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Isuzu Owners Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    That's dang good service! (at least as far as sending a TROOPER!) it's almost 99.9999% chance you'll never get a trooper loaner from a dealer normally. Where you located? I'm in NYC and we are supposed to be getting 2+ feet here.

    -mike
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    That's great service. Where is your dealer? The first winter I had my truck, i.e. last winter, I had a rattle in the dash. It had to be below 40 degrees, and only during the first 15 minutes of driving, it was definitely related to acceleration because it only did it between 25-40 MPH. It is gone? It happened once this year, I cannot remember when it went away, but I think it was after I added dry-gas? Maybe it was condensation in the fuel lines? People on this board have mentioned that there are supply lines behind the firewall in the dash?
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    spirolli, you are lucky to have a dealer that is making not only an attempt, but a damn good attempt to locate your rattle.

    I'm in the Detroit area, and I couldn't even get my local dealer to do anything about the extremely loose and noisy driver's seat in my 98 Trooper.
  • schulhofschulhof Member Posts: 71
    Item #1:

    Driver door lock mechanism on '96 Trooper sticks. By "sticks" I means you need to repetitively (yet gently) wiggle the key back and forth many times, and if you get it just right, you may be able to unlock the doors from that side. The question is....is this a delaer fix or any locksmith? Of course, I do not want to re-key the whole car or have a different key for the drivers door! Advice please....

    Trivia question:

    Same '96 Trooper. The drivers side front mud flap has broken. Guess how much to replace via a dealer?........If you said $125 you are winner! Now I admit it is a very nice mud flap, but that is a chunk of change for a mud flap. What to do, fork over the $125 or call junk yards looking for a late mdoel Trooper?

    Thanks in advance...

    -Eric
  • sdc2sdc2 Member Posts: 780
    Could be your intake manifold gasket, there's been a lot of that going around...
  • bsmart1bsmart1 Member Posts: 377
    I guess its the price we pay to maintain a $30,000 plus SUV!! Mudflaps can be found in junk yards off wrecked models. Most likely it won't be hard to find a replacement that will fit. Almost sure to be less than $40. Another possible source would be Ebay. If not, check with St. Charles ISUZU in St. Louis via internet. They are very reasonable on their parts.

    Lock problems is a easy fix. I had a similar problem and took it to my local locksmith. His fix was a squirt of two of WD-40!!! Wow you would have thought I could have figured that one out! Oh well, live and learn.... Good luck with it.
  • acolaacola Member Posts: 10
    Just bought a 99 S 23,000mi. w/ auto trans, moonrf, 4x4, cd(not sure if 1 or 6 change, has 6 lights & #'s, but only a single load chamber, couldnt find a "changer" in vehicle), alloys, fog lts, fold mirrors, lthr steer whl, priv glass, AC
    for $17,900.
    A Good Deal?

    please help with A couple of questions;

    1. a noise, like a fan motor, near the shifter?
    2. "power" "winter" buttons, for what?
    3. TOD, can be manually engaged or is auto?
    if manual,use it when?
    4. any recalls I should know about?
    5. what are the major maintenance intervals I need to maintain warranty?
    6. what is warranty? 3yr or 5? 36,000 or 50,000?

    Thankyou very much,
    Cautiously happy owner, so far
  • acolaacola Member Posts: 10
    Just bought a 99 S 23,000mi. w/ auto trans, moonrf, 4x4, cd(not sure if 1 or 6 change, has 6 lights & #'s, but only a single load chamber, couldnt find a "changer" in vehicle), alloys, fog lts, fold mirrors, lthr steer whl, priv glass, AC
    for $17,900.
    A Good Deal?

    please help with A couple of questions;

    1. a noise, like a fan motor, near the shifter?
    2. "power" "winter" buttons, for what?
    3. TOD, can be manually engaged or is auto?
    if manual,use it when?
    4. any recalls I should know about?
    5. what are the major maintenance intervals I need to maintain warranty?
    6. what is warranty? 3yr or 5? 36,000 or 50,000?

    Thankyou very much,
    Cautiously happy owner, so far
  • spirollispirolli Member Posts: 50
    Yes, I guess I am somewhat lucky that the dealer (Davis Pontiac Isuzu, Richboro, PA) gave me a Trooper to drive for the weekend. I picked the loaner up on Saturday. It was a 2000 Trooper "S" with about 13k miles. This truck ran like a charm. In fact, it pissed me off that this truck ran so tight compared to my 2000 Limited. It didn't rattle, road tighter, handled better and had less body roll. I attribute some of the rattles to the fact that I have leather seats. These seats tend to squeak compared to cloth, however that has nothing to do with the better ride the loaner gave me compared to my Trooper. I automatically assumed it was the tires. In other words, I had a more AT tire then what was on the loaner "S". The loaner had the Dueler 684. They seemed to ride so much smoother then my tires and had a lot less road noise. I was all ready to dump my tires (with 15K) and buy the Dueler 684.

    I picked up my truck on Monday. They fixed the rattle in the dash. They put about 20 hours into attempting to find out what was causing the rattle. It turned out to be a bracket inside the dash that was loose and cause the rattle. It was both temperature ( only did it in the cold) and RPM sensitive (only did it at about 2500-3500 RPM's). Thank God that one is fixed.

    After I got home, I took a look at the tires that are on my truck and to my amazement, they were the same tires that were on the "S", Dueler 684's !!!! I was nuts...! I can't understand how the tread can be different on the same tires. I noticed the tread difference by the footprint my Trooper left on my snow covered driveway vs the footprint the Trooper "S" left on my driveway. The "S" left a track/footprint that looked like a car, very uniform and straight. My Trooper leaves a more rugged "torn-up" type of footprint.

    In a state of confusion, I called Bridgestone with this issue. Bridgestone told me that the only thing it could be was that my tires were wearing uneven. ( I did have the front end alignment done about 5k miles ago which straighted out that notorious pull to the right) That would explain the vibrations and excessive road noise. They proposed that I purchase the new Dueler HL which is more of a highway tire. They would pro-rate my existing Dueler 684's for 15k miles. The whole deal will cost me around $500 for tires, balancing and mounting.

    I'm really not sure what to do. All I know is that my truck rides very hard. I feel every little bump and those bumps feel like they are shaking the truck apart. I took for granted that this was the way the Trooper's road. Until of course I drove the loaner "S". I guess what I'll do tonight is check the air pressure in my current tires and reduce the pressure somewhat to see if that makes a difference. (Right now, I have the pressure set to the mfg. spec stated on the front door.) If it doesn't, I'll take it over to the Bridgestone dealer and have them check it out. The only good thing is: 1-They are pro-rating my existing tires and 2-Bridgestone has a 30 day try/buy on all of their tires. So, if I don't like the HL's or they don't make a considerable difference.. I'll go for the refund and have them stick my 684's back on.

    Steve
  • spirollispirolli Member Posts: 50
    Anyone have this issue ? My truck did this when I first got the Trooper but I haven't tried it since... Until last night of course.

    You are driving at say 10 miles per hour. You floor the gas pedal. The truck downshifts to first gear and the rpm's shoot up and the truck accelerates. Pretty normal right ...

    When I do this, my problem is that back of the my truck vibrates badly almost like the trans is slipping in and out trying to grab the gears. I can repeat this with both TOD on and TOD off. I have noticed that it only happens when I floor it and the transmission is forced to shift from 2nd down to 1st gear. (about 7-15 miles per hour)

    I don't think this is normal because the rental Trooper I had did not do this.

    It probably means another trip back to the dealer...

    Any suggestions....?

    Steve
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Don't forget that the Troopers have hydrolic shocks not gas charged ones. So the New 2000 which only has 13K miles is gonna ride better. I noticed after about 10K miles on mine the ride/handling has gone down considerably. That's why I'm getting Gas shocks Rancho 9000s for about $250. Also the HLs will ride much better as they are a street tire. I'd look at michilines but if you are getting pro-rated on the tires, might as well stick with bridgestones. Glad to hear the dealer was able to work out the rattle, very often when you try to fix a rattle, new ones pop up. Make sure to call the Isuzu help line to let them know what good service you had. It's good to point out good dealers as well as bad ones.

    -mike
  • mhiggins2000mhiggins2000 Member Posts: 17
    I just put Michelin LTX M/S tires on my 95 Trooper (replaced Bridgestone Duelers) and the difference in ride was incredible. The Michelins are super smooth on the street and have surprisingly good snow traction as well. This is my 3rd set of tires and by far the best I've had on the Trooper.

    Also, try going to www.tirerack.com and read up on other available tires. They are a great source of info.
  • slomoshunslomoshun Member Posts: 1
    I have a 99 trooper with 55,000 miles and it is increasing its oil consumption. When it was new it used 0 in between oil changes, but now it is up to 1 qt/1200 miles. Has anyone else experienced any increasing problems. Is there any suggestions of where to check. It is generally accepted that 1 qt/1000 miles is ok, but the warranty is gone and I am thinking of purchasing this unit when the lease is up. Suggestions.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Don't take this the wrong way, but how closely have you been tracking the consumption? Are you sure that your Trooper did not consume oil when it was new? My 98 Trooper has about 42,000 miles and its consumption has stayed fairly constant at approximately 1 quart every 2,000-2,500 miles.

    As long as the consumption does not increase beyond a quart every 1,000 miles, I wouldn't be too worried.

    What kind of oil are you using in it? 5W30, 10W30, dino, synthetic? What brand? I've been following the Synthetic Oil forum in the Maintenance & Repair area for a few weeks, and the veterans over there seem to agree that switching to synthetic oil usually decreases oil consumption rates noticeably. At 55,000 miles your Trooper is probably new enough that you can switch safely-- most people think switching a high-mileage engine (100k, 125k, etc.) to synthetic can intensify any existing oil leaks or expose new leaks since synthetic is more slippery than dino oil and therefore slips through smaller spaces than the dino oil. I plan to switch my Trooper to full synthetic as soon as I run out of the synthetic blend in my garage. By the way, synthetic blend appears to be a waste of money - too expensive for the minimal amount of synthetic oil you get, which isn't even specified by the manufacturers.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    '99 Trooper with Performance Package and moonroof for $17,900 sounds pretty good to me. Typical price for a similar 2001 would probably be $25-26k, assuming you found a dealer that was selling close to invoice and passing on 100% of the dealer incentives to you. You paid about 75% of the cost of a new one for one that's about 2 years old. Seems pretty good.

    Also, compare what you got for your $18k to what else you could have gotten: a new 4-cylinder Ford Escape, a 2 year old Explorer, a 5 year-old 4Runner, etc. You could not have gotten more truck for your money anywhere else. Good choice, and welcome!
  • pat_pendingpat_pending Member Posts: 36
    Congrats on getting that rattle fixed!

    If it's not too much trouble, could you ask your dealer specifically where the bracket was that was making the noise? The weather here in Virginia is warmer so the sound is gone, but I would like to be able to track the noise down and kill it when the weather gets cold again.

    Thanks!

    -Ken
  • pat_pendingpat_pending Member Posts: 36
    Acola-

    Congrats on a darn good deal. Here are my take on a couple of your questons:

    >1. a noise, like a fan motor, near the shifter?

    Normal. Annoying, but normal. Mine is quieter in 2wd than in TOD.

    >2. "power" "winter" buttons, for what?

    Power = delayed shift points for more power. (Hurts gas mileage, and usually unnecessary.)

    Winter = transmission starts in 3rd gear for more traction. (Silly and extraneous to me, in view of the TOD system.)

    >3. TOD, can be manually engaged or is auto? if manual,use it when?

    TOD may be engaged anytime at speeds up to about 60MPH. It is fully automatic, and may be used as a full-time system. (Just ask Paisan, who uses his practically all the time.) It is noticeably noisier, and will hurt gas mileage. I keep mine off unless there is a potential for snow or ice on my trip.

    >4. any recalls I should know about?
    There was a recall on the 2000s, for a fuel line. None for the '99 as far as I know. (I have a '99)

    >5. what are the major maintenance intervals I need to maintain warranty?

    Don't have my book with me; not sure which are mandatory to maintain warranty.

    >6. what is warranty? 3yr or 5? 36,000 or 50,000?
    Warranty is 3yr/50,000, bumper to bumper. Later '99s sold from about 1/00 on had a 5yr/120,000 warranty (I think), but only if the buyer paid extra.

    CD Changer? Yes, your changer only has one opening; push one of the buttons 1-6, and when the green lights on each side of the opening flash, you can insert a CD. Repeat for the other numbers, and you will end up with a changer full of CDs. If you push the eject button once, the CD that is playing will eject; if you push and hold the button for few seconds, all of the CDs in the changer will come out in rapid succession.

    Sounds like you could use an owner's manual; you might put that at the top of your shopping list.

    Good luck!

    -Ken
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    You can engage TOD @ any speed, not like part time 4wd systems where it needs to be below 60mph. Also I tested TOD v. non-TOD gasmilage. I save about 1-2mpg w/o TOD. The only time I take off TOD is if I'm on a relatively empty freeway for an extended period of time.

    -mike
  • gpm5gpm5 Member Posts: 785
    My trooper is just as quiet in 4WD TOD as in 2WD. I have also left TOD on almost all the time, since the Fall (when leaves and rain made it slick) and of course all winter with snow, water/ice and the tons of sand that they throw down in CT. Sometimes its like driving on the beach around here.
    I notice the sound of the tranny more only in 4WD Low, where the gear noise is considerably higher. But it is rather comforting to hear that lo gear noise when you're going down a near vertical hill while off road.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I had TOD noises, whining etc. Found out that one of my tires was a different diameter than the rest (due to my own fault actually) and once I fixed that it is almost as quiet in TOD as it is in 2wd. Also check your TP often to make sure you have the correct pressure, different pressures can cause the diameter to be different, and thus a TOD noise.

    -mike
  • fourwd1fourwd1 Member Posts: 11
    I bought my 2000 Trooper w/8K mi on it and it now has 9K so I can't comment on it's oil consumption,
    but 1 qt every 1000 mi sounds extreme to me. What does your exhaust look like? I'd think that kind of loss would be visible.

    My '89 Maxima w/111K doesn't loose any between 3500 mi changes, nor my '88 Cherokee w/143K nor
    did my '81 Toyota Corona w/214K (even with leaks on the 2nd two).
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Is common on the Isuzu 3.2 and 3.5l engines. That is within tolerence. I burn about 1Q ever 1500-2000miles, no smoke, no leaks, it just disappears, go figure. I'm not worried about it, since everything else on the truck is running like a top.

    -mike
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    Maybe go back to the dealer and check the tires on the loaner they gave you side by side?
  • viktoria_rviktoria_r Member Posts: 103
    I think maybe someone already answered this before, but I could not find it.
    here is my question (or, rather, concern):
    the 00 Trooper is supposed to have 10yr/120K mi powertrain warranty, right? I bought mine with 8900mi. When buying, dealer specifically stressed how wonderful the warranty is and that it was not available on a 99 trooper that i was previously considering. Now I have visited Isuzu web site, and it states that 10yr/120Kmi warranty applies only to original owner, and otherwise only 3yr/50Kmi warranty applies. what gives? Usually, warranty applies to the car, not
    the owner. So am I, basically, screwed? When choosing trooper, the 120K powertrain warranty was a big factor. Anyone in the same situation? Thanks
  • gpm5gpm5 Member Posts: 785
    This is 5 yr/60K miles. The 3 year warranty is the bumper to bumper. If it was not sold as new, apparently this warranty switch applies to the 2000. Odd but that's what has been said.
  • viktoria_rviktoria_r Member Posts: 103
    well, it better not break or break within 60K mi... otherwise i'll beat myself to death :)
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The Powertrain warranty is only available to the original purchaser or their immediate family. the 3/50K bumper to bumper is transferrable. I'm actually planning on getting the isuzu factory 10/120k bumper to bumper on my 00 Trooper.

    -mike
  • gls2gls2 Member Posts: 10
    I think my dog scratched the drivers side door glass on the inside. Is there any thing I can use to help it be less noticeable? or am I stuck with scrathed glass.
  • armtdmarmtdm Member Posts: 2,057
    They may be able to buff this out using their special tolls and sanding materials. If not this may also be covered by ins but worth a free estimate to an auto glass shop.
  • viktoria_rviktoria_r Member Posts: 103
    you mean to purchase it separately (from isuzu)? how much is it? thanx
  • azlonghornazlonghorn Member Posts: 2
    its time to replace my tranny fluid, and I really hate going to the dealer. I was calling a few places, and one guy told me he believed my vehicle had a sealed transmission system---meaning only the dealer could change the fluid. Anyone else ever heard of this?

    The owners manual shows how to change the fluid, so I am hoping this guy was confused.
  • sdc2sdc2 Member Posts: 780
    That doesn't sound right, I would have it looked at. It almost sounds like your rear brakes are doing nothing...
  • sdc2sdc2 Member Posts: 780
    I don't think "sealed" is the right word, but Isuzus are a little different in that they don't have transmission dipsticks to check the level. Instead, you check the level much the same as on a differential, by making sure the fluid comes up to the level of the fill hole.

    The tranny has a drain hole and fill hole on the side. You fill from underneath the vehicle, which can be kind of a pain, but it certainly isn't "sealed".

    If I were you I would take it to Jiffy Lube or similar for a complete fluid replacement. This is done at the front where the transmission cooler line goes into the radiator, so the lack of a dipstick fill tube is irrelevant.
  • armtdmarmtdm Member Posts: 2,057
    First of all do you have a fluid dipstick? If yes it can definitely be changed. If not then crawl underneath and look at the pan. Should be two plugs, one square on the middle (drain plug) the other (fillk plug) on side but straight up (not on the side of the pan, plug screws in straight up) If so it can be changed, challenge is how to get the new fluid into the plug that is straight up. On the 99 the plug may be on the side which makes life a whole lot easier. You will need a fluid pump to get the fluid in if no dipstick. So, pull the fill plug first to make sure you can get it off,. fluid will come out if the plug is straight up, maybe 16 ounces. Then pull the drain plug. Best to have new 14mm gaskets to replace when re-installing. replace the drain plug fill the tranny until the fluid drips out of the fill plug. Start the engine, yes this is correct, and put more fluid into the fill plug until it runs out again, then replce plug and you are in business. If a side plug a piece of cake with a fluid pump, if the fill plug is straight up like my 97 I fashioned a plastic tube and bent it like a fishhook to attach to the pump and to fit into the fill plug hole to assure the fluid went in. A pain but sencond time around took only 20 min.
  • armtdmarmtdm Member Posts: 2,057
    If you have the tranny fluid flushed at Jiffy Lube the oil level is checked by having the engine running and removing the fill plug. Fill it until it runs out. If nothing runs out with the engine running and fluid warm you are short of fluid! Jiffy Lube may not check the fuild level properly so know how it should be done.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I plan on getting the Isuzu extended BtoB warranty, I'm guessing around $1000 for 50K-120K miles.

    -mike
  • tarmantarman Member Posts: 12
    Hey everyone. I need to do my 15k mile service. The dealer in Las Vegas quoted me something like $450--no way am I going to spend this much money on this minor service. So my question(s) to all of you is this: what would be necessary to check/change at this service and how much should this cost at a reputable shop? I have a '99 Trooper w/ the Performance package (LS) that has rarely left the pavement, seen any real weather, or been driven in any severe conditions.

    Thanks,
    Chris
  • sdc2sdc2 Member Posts: 780
    They charge a lot for "checking" everything - the only stuff that is required to be changed IIRC are the front and rear differentials and lube the rear driveshaft u-joints. I did this myself for about $20 in parts.

    Just my opinion.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    my dealer said only to do the major 30K ones. I think the 15K ones are all "checks" not any replacements.

    -mike
  • fourwd1fourwd1 Member Posts: 11
    On a normal auto trans w/a dipstick you check it warm w/engine running. Do you check this w/engine running also?
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Your Trooper may have been "new" and you didn't know it. Do you know the history of the Trooper before you bought it? I.e., who owned it and drove it? I bought my 98 Trooper with 7000 miles on it. It was a corporate vehicle at Isuzu's California HQ (I verified this with Isuzu's 800# and with Carfax.com). I didn't realize it, but Isuzu considered it to be new when I bought it-- a couple weeks after I bought the vehicle, I received a letter from Isuzu congratulating me on my purchase of a NEW Isuzu Trooper. The letter came with a survey with lots of new-car questions on it (e.g. did your vehicle have any dents, dings, or scratches, when it was delivered).

    Just thought I'd mention this in case it applies to you.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    For testing purposes, paisan has successfully engaged TOD at speeds up to 80mph. He mentioned a few posts back that TOD can be engaged at any speed. That may be true, but I wanted to point out that the owner's manual (at least in my '98 Trooper) advises that TOD can safely be engaged at speeds up to 60mph. It also stresses that the vehicle should be moving in a straight line (i.e., not turning) and at a constant speed so that the appropriate mechanical things can occur for the system to engage.

    I would like to suggest that if you are going over 60mph and you encounter a situation in which the extra traction of TOD seems beneficial, you should probably slow down!
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I haven't checked the manual on this yet, but I will check the '00 manual and report on the speed with which you are suggested to engage TOD.

    -mike
  • basketballkidbasketballkid Member Posts: 25
    Help! The CHECK light came on last night. Transmission related - according to the owners manual. It said that it was OK to drive, but to get it checked out ASAP. It said the computer will put you in "backup mode", which means you have to shift manually. The light stayed on whether I was in 4wd or 2wd. I drove it for another 25 miles. After the truck rested for a few hours, I headed home. The light was off for the first 50 miles. I had been driving on the highway in 2wd. When I put 4wd on, the CHECK light came back. Has anyone had this problem? My Trooper is a 1999 w/auto. How urgent is this? I've driven manual trans cars for 20 years, so I know how to avoid straining the trans until I get it checked out. Other than the light everything seems fine. The only thing I've noticed is that 2-3 times over the last few weeks, including once last night, the truck almost seemed to drop out of gear and back in - on its own. What I mean is, I'd be driving on the highway, with the cruise on and while going up a slight grade, one that wouldn't normally invoke a downshift, it would seem to drop out of gear and in a fraction of a second back in. But when it did, it would really jerk the truck. I know what a downshift feels like. This was much harsher.

    Any thoughts? (please)
    Phil
  • gpm5gpm5 Member Posts: 785
    Sounds like it could be a computer related shifting problem and not something from the tranny itself. Hopefully easy to fix by the dealer. I have only recently realized that on many new vehicles even tranny shifting is computer controlled. That would be consistent with the book saying to manually put in in the proper gear.
  • acolaacola Member Posts: 10
    Thanx to "pat pending" & "paison" for the help
    with my last ?'s. But guys PLEASE HELP again!

    ALL Highway 15, constant 70-80MPH, NO START & STOPS, and ONLY 15MPG???? IS THIS NORMAL?????

    What should I expect around town?? in 4WD???

    Any suggestions/advise greatly appreciated.

    acola
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    I just posted a reply in Dealers & Pricing, but it disappeared.

    15mpg seems low, but if you provide more details we may be able to pinpoint the specific causes.

    Several factors to consider that may affect your mileage:

    * Does your truck have TOD?
    * Was it on or off?
    * What's your tire pressure? I use 30psi front / 35 rear as Isuzu recommends. You could bump those numbers up for better highway fuel economy. My OEM Bridgestone Dueler 684s do say "max 35psi" on the sidewall, though.
    Were you going 70 or 80? It makes a BIG difference. If you were regularly back and forth between 70 and 80, you may actually get worse economy than doing 80 with the cruise on. Acceleration uses way more gas than constant cruising.
    * How many miles on your Trooper? Is it well broken in yet?
    * Are you sure you calculated correctly? No offense, but sometimes it's easy to make an honest mistake.
    * What was the air temperature on your trip? In Michigan, my 98 Trooper does 5-10% worse in colder months (35 degrees Fahrenheit or lower), either because of the colder air or because of the reformulated winter fuel.
    * Which direction were you traveling? Sometimes when I make a trip, going west the mileage is noticeably worse because winds the truck is fighting against the wind (usually, wind blows from west to east here in Michigan). On the way back home heading east, mileage is usually better.
    * Was your trip a significant enough distance on which to base the results? If it was only a tankful of gas, that may have an effect. It's hard to tell whether the tank is filled to the same level each time you get gas, and that can throw off the numbers if you're calculating fuel economy at every tankful.

    I assume you weren't towing anything.

    I usually get 18-18.5 mpg at 70mph. At 75mph it drops to 17.5-18. In the 35,000 miles since we bought it (had 7,000 miles on it), our 98 Trooper gets 16.7 mpg overall with about 40% highway and 60% city driving. That's with correct tire pressure and economical driving habits (no hot-rod starts, light throttle, lots of coasting when I can see the light ahead is red, etc.)

    Factors that do not affect the fuel economy of our 98 Trooper, or the 96 we previously owned, include warmer air temperatures, use of the A/C, and amount of passengers/cargo on board.

    Just some things to think about.
  • acolaacola Member Posts: 10
    I was going mostly 80 with the cruise on, not much traffic, occasional acceleration to pass.

    No AC, No TOD

    I've got 23,000 miles on my trooper.

    didn't check tire pressure, I will today.

    very accurate mileage computation. Over 600 miles tested.
    Filled it, cleared the odometer, then divided the gallons into the mileage.

    headed north & south, about 55 degrees temp.

    thanx for the help
    acola
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Basically what Blue said is correct. Here are my stats...

    15-16mpg is what I get going 250miles @ 80mph with cruise on and PSI @ manufacturer's specs. If I drop down to 60-65mph I get 17-18mpg @ stock PSI, if I bump the PSI up to 35f/40r i get 20mpg @ 60-65.. TOD kills 1 mpg no matter what the conditions, premuim fuel ads 1/2-1mpg. I have 18K miles on my 2000LS.

    -mike
  • acolaacola Member Posts: 10
    I was going mostly 80 with the cruise on, not much traffic, occasional acceleration to pass.

    No AC, No TOD

    I've got 23,000 miles on my trooper.

    didn't check tire pressure, I will today.

    very accurate mileage computation. Over 600 miles tested.
    Filled it, cleared the odometer, then divided the gallons into the mileage.

    headed north & south, about 55 degrees temp.

    thanx for the help
    acola
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