Well that's not good - sorry to hear about the damage. We can only hope the b*****d gets bitten by a rabid rat. (You were aware I was only joking around in that prior post, right? )
I'm regularly getting "mixed" driving mileage in my area at 21 or 22 mpg and have only made one longer drive (to MouseTown) which wasn't purely interstate, that gave me 26 mpg. The "average speed" calculated (on the dash) at 64 mph and I was leadfooting and doing a bit under 80 mph wherever I could...
Wind in the face does affect mileage a lot! I used to make trips from San Antonio Tx to Norman Oklahoma in my '90 Accord (about 390 miles) and I could do it on a full tank of gas, with about 30 miles to spare.
One Winter, using cruise control and unknowingly driving into a stiff headwind, I ran out of gas about 20 miles short of my destination. Froze my butt off waiting for AAA to come to my rescue...
ricwhite (from post #5) Regular vs. premium fuel is worth about 2 mpg in cost.
How did you calculate that?
I can calculate how many gallons floridabob and his friend each used on the trip. If I assume a certain price per gallon for both regular & premium fuel I can calculate how much each spent for fuel on this trip.
(Did they both reset the trip computer at the start of the trip at the same location? Did they drive together taking the exact same route under the same driving conditions? Sorry, that's getting away from my question.)
Please let me know how you calculate that premium fuel is worth about 2 mph in cost.
Try setting your a/c system in the "fresh" air position after the interior has sufficiently cooled down.
I think the "recirculate" position keeps your compressor pumping hard and will cost you in gas mileage.
The owner manual for my '05 Sonata doesn't specifically say that is the case. However, it seems to be the reality. The manual of other cars I've had did say that was the case. Check your owner manual and give it a try, especially when taking a long trip.
FLBob, My post #60 was responding to your post #52 regarding your mpg experience and your statement that you set/leave your climate control on "recirculate".
I think if you let the system "decide what it wants to do", you'll see an improvement in your mpg (assuming you're not taking mostly trips under 10 minutes like I do).
My '91 Lebaron Conv. manual said that "recirculate" had the compressor fully working all the time "recirculate" was activated.
RE:62 Thanks for the input. I was under the impression that the "recirculate" button only controlled a flap the permits the entry of fresh air into the system. As I live in a warm climate, I assumed that re circulating the interior cabin air would be more efficient for the cooling process. Does anyone know for sure if the recirculate button keeps the compressor on at all times?
This is extremely frustrating. The recirculate button should work as you describe - it should be completely disconnected from the a/c. However, as I have posted many times in this forum Hyundai really screwed up the climate controls. There are at least four different ways to turn on the a/c in this car: 1) Press the AUTO button; 2) Press the A/C button; 3) Press the fan speed button; 4) Press the recirculate button.
In a car with an intelligently designed climate control system the a/c initially runs from outside air (which is almost always cooler than air inside the car) - this is why you should roll your window down a bit when you turn on the a/c. Once the hot air leaves the car you use recirculate.
Again, the recirculate button should only control the flow of air - it should have nothing to do with the compressor.
I have about 5000 mi. on my Limited now and for the last 1900 or so, the average has been moving up and has now hit 24.1 No major trips, daily driving in Denver Metro area, 4x110mi round trips into the mountains, very little A/C. I would expect it now to settle in about 23.7 or better for most of the driving I do. Have had it over 100mph on a couple of occasions and at least a "few" full accelerations from on ramps, passing zones, etc. I have found it will pull to redline+, with no hesitation.
Did the 1st oil change and service at 3100 and mileage has improved ever since. Pennzoil Synthetic.
Are you sure about the recirculate button? I have always understood what someone earlier said. If you are recirculating the air with the a/c running, you are not letting outside air in. Therefore the compressor will run less often than if you do mix the cool air with fresh (warmer) air. To me, it's like running the a/c at home - recirc is window closed, fresh air is window open.
No, I am not certain about the Hyundai system. I do know the owner manual says the system should not be left in recirculate due to possible window fogging. A prior car's system kept the compressor running when in recirculate.
It's definitely worth a try. Since the system IS automatic, try letting the system do what IT feels should be done.
The automatic system in my Sonata kicks over to recirculate when the interior is really hot. Then it switches once the interior cools down. My car doesn't automatically kick over to recirculate when the outside temp is 20 and I have the interior set for 77. Since it is the temperature setting in relation to the interior temperature which determines fan speed (fan slows down as the two temps get near each other), the recirculate, as in other cars, may keep the compressor working when it isn't needed.
Why does the discussion of Real World MPG appear sometimes and then disappear for hours or days?
A friend has an SUV coming off lease in June and is quite interested in the Azera--he's fed up with SUV MPG. But after driving SUV's for over 10 years, his wife is trying to convince him that he won't be happy with a "car" again.
He knows the Azera isn't the highest gas mileage car around. He thinks, for his driving mix of local/highway, he'll probably get over 20 mpg...Far better than his current overall of 14 mpg. Plus he has taken a couple test drives and is greatly impressed with the Azera.
Depending on how heavy footed he is when it comes to take-offs...he can definitely better his SUV mileage, it should be between the 18-21 mpg range. I do a fair mix of highway/local driving in my Azera and it averages around 20 mpg.
Let's be a little more optimistic. I have never even been below 20mpg in mine. It started out around 21, after about 1,000 it was at 22, at 3000 it was just below 23, and now at 5,000 it has hit 24. I have only reset the mpg about 5 times since I got it and two of those were very early on. The last time I reset it was at the 3,1xx mi. mark when I got it back from its first service/oil change.
I see the other reports of Azera MPG lower than mine, but I know one other owner is is getting within .5mpg of what I am getting (lower) with about 7,500 miles on his. Neither of us are exactly babying them either.
Question is...where do you live and how much of your driving is on city streets? I live in the DC Metro area, so most of my daily (M-F) is on city streets. The weekends however, is more highway miles so my FE goes up considerably.
RE: 75 From what I have heard through my local dealership, very few owners are reporting overall MPG as high as you are getting. We are in an area that requires A/C most of the time, heavy traffic but no hills or mountains. I have not heard of even one person who has averaged 23-24 mpg.
I am in Parker, CO which is about 15 SE of Denver area . I work in what is called the Tech Center. I do not have to do a lot of literal stop and go driving, but do have to drive into downtown Denver several times a week during rush hour. A/C has been little used due to the weather. As I said, the worst I have experienced was when it was brand new and I had to drive in MAJOR snow and ice (very low speed, stop and go, spinning tires etc) and I got 19.5 on my first tank.
The only thing I think I may do differently is that I keep the tire pressure up around 36 psi, versus the 30-32 recommended. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I will, when conditions allow, be in or very close to triple digits occasionally, and I like a little more pressure at higher speeds. It may not ride quite as smooth, but handling is better. As of today, driving around Parker, including waiting and going through the car wash, I am at 23.9.
I did check mileage one time driving on the Interstate between Parker and Boulder (about 55 mi.) and doing about 80 as much as I could, my mileage with about 2,500 miles on the car, was 28mpg.
I did not strictly adhere to the recommended Azera break in, but pushed it a little harder. Don't know what more to say, except I am getting exactly the mileage I am posting. As I said a friend of mine in Aurora CO is getting within about .5mpg of me. Mine being slightly better.
Hey guys, the other day, I took a short 100 mile roadtrip with my azera with a 50 pound suitcase and 3 passengers including myself and a full tank of gas. I drove northbound on the new jersey turnpike with medium amount of traffic. I started the trip betting with my girlfriend whether i'd get above or below 27mpg, which is what the trip computer has been giving me on the highways. To my suprise, I reset the trip mileage computer at the beginning of my 100 mile highway cruise, and I got consistently 32mpg going at 65mph throughout the first 50miles up until we got into the nyc suburbs, and even then for the next 50 miles, the average decreased to a still whopping 30mpg. Wow... I was shocked, and so was my gf. I don't know how I did it, perhaps I had some wind blowing in my favor or something...
With just over 2000 miles on my 07 the average has been 26.3mpg. I don't use the trip comp. I do it the old way. I do have a question about the accuracy of the fuel gauge. After fill up the gauge shows above full however with about 20 miles it drops fast. until it reaches 1/4 tank also at 1/2 reading when I fill up it takes only 7 gallons of gas. Any one else having this results ?
Re. # 84: MY gas gauge goes down fast too. Makes me wonder if I should trust the gauge or the computer so I just fill-up when it hits the half remaining point.
This has been my experience as well. I also have an 06 Sonata LX6 and the gauge takes a while before it starts leaving the F mark. I don't remember having a car that had the gas gauge drop so fast and so quickly. I am going to discuss it with my service manager when I take it in for the next service. However I do love the car.
Here's a thought: Maybe, with most cars, the tank/gauge relationship is not all that critical and the tank can drop a couple of gallons before the needle noticibly begins its downward journey, but because of the Azera more closely monitoring the tank's contents so as to provide an MPG calculation and readout, the planners set the gas gauge to be more indicative of change? It's a guess.
I also note that I've never had a hint of a "splash-back" while filling my tank, so maybe (just maybe) we normally never actually manage to fill the tank to capacity, which would be reflected in an early departure from "full?"...
Most cars hold full for a long time. The float sensor in the tank and the gauge don't begin to drop until the fuel level passes the full top position of the sensor. When you fill your tank, especially if you "top off" the fuel level is much higher than the top of the sensor. You can even fill the hose that connects the tank to the fill inlet.
I've noticed the same "difference" between the computer MPG on my 99 Jeep Cherokee as on my Azera. The Jeep seems to reflect the mileage based upon the last time I drove it and "resets" when I turn it off and starts measuring again. There isn't that much difference but both seem to be off towards showing better or worse mileage depending on the last driving situation.
I'm not asking for guesses here, ok? Does anyone actually KNOW how the MPG computer works on the Azera and Sonata? How does it determine instantaneous MPG and/or average MPG? Does it measure fuel in the tank or does it measure fuel as it is injected into the motor or does it measure something else entirely to calculate MPG? Is it linked to the odometer or trip odometer or gas gauge? If one of those meters was not working would that cause the MPG computer to shut down too? Is MPG displayed somehow dependent on an engine vacuum reading? If you KNOW, or if you have a link which explains it, how about enlightening some of the rest of us? Thanks.
There is a flow sensor before the fuel injectors that measures the volume of gas that has passed through it. The computer instantaneously computes the MPG based on the current flow and the current speed. The average MPG is simply the total fuel that has flowed divided into the total mileage traveled, since the last time the computer was reset.
So does that mean the MPG computer is dependent on both the speedometer and the odometer? If they were not working would the MPG computer also not work?
Of course the sensors for those displays have to work for mileage, speed, and distance to be calculated. Its pretty damn easy to know if your speedometer is working. All you have to do is when you drive past any one of those radar speed displays, check whether the indicated speed is the same on the speedometer. And, in Colorado, they have mileage markers every mile on the highways, so you can also do at least an elementary check on the odometer. Just see if it matches after about 10 miles.
Since this discussion started about a week ago, I did check mine the old fashioned way -- divide odometer miles since last fill up by gallons of gas pumped and I am getting the same number as the display is showing. It has dropped from 24.1 from the previous fill up to currently 23.9, now with about 3,500 miles since the average MPG display has been reset.
the FE on the '06 Azeras was greatly affected by the wide open throttle shifting that a TSB was created for. I mean...after getting mine reprogrammed, I noticed take-offs to be MUCH smoother than before. If shifts were happening at wide open throttle, that's quite a bit of gas being wasted.
Actually...you can just open the vents and let the outside air in.
You can recirculate air in the car without the A/C on too.
As far as the sytem telling you what is running, it does that as well. Are you blind in one eye and have trouble seeing out the other? Depending on the temperature setting you select, it tells you whether it's blowing through the upper vents, lower vents or both. If you have the "bad air" sensor employed, then it lets you know when it has been employed as well. It also shows you the fan strength as well.
Why can't you select between hot and cold? All you have to do is change the temp setting and it adjusts to it.
The ONLY issue I have with the climate control system is the so called dual zone control. If I want 65 degrees on my side and my wife wants 80 degrees...it won't happen. You can only go for marginal differences of maybe 5-7 degrees on each side.
Nope ... not true (at least not in my Azera Limited Ultimate).
Let's assume that the climate control system's AUTO setting is off. Let's futher assume that I have the "bad air" sensor on. At that point the only lights I will see are the following: outside air temperature, the vents that are blowing, bad air, recirculating (if there happens to be bad air). Now, assume that I want to kick up the fan speed - all I need to do is press the fan speed button. However, this turns on the AUTO system.
Scenario 2 - Let's assume that everything is off but I don't want the outside air coming in. So I press the recircualte button. This turns on the AUTO system.
Scenario 3 - Let's assume that I just want to change where the air is coming from. I can just press the mode button, right? Well, this also turns on the AUTO.
The AUTO system never lights up the A/C light, nor does it every light up the bad air light.
So many ways to turn on the A/C; unfortunately, it shouldn't have been engineered in this manner.
Funny, I have an Azera LTD and I don't have those problems.
Have you simply tried pressing the AUTO button so that it turns off? Works for me! However, one thing I've found out...when the AUTO setting is activated, the A/C is on at all times. To make sure it's off...manually turn the A/C on, then off...that way it stays off when you operate the system manually.
When you've done this, you can operate fan speed settings, mode settings and all that without the AUTO feature coming on. The only time the AUTO feature should come on is when you activate it. What I didn't know until 6 months into ownership, was that if you turn the AUTO feature off, the A/C is still activated and the only way to deactivate it is to manually turn it on and off.
If your system persists to act the way it does...you could have a faulty one. It shouldn't be in AUTO mode unless you select that mode.
The one thing I will agree on is that in AUTO mode, you can turn the temp down as low as you want, but the A/C light doesn't come on, but....you know it's on!
Comments
Drove to Toronto from Montreal (550KM or 344Miles)
To Toronto avg speed 113KM/HR or 70M/HR Very windy in the face Temp -11C My avg. 23.4MPG
From Toronto avg speed 145KM/HR or 90M/HR No wind Temp +10C avg. 25.5MPG (Avg speed held on cruise for 3 hours. That's 80% of trip)
I don't know how to interpret this.
Cold affects mileage?
Wind in the face affects mileage ALOT?
Very weird!
One Winter, using cruise control and unknowingly driving into a stiff headwind, I ran out of gas about 20 miles short of my destination. Froze my butt off waiting for AAA to come to my rescue...
How did you calculate that?
I can calculate how many gallons floridabob and his friend each used on the trip. If I assume a certain price per gallon for both regular & premium fuel I can calculate how much each spent for fuel on this trip.
(Did they both reset the trip computer at the start of the trip at the same location? Did they drive together taking the exact same route under the same driving conditions? Sorry, that's getting away from my question.)
Please let me know how you calculate that premium fuel is worth about 2 mph in cost.
I think the "recirculate" position keeps your compressor pumping hard and will cost you in gas mileage.
The owner manual for my '05 Sonata doesn't specifically say that is the case. However, it seems to be the reality. The manual of other cars I've had did say that was the case. Check your owner manual and give it a try, especially when taking a long trip.
The owners manual of my Chrysler Seebring ( 6 cyl.) specifically says NOT to use premium gasoline.
I think if you let the system "decide what it wants to do", you'll see an improvement in your mpg (assuming you're not taking mostly trips under 10 minutes like I do).
My '91 Lebaron Conv. manual said that "recirculate" had the compressor fully working all the time "recirculate" was activated.
Thanks for the input.
I was under the impression that the "recirculate" button only controlled a flap the permits the entry of fresh air into the system. As I live in a warm climate, I assumed that re circulating the interior cabin air would be more efficient for the cooling process. Does anyone know for sure if the recirculate button keeps the compressor on at all times?
In a car with an intelligently designed climate control system the a/c initially runs from outside air (which is almost always cooler than air inside the car) - this is why you should roll your window down a bit when you turn on the a/c. Once the hot air leaves the car you use recirculate.
Again, the recirculate button should only control the flow of air - it should have nothing to do with the compressor.
Did the 1st oil change and service at 3100 and mileage has improved ever since. Pennzoil Synthetic.
Give it a try for a tank or two. If I'm wrong you will have used a minimal amount of extra fuel. If I'm correct, you'll save on fuel from here on.
The recirculate button is more like the "max" button on manual A/C than it is a flap to only control which air is drawn into the system.
As you say, it can't hurt.
Let us know how you make out.
That was my understanding.
It's definitely worth a try. Since the system IS automatic, try letting the system do what IT feels should be done.
The automatic system in my Sonata kicks over to recirculate when the interior is really hot. Then it switches once the interior cools down. My car doesn't automatically kick over to recirculate when the outside temp is 20 and I have the interior set for 77. Since it is the temperature setting in relation to the interior temperature which determines fan speed (fan slows down as the two temps get near each other), the recirculate, as in other cars, may keep the compressor working when it isn't needed.
A friend has an SUV coming off lease in June and is quite interested in the Azera--he's fed up with SUV MPG. But after driving SUV's for over 10 years, his wife is trying to convince him that he won't be happy with a "car" again.
He knows the Azera isn't the highest gas mileage car around. He thinks, for his driving mix of local/highway, he'll probably get over 20 mpg...Far better than his current overall of 14 mpg. Plus he has taken a couple test drives and is greatly impressed with the Azera.
I see the other reports of Azera MPG lower than mine, but I know one other owner is is getting within .5mpg of what I am getting (lower) with about 7,500 miles on his. Neither of us are exactly babying them either.
From what I have heard through my local dealership, very few owners are reporting overall MPG as high as you are getting. We are in an area that requires A/C most of the time, heavy traffic but no hills or mountains.
I have not heard of even one person who has averaged 23-24 mpg.
The only thing I think I may do differently is that I keep the tire pressure up around 36 psi, versus the 30-32 recommended. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I will, when conditions allow, be in or very close to triple digits occasionally, and I like a little more pressure at higher speeds. It may not ride quite as smooth, but handling is better. As of today, driving around Parker, including waiting and going through the car wash, I am at 23.9.
I did check mileage one time driving on the Interstate between Parker and Boulder (about 55 mi.) and doing about 80 as much as I could, my mileage with about 2,500 miles on the car, was 28mpg.
I did not strictly adhere to the recommended Azera break in, but pushed it a little harder. Don't know what more to say, except I am getting exactly the mileage I am posting. As I said a friend of mine in Aurora CO is getting within about .5mpg of me. Mine being slightly better.
When I tried increasing tire pressure to 34 psi the ride got lousey. At 30 psi the care handles fine but floats a little on high speed turns.
I do have a question about the accuracy of the fuel gauge.
After fill up the gauge shows above full however with about
20 miles it drops fast. until it reaches 1/4 tank also at 1/2 reading when I fill up it takes only 7 gallons of gas.
Any one else having this results ?
I also note that I've never had a hint of a "splash-back" while filling my tank, so maybe (just maybe) we normally never actually manage to fill the tank to capacity, which would be reflected in an early departure from "full?"...
The float sensor in the tank and the gauge don't begin to drop until the fuel level passes the full top position of the sensor.
When you fill your tank, especially if you "top off" the fuel level is much higher than the top of the sensor. You can even fill the hose that connects the tank to the fill inlet.
Does anyone actually KNOW how the MPG computer works on the Azera and Sonata? How does it determine instantaneous MPG and/or average MPG?
Does it measure fuel in the tank or does it measure fuel as it is injected into the motor or does it measure something else entirely to calculate MPG? Is it linked to the odometer or trip odometer or gas gauge? If one of those meters was not working would that cause the MPG computer to shut down too?
Is MPG displayed somehow dependent on an engine vacuum reading?
If you KNOW, or if you have a link which explains it, how about enlightening some of the rest of us?
Thanks.
Since this discussion started about a week ago, I did check mine the old fashioned way -- divide odometer miles since last fill up by gallons of gas pumped and I am getting the same number as the display is showing. It has dropped from 24.1 from the previous fill up to currently 23.9, now with about 3,500 miles since the average MPG display has been reset.
You can recirculate air in the car without the A/C on too.
As far as the sytem telling you what is running, it does that as well. Are you blind in one eye and have trouble seeing out the other? Depending on the temperature setting you select, it tells you whether it's blowing through the upper vents, lower vents or both. If you have the "bad air" sensor employed, then it lets you know when it has been employed as well. It also shows you the fan strength as well.
Why can't you select between hot and cold? All you have to do is change the temp setting and it adjusts to it.
The ONLY issue I have with the climate control system is the so called dual zone control. If I want 65 degrees on my side and my wife wants 80 degrees...it won't happen. You can only go for marginal differences of maybe 5-7 degrees on each side.
Let's assume that the climate control system's AUTO setting is off. Let's futher assume that I have the "bad air" sensor on. At that point the only lights I will see are the following: outside air temperature, the vents that are blowing, bad air, recirculating (if there happens to be bad air). Now, assume that I want to kick up the fan speed - all I need to do is press the fan speed button. However, this turns on the AUTO system.
Scenario 2 - Let's assume that everything is off but I don't want the outside air coming in. So I press the recircualte button. This turns on the AUTO system.
Scenario 3 - Let's assume that I just want to change where the air is coming from. I can just press the mode button, right? Well, this also turns on the AUTO.
The AUTO system never lights up the A/C light, nor does it every light up the bad air light.
So many ways to turn on the A/C; unfortunately, it shouldn't have been engineered in this manner.
Have you simply tried pressing the AUTO button so that it turns off? Works for me! However, one thing I've found out...when the AUTO setting is activated, the A/C is on at all times. To make sure it's off...manually turn the A/C on, then off...that way it stays off when you operate the system manually.
When you've done this, you can operate fan speed settings, mode settings and all that without the AUTO feature coming on. The only time the AUTO feature should come on is when you activate it. What I didn't know until 6 months into ownership, was that if you turn the AUTO feature off, the A/C is still activated and the only way to deactivate it is to manually turn it on and off.
If your system persists to act the way it does...you could have a faulty one. It shouldn't be in AUTO mode unless you select that mode.
The one thing I will agree on is that in AUTO mode, you can turn the temp down as low as you want, but the A/C light doesn't come on, but....you know it's on!
Having it on makes the auto mode work maybe?