Any Escape owners experienced loss of mpg since reformulated gas came out?

binazone

I have a'02 Escape XLS V6 that I've had for 15 months and which has @59k miles. Since late September, I've experienced (city travel) a 10% drop in mgp and a highway drop even worse.

According to my mechanic, all systems are within spec, tires are new and inflated properly and new plugs and fuel filter recently installed.

I'm told that my car doesn't like the reformulated gas (with 10% ethanol) and I'd like to find out if other Escape owners have experienced a similar loss in mpg over the last couple of months.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Binazone

mschmal

One thing you might try is calling your dealer and seeing if a reflash is available for your cars powertrain control module PCM.

Mark.

binazone

Mark,

Thanks for your reply. I will inquire about the reflash.

Joe

roxford

my wife has a 01 and after a fill up, trip to Georgetown, TX and back the Dallas. we had to fill up to make sure we got home. thought i'd hallucinated the pre departure fill up. I'll be visiting my mechanic about that if we don't trade in the escape and sport trac for freestyle and 4 cyl escape.

elias

binazone, reformulated gas came out around 1993, long before your 2002 ford escape. so i think you are talking about the recent change from MTBE to ethanol in some areas.
FWIW, when i compared RFG1/MTBE to RFG1/Ethanol back in 1993, i got slightly better mpg results with the MTBE type of RFG1. all these tests were with 1992 & 1993 honda civics. but not a 10% difference.
however if you are truly comparing non-RFG gasoline with "E10" gasoline, then a 10% mpg drop or more what I think you will see, based on my many mpg "benchmarks"

explorerx4

between the cold temps and the reformulated gas, i usually figure about a 15% mileage reduction.