: 6
    edited June 2011
    That is a very good point in your last statement, I have done exactly that the last few days and I noticed a slight increase in my fuel mmileage especially when it is running HOT. I was easy on the fuel pedal more than normal on my previous vehicles and I had noticed an increase decrease in fuel consumption I travel on hilly roade I was averaging about 2 MPG better fuel mileage. (previous MPG AVG 14.6).

    I was also thinking and playing around with my start up idle when the vehicle has been siiting overnight. I am experimenting with letting the vehicle IDLE for 10 or minutes before going on the road. I used to let my truck idle for no mor than 5 minutes and that was just not working. However I noticed a slight decrease in fuel consumption when I drove for 10 or 15 minutes, stop for a breakfast sandwhich in the morning and then start up my truck again, my consumption on the digital reader was showing a much higher reading around 16-17 MPG reading oppose to 13-14 reading and the truck felt like it have more power as well. All of my roads here are hilly I live in N.Utah not much flat land around here. Maybe it is my imagination but it does feel different somehow, so that is why I am experimenting on the longer idle theory.
  • onoffroadonoffroad Member Posts: 17
    After research for mpg and towing,motor,ride,came up with new dodge ram ! Taken lots of trips ! After driving 67 mph,average 20mpg at fill up,read out was 21mpg !Another trip 19 and 18 going 76mph,all trips with a/c on ! This is my tow truck with 5.7 hemi,4 wheel drive,and 3.92 axle ratio !! This is the truck !!! Checked all trucks out, and new more about them than most of the sale people ! Some of the larger 8cy. are getting better mpg than smaller 8cy.!Some axle ratio will give no more towing than small trucks ! Know about the truck before you buy !
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    When that HEMI goes into 4 cylinder mode on the freeway - it will absolutely crank out some good mileage numbers.
    I wonder if hitting the "tow" button disables the MDS? Anyone know for sure?
  • onoffroadonoffroad Member Posts: 17
    Cobrazera ,It goes into eco 4 cy. at regular driving too ! Took a trip to western NC , 6/16/11,to pick up our new travel trailer ! Got 20 mpg again !! Trailer weights over 7000 lbs unloaded so will weight around 8000 loaded ! Only got 8.5 towing in tow haul & 4th gear but pleased in the towing ! Has a higher tow rating with 17in. tires(which I have) than 20in. tires ! The truck has been a good surprise so far !!!
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    Wow - that's abysmal towing MPG! I towed a 10,000lb enclosed car hauler ( actual weight on certified scales ) between MI and FL on three separate occasions with an '01 Tahoe and got about 11MPG.
    My Ram does better in normal driving than the Tahoe did, and has much more power, so I'm really surprised at your towing mileage. I cruised at 65MPH, was your speed faster? Is it a travel trailer or a tall 5th wheel? Do you have the 3.92 gears?
    Thx for the post and enjoy your trailer!
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    2010 Ram 1500 Big Horn Quad Cab, 2WD, 5.7 with 3.92 LSD & 20 inch tires

    Just turned 30,000 miles yesterday and been in service since May 2nd, 2010.

    To-Date total average is 17.31. Lowest ever recorded was 10.20 mpg towing a Ford tractor on a three axle trailer, total weight approx. 9100 lbs. Daily trip to work is 3.2 miles.

    Highest recorded so far is 23.66 mpg on a trip through the hills of central New York State, all on state roads and posted speeds. Five trips to Gettysburg, PA (335 mile trip) yielded 19.71, 20.03, 20.19, 21.5, 14.96. Last trip I pulled a 12 foot Uhaul box trailer, that's why is significantly lower.

    June 2011 average 18.21 mpg, May average 20.76, and April was 17.48. May had two road trips. All gas mileage reported is manually computed using distance travelled and actual gallons used. I have found the EVIC to indicate higher and lower gas mileage most of the time, on one occasion as much as 1.4 MPG different than actual. After 91 fill-ups the EVIC has reported lower average gas mileage 38 times, and agreed with the hand calculated figure only eleven times. I have had the odometer checked and it indicates 98.9 miles for 100 miles driven (although the speedometer matches the radar checks perfectly).

    After talking to over a dozen Ram 1500 owners, it appears that a little more than half are realizing roughly the same results as mine, but I'm not sure if they monitor this as closely as I do. I've only talked to one other individual that hand calulates the gas mileage as a check of the EVIC.

    Because I tow less than 1% of the time and 70-90 percent of my driving is suburban and cross town, the 3.92 axle ratio works very well for me (in 2010, LSD was only available in 3.92). I think those of you with the 3.55 ratio are under more of a penalty if you do a lot of stop-and-go driving. At a steady 55 MPH on flat level ground I can keep the the Hemi in ECO and the EVIC bar above the 22 MPG mark, probably because the slightly elevated RPM at that speed reduces the load factor on the engine. If you spend more time on the four lane and interstates the 3.55 or maybe the 3.23 is a better choice.

    To answer someones question, on mine selecting Tow/Haul Mode automatically drops the engine out of ECO.

    Regards,
    Dusty
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    Thx for the info on the Tow/Haul switch. I bought my 2009 Quad cab 4WD HEMI, with 20" wheels and 3.55 gears last November. It was lightly used with 15K miles. I reset the EVIC at that time and it reads 16.8 MPG now.
    Short trips are an MPG killer as is winter driving, but mix in some cruise time in 4 Cylinder mode and the truck does better than I had expected. Very pleased with the HEMI " economy ".
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    From what I can tell, the vast majority of people are relying on the vehicle computer's version of miles per gallon. Maybe that's why some are much lower or much higher. Heck, the Chevy/GMC guys really believe they get 22-25 MPG on their trucks, yet you'll find that the system operayes the same and is prone to the same inconsistencies.

    I travel with a fellow towing ATVs, and although he's convince his Silverado gets much better gas milage" than a Ram or F150, I've taken note on how many gallons his takes when we fill up. In each case he's taken more fuel.

    Gearing can make a difference, and driving technique definitely plays a major role. You might also be surprised on how much your odometer is off, especially if you've installed new tires. Higher tire air pressures reduce rolling resistance, and increase tire diameter which affects the odometer reading.

    Good luck with your new truck.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    I figured since you had filled 91 times, compared manual calculations with the computer, and found they compared 11 times, were low 38 times and high 42 times, then the computer reading is pretty good on average....especially an extended average.
    It's also nearly impossible to get the tank " filled " exactly the same every time, so that could be cause for some of the inconsistency.
    I have to admit that I have never checked my odometer, I will do that the next time I'm on the freeway, although my tires and wheels are stock.
    Thanks for the informative post...Richard
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Hi Rich,

    Good point on the pump filling. I usually buy my gas at the same station and try to get the same pump and let the fill stop when the pump shuts off. This is the best way I know how to ensure some consistency. For practical reasons I can't always do that, of course.

    I was just studying my spread sheet and I think I'm noting a trend. It appears that the computer is closest to a straight calculation when I'm at or near one-half a tank. (My Ram has the 26 gallon tank.)

    I don't know about the average, but a lot of people I know take the computer as gospel. I haven't talked or met one person yet who's actually checked that hasn't found the computers to be less than accurate. According to a friend at work his Impala owners manual states a plus or minus of 15% accuracy.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • sotxram3500sotxram3500 Member Posts: 1
    I just acquired a 2001 Dodge Laramie SLT RAM 3500 4x4 5.9L 6 Spd Man. Trans with 61k miles. The truck is very clean and fantastic condition. The only modifications that I can find is a K&N Airfilter in stock airbox, and an after market exhaust brake.

    Driving the truck around town the computer is showing about 13.4 - 14.5 average mpg. This weekend I am planning to travel to Houston to see how it does on the open highway.

    I am curious on what other folks have done to increase their avg mpg in similar sized trucks. I've heard stories of some guys getting 25 - 30+ mpg in similar year model trucks.

    Thanks
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    According to Road&Track magazine ( August 2011 ), auto mileage displays compute mileage using the vehicle speed sensor and fuel injector dwell time. To quote: " It's an elegantly simple system requiring no additional hardware and is quite accurate ".
    IMO, if there is a consistent error, in a particular vehicle, in the positive direction, then the manufacturer has fudged some constant in the calculations to appear as if the vehicle is getting better economy than it really is. However, due to the accuracy of the sensing devices used for the calculation, it doesn't make much sense that there could be a large error in the plus and minus direction.
  • tmaktmak Member Posts: 6
    Well here is my update as of 12 July 2011. My 2011 2500 Cummins now has 9025 miles on it, my fuel mileage has slowly increased to an average of 14.8 MPG. The highest was 15.2 MPG and my lowest was 14.3 MPG. The dealership found nothing wrong with the computer system in my truck. I am not so hard on the accelerator. when I see My fuel AVG consumption drop in my computer display, I take it that the regeneration is working so I will gear down and allow the RPMs to go high (2300+ RPMs) for several miles. after that I will go back to "D". Sometimes I see adifference immediately. My biggest payoff is though is the heat.. I am under the ompression that the Cummins loves the heat. If I let it idle for 5-10 minutes my MPG on the road is good, (high 15s) when I don't I am in in the low 14sor high 13's. this summer I have been letting the truck warm up for around 5 miniutes before driving, it reminds me of my old cars I had in the 70's.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    A reporter wants to talk with people who expected to get better gas mileage in their relatively new vehicle. Please email [email protected] by Tuesday, July 19, 2011 with your daytime contact information and a few words about your experience. Thank you.
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    30 mpg is highly unlikely in a 3500. The best tank I ever saw was 24.3 with my 1996 3500 Club Cab 4x4 dually, but that was with the more efficient mechanically-injected 12-valve engine and the automatic which has a notably taller overdrive than the New Venture manual trannies. I also had the cruise control set at 57 mph for that run.

    With a 2001 (EFI 24-valve HO, rated at 245/505), and if you have 3.54 axles, you can probably get an honest 22-24 mpg if you keep your right foot in check and keep the speed below 60 mph. A chip may get you a couple more if it's matched just right, and again, you keep the speed down (the Cummins diesel gets its best efficiency around 1600-1700 rpm).

    My 2005 3500 with the common-rail fuel system and 2004 emissions settings will get 21 only if I'm really careful... the standard 3.73 axle is part of the problem there.

    kcram - Pickups/Wagons/Vans+Minivans Host
  • thunderroad4thunderroad4 Member Posts: 3
    I have 2011 Ram 1500 Big Horn RWD Quad Cab with the 5.7 Hemi and the 20 inch wheels. I have not averaged anything better then 12 mpg and that's an honest reading as I input my mileage and gas purchase on GasBuddy.com and keep records every time I fill. This really sucks because the only major difference between this and my 2005 Dodge Ram RWD Thunder Road truck that I traded for this truck is the gear ratio but I don't think it should go from getting 16 to 17 mpg on the average to at best 12 mpg and there is some highway mileage on both to consider so there is no difference there. The new RAM truck had a rating of 13 mpg city to 19 mpg hghwy. I do not understand why such the difference especially since this is a 6 year newer truck and the suspension system is supposed to be much lighter so that could only help. I have taken my new Ram to my dealership and they have run all the system checks and nothing comes up on it. I have even tried babying her and still not getting any difference either. If anyone could help with any suggestions please reply. I have contacted RAM and of course the response I get is basically sorry about my luck but to take it to the dealership to see what they can do... which I have already done and explained that to them. Even one of the service managers at the dealership said he has a 2009 Ram and is getting poor gas mileage as well but seemed to see a slight increase after the break in period but was not anywhere near my 2005 Ram's mileage.... NOT COOL especially when gas prices are as high as they are. There should be a warning of this on these trucks.... RAM do not mislead the customers because I will probably not be buying another Ram in my life if this is the way it's going to be..... so sorry about your luck RAM and I will spread the news!!!
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    edited August 2011
    I'm sorry to hear that you're disappointed with the mileage on your Ram. I have basically the same truck, but mine is an '09 4WD.
    Now that summer is here, I'm getting 16.5 to 17MPG in all around driving, and that's not BS. My driving is suburban/country and small town with very little city and very little freeway driving. I normally drive at the limit or 5 over and keep any freeway driving to less than 75MPH. I am very careful with the throttle, driving to maximize the " Fuel Saver " light staying lit, and coast up to stop signs and lights that are red. Coasting is a huge contributor to mileage - it helps recover the extra fuel used when accelerating. I also mix 87 and 93 octane gas to get 90 octane for the same price as 89. IMO, using the recommended 89+ octane will return a bit better mileage.
    I also shut the engine off if waiting awhile at a takeout window, etc. - unless the air needs to be running, of course.
    These things may require a change in driving habits and can be a pain in the rear at times, but are effective at saving money at the pump.
    I love my Ram, and I know it will return decent mileage with a little effort.
  • fueledupfueledup Member Posts: 64
    I purchased a 2011 2500 megacab laramie 4x2 3.73 rear-end high output approx; two months ago. MPG has been absymal. So far 2,600 miles, actual avg with gallons purchased 11.2. I would say 80% city 20% hwy. I've been very easy on the accelerator and not towing anything or carrying much weight. The truck seems to perform great and love everything about it but the mpg makes me sick. Apparently high output means low mpg.
  • thunderroad4thunderroad4 Member Posts: 3
    I understand your point of babying my Ram to conserve the gas but considering my 2005 was getting better efficiency then the 2011 I am quite disappointed to say the least especially when they charge the prices they charge for these trucks which was right around $40,000 msrp for mine. I have went and watched the "ECO" light and stayed right around the speed limit and still have not seen over 14 mpg except when we took it on the highway over 600 miles and got 17.7 mpg at best even though the computer in the truck was saying I was getting around 20 mpg. So if I wanted to go slow I would have bought a smaller engine that just does not make any sense and I do not constantly get into the accelerator so to get an average of 12.8 mpg and I have about 4600 miles on my 2011 Ram 1500... that's just plain wrong! I do appreciate the input though but it just does not remedy the situation. :cry:
  • paulli36paulli36 Member Posts: 4
    I recently bought a new 2011 2500 with the Cummins. I am getting about 13 to 14 in the city which to me isnt bad. I also just took a road trip and was getting about 18 to 19. I was impressed and found that the computer estimate was pretty accurate. I HAD an 2004 Avalacnhe with 411 gears and the gas mileage and even the pulling was horrifically bad. Im actually getting an overall better gas mileage now in the Dodge than I was in the Chevy...imagine that.
  • fueledupfueledup Member Posts: 64
    took my 2011 mega-cab cummins to dealer to check why milage was so low, found out it was continualy regen mode, now happy to report 14.8 city, and 18.6 hwy now up to 3700 miles.
  • mrhemi1mrhemi1 Member Posts: 1
    i dont understand why you people are even talking about mileage. If i wanted great mileage i wouldn't have bought a truck never mind the hemi. I bought it for a truck not a smart car. If you want good mileage buy a small car.
  • scurleywurleyscurleywurley Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2012
    Let's think things through. The reason a lot of people buy trucks, myself included, is that they're necessary tools for jobs that a Smart can't be used for. Almost every day, my truck is used to carry 4 or 5 big guys in the cab, at least 1,000 pounds of equipment (sometimes over 4,000!) in the bed, and to haul around a trailer with a couple of tons on it. It does all of this, day after day, mile after mile, without so much as a hiccup. I'd love to be able to do all of this with a 30+ MPG vehicle, but there isn't one available that meets my needs.

    Now, since we've established that a Smart just isn't a choice for some people, let's see why MPG in trucks matters- I'm looking for a truck and have the option of truck A that gets 13 MPG versus truck B that gets 17. The current price of diesel is $4/gal and I expect to drive 25k miles this year. Given this, truck A will cost me roughly $7,692 to operate for the year while truck B will cost $5,882. That's almost TWO GRAND saved in just one year because I didn't have the mindset of "pfft. It's a truck, mileage doesn't matter."
  • lawman1967lawman1967 Member Posts: 314
    Just ran my first tank of gas in my new Ram 1500 (Quadcab Express, 5.7L, 20", 3.92 LSD).

    Drove 402 miles and put in 22.84 gallons of mid grade for an average of 17.6 MPG. Of those 402 miles, 160 were suburban driving and 242 was freeway (between 70 and 75 MPH, a few passes at 80 MPH).

    The truck had only 32 miles on the odometer when I took delivery and that it was topped off (it took an additional 1.2 gallons before automatic shutoff of the pump) and then refilled at the end using the same pump, I believe it is a fairly accurate manual computation. The computer was very close at 17.7 MPG average.

    For a brand-new truck with no break-in, I consider that exceptional fuel economy. With any luck, it will pick up an additional 2 or 3 MPG as it breaks in.
  • rcnc1rcnc1 Member Posts: 1
    I haVe a 2004 quad cab hemi 20 in rims with 127k miles. I am pretty good with maintainece. Years ago I was getting 15 mph. Over the years it is now 11mph. I suspect the gas quality has gone down with ethanol. I currently use 92 oct or the truck runs poorly
  • jwjbsjwjbs Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased a used 2010 ram 2500 with diesel engine and it is making horrible fuel mileage compared to my 2008 I traded in. It is making between 10 to 15 compared to 17-21 of my old pickup. I'm curious about your vehicle being in the regen mode. is there a way to detect if this is happening without going to the dealer? I'm brining it in next week but curious how often this happens. I'm not happy with the fuel mileage.
  • fueledupfueledup Member Posts: 64
    I got so frustrated with the new dodge diesel I traded it in for a chevy 2500 6.0 gas. For some reason the new dodge diesel continued to suck fuel, so at least i'm only paying for reg unleaded and avg 12.8 city gas. hope your luck improves.
  • oldie53oldie53 Member Posts: 1
    getting about 10 mpg towing 8000lbs with 411 gears is this correct. or should i change gears . It as a tcs tranny . running some hills..
Sign In or Register to comment.