Fill-up your gas tank and keep track of your miles since the last fill-up. Divide the number of miles driven since the last fill-up by the number of gallons used and it will give you your MPG. I.E. 200 miles driven divided by 10 gallons used equals 20 MPG.
Then repeat often and average the numbers. Because just topping off the tank a little bit more can swing the MPG a fair amount. 200 miles divided by 10.6 gallons = 18.8
I understand your frustration. My wife and I had some of the same issues with the lack of some options that are standard on much cheaper vehicles.
Here is the deal though. My wife and I just grew tired of having our vehicle in the shop too often, having miserable resale values, etc. We decided that it was time to just honestly admit that the Honda was a better engineered and built vehicle. No more excuses, no more ridiculous marketing ploys (0% financing was the last one that steered us away from buying a Honda) and no more false patriotism (our Pilot was built in Canada with 75% of parts coming from the USA).
Main thing is to buy a suitable vehicle that you like. If the Jeep is what you want for any number of reasons, then go for it. Good luck with your decision.
PS As for add-on accessories: check out the Honda accessory web sites. The prices are lower, but at least a couple of them also post the instructions for install. When you read through some of them you will find that many of the accessories were already planned for and there is no drilling, cutting, etc required. That is not 100% of the time, but you may be surprised how many accessories just need the bolts attached and tightened.
As promised, here is another update on our mileage:
850 mile trip from Connecticut (NYC suburban area) to Virginia and back, mostly on I-84 and I-81. Used cruise control extensively at about 70 MPH average, also had A/C on most of way. Just over 22 MPG on two tankfuls.
This is our first car w/automatic climate control, you know, the kind you can set a temp and let the electrons do the work. So when we say we drove with the A/C on, how does that affect mileage? Let me give two examples:
1. You're driving w/the climate control set on 65 degrees and the outside temp is 95.
2. You're driving w/the climate control set on 70 degrees and the outside temp is 80.
(For both examples, assume the sun is shining, no clouds or shade)
With the Pilot's auto climate control, does the A/C compressor operate less percent of the time in illustration #2 than it does in illustration #1?
You can probably tell that my question is really meant to find out if how we set the auto climate control can affect our mileage, even if it's a little bit.
We have a brand new 2006 2WD EXL/Navi. We bought the 2WD since we are moving across the country from Boston to the Bay Area and won't ever see heavy snow again. We are currently driving across this great country fully loaded with the two of us, two large dogs, and the middle seat stuffed with crap. Except for towing, I would call this close to worst case.
Like a nerd, I have tracked all the actual mileage. The car has about 3K on it -- here's the mileage since the road trip started (mostly highway)
- First tank: 22.49 MPG (New England and New York, hilly) - Second tank: 21.5, thought it would be better. - Third tank: I drove CC at 73 and expected the best -- - 21.5. Very disappointed. - Fourth tank 21.5. - Fifth tank through Nebraska and Wyoming with all speeds averaging 75-85 -- 23.99 using gas I bought for 2.43!!! Maybe it is the thin air???
Note that the 2WD has the cylinder management system and switches to 3 cylinders shutting off fuel and valves for the other 3 when it can. On flat grounds it operated full time at any speed less than 80. If you go faster than 80 it almost never engages. My guess is that fuel mileage would be best optimized traveling at 60-65.
On another note – we are burning oil – it was filled to the top level of the dipstick when we took delivery, and I have checked it at every other fill-up. Now with just over 3K miles we are at the ½ point and every time I check it is lower. This concerns me .
Can someone explain how to do the idle learn procedure, step by step? Don't know if the dealer did this before delivery of my vehicle. Should I do it just to be safe?
Jeff our Pilot and CR-V both get excellent mileage. Pilot=17-19 local and 25-28+ road depending on foot! The Idle Learn Procedure may not help you at all. However, It only takes a few minutes to do and and can't hurt anything as it is part of the Honda new car get ready.
Easy version:
Start with a cold engine.
Turn on ignition switch and make sure that every accessory is turned OFF. AC,radio,all lights, everything.
Turn off ignition switch
Disconnect the negative battery cable for 5 minutes.
Re connect cable
DO NOT TOUCH THROTTLE. Turn ignition switch on for 2 seconds, then start car.
Let it idle with all accessories turned off.
In about 10-15 minutes,in 70-80 degree weather, the radiator cooling fans will cycle. After the second cycle let idle an additional 10 minutes. The fans will cycle some more during this additional 10 minutes.
Switch off engine. Reset radio and driver AUTO window.
Fifth tank of gas has given me my worst mileage yet. 12.6 mpg all city driving. A/C always on and sometimes parked while in the store as it has been consistently above 105 degrees. I'm hoping mileage gets better when it cools down and I don't have to run the A/C all the time.
I have owned two Pilots (04 and new 06)and recently replaced my oil with a synthetic oil. I have never obtained more than 21 mpg on the highway and usually get 16 mpg around town in summer with air on.
Here is my latest mpg after a few tanks and synthetic oil:
As you can see the mileage has taken a big jump and I am very surprised that I got 24.2 mpg today on a highway trip of 269 miles. I have NEVER had such high mileage and am looking forward to even higher returns as I only have 4500 miles on my car and I can run without air in the fall in the Northeast.
I recommend synthetic oil after owning two Pilots and not using it on my first 04 Pilot.
Got a new 2006 Pilot EX-L 4x4. I have 1,472 miles on it thus far and can report the following MPG:
1st tank - 18.2 mpg with 98% highway driving. 2nd tank – 13.9 mpg with 98% city driving. 3rd tank – 19.1 mpg with 90% highway driving. 4th tank – 21.1 mpg with 97% highway driving. 5th tank – 16.6 mpg with 50/50 driving.
I’ll be keeping tabs on the mpg up until around 3,000 miles. Hope it gets better. Does anyone know if using gas with 10% ethanol negatively affects the mpg?
I was consistently getting 18-19 mpg (commuting miles) when my mileage suddenly dropped to 16-17 on my '06 Pilot EXL w/Nav. The oil was changed at the dealership two weeks prior, so I checked the dipstick - it was way over the line. Drained out a quart. Mileage back to 18-19. Dealership apologized and agreed too much oil can decrease gas mileage (and is also really bad on the engine).
My mileage is finally improving on my 4wd EXL. I don't know whether it is because I am not using the A/C quite as much or it is breaking in but here are some new figures. 6th tank 70%city/30%hwy 15.4mpg 7th tank 70city/30hwy 15.6mpg 8th tank 20city/80hwy 19.4mpg 9th tank 10city/90hwy 22.4mpg woohoo 10th tank 90city/10hwy 15.1mpg These are figures I will be happy with if they continue. 12-13mpg was pretty disappointing. Maybe those days are behind me.
I too have about the same experience. I have an 05 4wd EXL, we have not approached the EPA mileage yet. I have 14500 miles on it, the best city has been 14mpg (once)- normally 13-13.5 is best. On hwy best ever was 20.3, avg is 18.5,and towing the boat gets 10mpg. We are both conservative drivers and mpg conscious, we also live in flat Florida. I have two friends that bought Pilots because they liked ours. Their mileages are 15 city and 24.5 hwy and pretty consistent, they are not very conservative drivers? I believe the transmission has an affect on ours, seems to stay in a lower gear longer than most I've been in. At 45mph it seems to stay in 3rd gear until I speed up above 50. On the hwy it will downshift just going over an overpass at 70mph, then just stay there until I speed up or throttle-force it to upshift. I love the size and handling, I hate the fuel mileage and transmission shifting.
I just bought this car 2 months ago and was shocked to discover that I am getting 10 mpg all city short drive with AC on all the time (Hawaii ). I am not an aggressive driver, but not a cautious one either. Is there something wrong with the car? It's smooth and quiet, not signs of defect. Should I try the Idle Learning or whatever that was discussed here? Thanks for your help.
#1 check your tire pressures (they should be between 30-32 psi), low tire pressures cause more friction in turn lowers your MPG. #2 I know this would be a PITA, but try going 1-2 tanks without A/C on to see if your still that low on the MPG. #3 Try to limit the amount of weight you have in the vehicle (more weight = less MPG). #4 If your idling alot then your MPG will be lower when you calculate, you need to take that into consideration.
Thanks, I will try check my tire pressue and oil level. I can't lose weight and can't live with the AC for a month, a tank last a month. I do drive 3 miles each way to work and Idling a lot. Any thought if I should try that Idle Learning procedue? My idling is fine, consistant and less than 1000 rpm.
I'm not talking weight as in person, but stuff in the rear of the pilot. the less you carry in the vehicle the better you are. But the biggest cause of lower mpg is tire pressure.
You are going to have a hard time reaching EPA estimates with a 3 mile, stop and go commute. That is a tough deal for any vehicle. Sounds like a Vespa may be a better choice.
New owner here. Filled the tank twice so far, putting on nearly 300 miles each time. Got 17.8mpg on the first and 17.6mpg on the second. Mixed (but mostly highway) driving. Hoped for better (say 20mpg), even during break-in, but was prepared for what I got. EPA ratings are 17mpg city and 22mpg highway. I'm doing mostly highway driving and am so far just barely cracking EPA for city. I hope that I've seen the worst and that the best is yet to come.
With my last car I noticed it ran better and got better mileage on Shell gasoline. Is there a brand that Pilots run better on and get better MPG? Are there any to outright avoid?
11,000 miles on the vehicle. On a recent x-country trip of 1300 miles we got 21 mpg. In city/country driving was 16 mpg. I recently put on Goodyear Fortera triple-treds to replace the "lack of Integrities" OE tires, and there appeared to be no measurable mpg difference. The new tires give much better traction in wet/snowy conditions. I recommend them. Take care. Ralph
Shell (and a few other brands) get slightly better mileage because they do not contain ethanol. The fuel economy of ethanol is about 10% worse than gasoline, so you can expect about a 1% fuel economy decrease if a gasoline contains 10% ethanol. Also, Shell is one of a handful of "Top Tier" fuels which have higher detergency than standard fuel minimums required by the EPA. If you do a search for "Top Tier" gasoline, you should be able to find all of the brands that have this rating. I suggest using only these brands since they are better for your fuel injectors, which in turn keeps your fuel economy in check.
Also, the EPA test is not indicative of driver's style, so it is impossible to get direct numbers for every driving style, weather condition, and other variables. The EPA test is an estimate only (and it says that on the sticker). If people would read the fine print, they would know this already.
I got about 19 (and change) on the tank I used to make the video. But I did use the 4wd on a couple occations while getting to the section where I did the part out in the woods.
2007 Pilot EXL 4WD. 2,000 miles. Averaging 17.2mpg in mixed city/highway driving. Best tank returned 17.9. Worst tank returned 15.7. My Pilot is still young. Mpg may improve a bit after break in. Wishing for 20mpg, but I'm not counting on it.
Isn't it disappointing when you buy a new car and start having some problems immediately? I had cheaper cars in the past and did not experience any of the problems people are complaining about here on the Pilot site. You are right, Nissan seems to be better,we have a 2003 Maxima and it is close to perfection, never had a problem with it, no noises, no wobbly tires, no stalling, etc. I also had a CRV which was wonderful, I miss it. Looks to me like Honda is not putting as much thought (or money) into the Pilot as in the other cars. I just saw an ad for the Pilot, advertised as "the fuel efficient SUV", it made me burst into laughter.Getting 14.5 miles/gallon is by far not fuel efficiency.
I believe the ad says "The most Fuel efficient 8 passenger SUV".
Fuel efficiency is subject to many things. Driving conditions and driving habits are great contributors.
Many Pilot owners have posted 17-20 local and 26-28 on the road. Actually higher that advertised. Also very efficient for a vehicle that size and weight.
One of the early posters complained of her Pilot averaging 11-12 MPG day in and day out. As it turned out her average trip was to work. It was something like 3 miles and took 30-40 minutes. Cold engine, lots of idling and not conducive to great mileage.
FWIW my 31 HP Diesel tractor only gets approx 5 MPG when working a bush hog. :sick:
Kip, I start having this strange feeling that you are some kind of Honda rep who tries to placate everybody's complaints because you find and explanation for everything and try to convince every Pilot owner what a great car this is. Well, it may be, but not for those of us who have to be at the dealer's with all kinds of problems. I bought this car to drive it not to sit in the shop, and so did all the others who write here. I do not drive 3 miles to work, I drive a lot. The 14.5/gallon was a combined city/highway mileage and this is not acceptable. It is quite below what they say it should be. My driving conditions are very good, no freezing temperature where I live. As far as your tractor is concerned, was that supposed to be a joke? Should we compare the Pilot to a tractor now? I don't find it funny.
Kip, I start having this strange feeling that you are some kind of Honda rep who tries to placate everybody's complaints because you find and explanation for everything and try to convince every Pilot owner what a great car this is.
Your strange feeling is wrong. Go back and read all my posts and you will find that I have had several problems with the Pilot over the years. And I have posted the problems as well as solutions that were found, in an effort to head off some frustrations of others that may experience similar problems.
I've also tried to offer some possible solutions to the problems you and other are having. Sorry you choose to not read them.
Nothing is perfect including the 95 Maxima my wife traded for her 03 CR-V. That is what warranties are for.
I pointed out that a lady was complaining about horrible gas mileage and the reason for her problems. If you are not driving as she did, then you at least know what your problems are not.
You are on a forum dealing with Pilot Problems and Solutions. So you are going to read about both problems and solutions. Keep in mind that for every problem you see here there are a bunch out there with few or no problems. Go to a Toyota or Nissan site entitled Problems and Solutions and you will find they are having their share of problems also.
Start jumping in the face of those you asked for help from and you may find folks less willing to help.
I used the tractor as an example. Even a small engine working and moving along slow will get terrible mileage, as with that lady with her 3 mile 30-40 minute trip.
"Many Pilot owners have posted 26-28 on the road" What? I really dont think so. Mine gets 21-23 on the open road and 15-17 in town. And from everyone I have talked to that's about the best I can hope for. These are big heavy cars though and I am not complaining. Maybe if someone took a long drive downhill, or had a strong tail wind, or maybe if the first tank was filled to the brim and the second not quite filled, than skewed numbers like that would be possible. But I fear that making a comment like the one above will indeed cause owners to cringe and non-owners to question the motivation.
One correction I should add to my stated mileage above. I get 21-23 when driving all highway on a long trip. That is mileage from one gas station to the next with nothing but highway miles in between. I get 15-17 mixed driving 50/50 city/highway, thats my most common driving. I have only had a couple tanks I would consider most all city and then I got the 13-15 that the other poster reported. That if course includes time at stop lights etc.
I have not seen people reporting 28 on the highway and I don't think that is a realistic number to expect.
This is the problem and solution discussion. Everyone should move the mpg comments to the appropriate subject thread. I am sure they would be appreciated there. I haven't yet found any of the average 1.4 problems in my 2007 Pilot, and I have my fingers crossed. I just took back to Sam's Club the one and only Christmas present that had a problem. Just part of life. With a million things that have to go right, one in a million goes wrong and you got a problem.
"You are on a forum dealing with Pilot Problems and Solutions. "
This is a most compelling point. A forum dedicated to problems (and solutions) can make it seem as though the vehicle which is the subject of the forum is plagued with all sorts of problems. But such is not necessarily the case, as there are countless satisfied owners who have no reason to post positive comments in this forum. I have a 2007 EXL 4WD. I have been monitoring this forum in order to be aware of the sort of problems (and solutions) people have been experiencing with their Pilots. Only 2 months and 2,500 miles, but thankfully no problems so far.
Gas mileage is averaging 17mpg overall in mixed driving. I'm not happy, but I'm not suprised either. I'm about to take my first almost all highway road trip. Then I'll see if I can finally break 20mpg, maybe even achieve the 22mpg highway EPA rating. Haven't even sniffed the 20s yet. Best tank to date has been 17.9mpg. I've been posting my mpg in the forum for Pilot Real World Gas Mileage.
5,000 miles on it with 63% City and 37% highway averaging 15.7 mpg. Avg 13.4 in the "city" and 19.4 on the highway. I have read here about asking the dealership to re-do the "idle learn procedure". Any more thoughts on that? It seems to me that I am fighting the transmission in town. I.e., it takes 1500 rpm to maintain 25 mph--going down hill, but once I get to about 30 mph, it shifts down. Maybe I'm overthinking this. :confuse: But - I really like the Pilot. Thanks
It took almost 20,000 miles before our 2004 Odyssey settled down into some decent mileage. I do notice that the Pilot really likes to rev. It will tach to 3500 rpm in 1st and 2nd gear with barely any pressure on the accelerator. I am kinda scared to "romp on it" as I might hit the rev limiter. I remember the Odyssey was like this too. The pilot does get into overdrive at around 47 mph, which seems about right.
"Many Pilot owners have posted 26-28 on the road" What? I really dont think so. Mine gets 21-23 on the open road and 15-17 in town. "
I can understand how you might be overwhelmed. So allow me alter the quote you chose to challenge.
Several Pilot owners have posted 26 to 28 on the road.
I suggest that you curl up one evening with your computer and READ all the Pilot post from the beginning. You will be amazed at what you can learn.
I've posted those numbers and how I achieve them. I've also posted how those numbers will and have dropped to 24-25 on the road if I choose to drive more aggressively.
Here are a couple of examples:
1. On one round trip from Atlanta to Indiana , and starting with a full tank from a station near the house and ending with a fill up at the same pump yielded these fill ups. 28.8(all road)-26.2 (all road)-21.3(running around town in Indiana)- 30.2 (all road)- 27.7 (all road and finish of trip) The entire trip including the running around averaged 26.84. Without including the running around tank the ROAD portion would have averaged 28.23. These figures were obtained driving the posted speed limit and not exceeding 70 for any reason. Ac was in use about 1/3rd the time and cruise was used only on flat sections of road.
2. A trip to Myrtle beach averaged 18.9 going. 80-90+/- mph in heavy rain with 4 people and luggage. AC and cruise on full time. The return trip at posted limits yielded 28.7 with the same load but without the rain. AC was running 1/2 the time and cruise very little. Surely that 18.9 indicated the fill up was really packed in there and the 28.7 maybe not.
Of course there are differences in the way a tank is filled each time. Individual tanks are markers but don't tell the whole story. Average of those tanks does!
I also explained how disconnecting the battery for some wiring changes resulted in mileage dropping for several tanks until I discovered and performed the ILP. Then it went back up and actually increased overall about 1 mpg.
Local driving is mostly to work. Involving 7 roads 3 stop signs, and 3 traffic lights. IT IS A 13 MILE ROUND TRIP. Starting with a cold engine both directions. Light traffic. Once or twice a week will involve a 22 mile round trip with 12-13 traffic lights each way, and a few 2-3 mile trips to the store. here are the last few fill ups. There were maybe 10 trips of 45 miles or so mixed in over the near 4 month period. Tank is filled at about 1/2 way mark.
08/24 18.9 09/13 20.0 09/25 19.2 10/21 20.2 11/13 18.0 11/26 19.4 12/07 21.3 one 80 mile trip was involved here 12/15 17.5 This one included pulling a 1500# trailer on 4 12.5 mile round trips. Cold engine both ways.
Same time frame last year: 17.4, 17.7, 19.5, (18.4, 28.7 SC trip), 19.2, 16.5, 18, 18.7, 17.5, 17.5
I can't stress enough to be sure the ILP is done on your cars, and done Properly. You can do it yourself with only a few minutes of your time and a 10mm wrench or adjustable wrench.
It takes 30 to 40 minutes, but you can be doing something else while the car is idling and learning. Actual time for you to be involved is minimum.
Try it, you got nothing to loose and possibly a lot to gain.
The Idle Learn Procedure may not help you at all. However, It only takes a few minutes to do and and can't hurt anything as it is part of the Honda new car get ready. A 10mm wrench or adjustable works good.
Easy version:
NOTE: This is the IDLE LEARN PROCEEDURE. Stress the IDLE part. It is not a race the engine to see how fast you can get it to warm up.
Start with a cold engine.
Turn on ignition switch and make sure that every accessory is turned OFF. AC,radio,all lights, everything.
Turn off ignition switch.
Disconnect the negative (Black) battery cable for 5 minutes.
Re connect battery cable. (**)
DO NOT TOUCH THROTTLE. Turn ignition switch on for 2 seconds,................ then start car.
DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE. Let it idle with all accessories turned off.
DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE. In about 10-15 minutes,in 70-80 degree weather, the radiator cooling fans will cycle. (It will take longer in colder weather.)
DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE. After the second cycle let it idle an additional 10 minutes. (The fans will probably cycle some more during this additional 10 minutes.)
Here is a TIP: No reason to stand around waiting for those 1st 2 fan cycles. After re connecting the battery cable (**) above. DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE. and start the car. Go back in the house and do something for a half hour or so. Give it a chance to warm up. Then go back out and listen or watch for the fans to cycle twice. Then go back in the house and let it idle that additional ten minutes.
It doesn't matter if you missed "SEEING" the very first two cycles. The important thing is that it got AT LEAST 2 fan cycles and the additional 10 minutes, and any cycles that may have occurred during that additional 10 minutes.
Then: Switch off engine. Reset radio and driver AUTO window.
To reset driver window:
Turn on ignition switch. Get the window to the top.
Push down and hold driver window button including that extra little "AUTO" click
Continue to hold an additional 2 seconds after window stops at the bottom.
Pull up the switch including the "AUTO" click and hold up an additional 2 seconds after window reaches top and stops moving.
Isn't ILP something that should have been done by our dealers as part of dealer prep on our Pilots?
Is this a just for safety's sake sort of thing? Dealer should have done it, but no way to know for sure and can't hurt to do it for yourself even if it's been done before?
I'd like to have the benefits of ILP, if any. But unless it's never been done to my vehicle, I'd rather not have to deal with all those nuisances associated with disconnecting the battery. I'm thinking about making an inquiry to my dealer to check if ILP is part of dealer prep and if they have a record of it having been done on my vehicle.
You are not on the discussion forum that you think you are on. THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE SUBJECT THREAD FOR MPG COMMENTS. TITLE: MPG-REAL WORLD NUMBERS Where else would you post MPG comments?
Comments
Here is the deal though. My wife and I just grew tired of having our vehicle in the shop too often, having miserable resale values, etc. We decided that it was time to just honestly admit that the Honda was a better engineered and built vehicle. No more excuses, no more ridiculous marketing ploys (0% financing was the last one that steered us away from buying a Honda) and no more false patriotism (our Pilot was built in Canada with 75% of parts coming from the USA).
Main thing is to buy a suitable vehicle that you like. If the Jeep is what you want for any number of reasons, then go for it. Good luck with your decision.
PS As for add-on accessories: check out the Honda accessory web sites. The prices are lower, but at least a couple of them also post the instructions for install. When you read through some of them you will find that many of the accessories were already planned for and there is no drilling, cutting, etc required. That is not 100% of the time, but you may be surprised how many accessories just need the bolts attached and tightened.
- Matt
06' 4WD EX-L with NAVI
850 mile trip from Connecticut (NYC suburban area) to Virginia and back, mostly on I-84 and I-81. Used cruise control extensively at about 70 MPH average, also had A/C on most of way. Just over 22 MPG on two tankfuls.
This is our first car w/automatic climate control, you know, the kind you can set a temp and let the electrons do the work. So when we say we drove with the A/C on, how does that affect mileage? Let me give two examples:
1. You're driving w/the climate control set on 65 degrees and the outside temp is 95.
2. You're driving w/the climate control set on 70 degrees and the outside temp is 80.
(For both examples, assume the sun is shining, no clouds or shade)
With the Pilot's auto climate control, does the A/C compressor operate less percent of the time in illustration #2 than it does in illustration #1?
You can probably tell that my question is really meant to find out if how we set the auto climate control can affect our mileage, even if it's a little bit.
We have a brand new 2006 2WD EXL/Navi. We bought the 2WD since we are moving across the country from Boston to the Bay Area and won't ever see heavy snow again. We are currently driving across this great country fully loaded with the two of us, two large dogs, and the middle seat stuffed with crap. Except for towing, I would call this close to worst case.
Like a nerd, I have tracked all the actual mileage. The car has about 3K on it -- here's the mileage since the road trip started (mostly highway)
- First tank: 22.49 MPG (New England and New York, hilly)
- Second tank: 21.5, thought it would be better.
- Third tank: I drove CC at 73 and expected the best -- - 21.5. Very disappointed.
- Fourth tank 21.5.
- Fifth tank through Nebraska and Wyoming with all speeds averaging 75-85 -- 23.99 using gas I bought for 2.43!!! Maybe it is the thin air???
Note that the 2WD has the cylinder management system and switches to 3 cylinders shutting off fuel and valves for the other 3 when it can. On flat grounds it operated full time at any speed less than 80. If you go faster than 80 it almost never engages. My guess is that fuel mileage would be best optimized traveling at 60-65.
On another note – we are burning oil – it was filled to the top level of the dipstick when we took delivery, and I have checked it at every other fill-up. Now with just over 3K miles we are at the ½ point and every time I check it is lower. This concerns me .
Overall – GREAT VEHICLE
Doberwiler
Here ya go!
http://www.hondalac.com/service/Bulletins/x02-029e.pdf
It is on the left side of page 3.
Jeff our Pilot and CR-V both get excellent mileage.
Pilot=17-19 local and 25-28+ road depending on foot!
The Idle Learn Procedure may not help you at all. However, It only takes a few minutes to do and and can't hurt anything as it is part of the Honda new car get ready.
Easy version:
Start with a cold engine.
Turn on ignition switch and make sure that every accessory is turned OFF. AC,radio,all lights, everything.
Turn off ignition switch
Disconnect the negative battery cable for 5 minutes.
Re connect cable
DO NOT TOUCH THROTTLE. Turn ignition switch on for 2 seconds, then start car.
Let it idle with all accessories turned off.
In about 10-15 minutes,in 70-80 degree weather, the radiator cooling fans will cycle. After the second cycle let idle an additional 10 minutes.
The fans will cycle some more during this additional 10 minutes.
Switch off engine. Reset radio and driver AUTO window.
Kip
Thank you in advance.
Here is my latest mpg after a few tanks and synthetic oil:
Sept 17th 21.9 mpg. (mixed driving)
Sept 21st 24.2 mpg. (all highway driving @ 65-70mph)
As you can see the mileage has taken a big jump and I am very surprised that I got 24.2 mpg today on a highway trip of 269 miles. I have NEVER had such high mileage and am looking forward to even higher returns as I only have 4500 miles on my car and I can run without air in the fall in the Northeast.
I recommend synthetic oil after owning two Pilots and not using it on my first 04 Pilot.
1st tank - 18.2 mpg with 98% highway driving.
2nd tank – 13.9 mpg with 98% city driving.
3rd tank – 19.1 mpg with 90% highway driving.
4th tank – 21.1 mpg with 97% highway driving.
5th tank – 16.6 mpg with 50/50 driving.
I’ll be keeping tabs on the mpg up until around 3,000 miles. Hope it gets better.
Does anyone know if using gas with 10% ethanol negatively affects the mpg?
Thanks
6th tank 70%city/30%hwy 15.4mpg
7th tank 70city/30hwy 15.6mpg
8th tank 20city/80hwy 19.4mpg
9th tank 10city/90hwy 22.4mpg woohoo
10th tank 90city/10hwy 15.1mpg
These are figures I will be happy with if they continue. 12-13mpg was pretty disappointing. Maybe those days are behind me.
20.8 mpg - mix of back roads and highway.
Hopefully it will get a little better as it breaks in.
My mileage averages around 16-17 around town and 22 on the Hwy. It has been this way for both.
I have found that the Pilot mileage varies greatly according to your driving style as well as where you live.
For example, heavy stop and go traffic naturally makes a huge difference in the mileage.
The worst I have ever gotten was 12.6 around town.
#2 I know this would be a PITA, but try going 1-2 tanks without A/C on to see if your still that low on the MPG.
#3 Try to limit the amount of weight you have in the vehicle (more weight = less MPG).
#4 If your idling alot then your MPG will be lower when you calculate, you need to take that into consideration.
Hope this helps any way.
Odie
Odie's Carspace
Odie
Odie's Carspace
--j
Where can I find it? Is it the same for all Hondas? ...inlcuding the '91 Accords?
Worst mpg experienced in depth of winter on 5miles trips or broiling heat of summer on 5 mile trips is 17.
Get out on the interstate for a tank at 65-75 expect to see 22-24mpg. Longest run is 960 miles in a day. Felt great.
Daily commute 19.7-21 25miles each way mix country/interstate/intown
Also, the EPA test is not indicative of driver's style, so it is impossible to get direct numbers for every driving style, weather condition, and other variables. The EPA test is an estimate only (and it says that on the sticker). If people would read the fine print, they would know this already.
http://www.carspace.com/videos/play!id=.59cd8305
I got about 19 (and change) on the tank I used to make the video. But I did use the 4wd on a couple occations while getting to the section where I did the part out in the woods.
Odie
Odie's Carspace
In summer, I got 20MPG with A/C on in Houston hot weather.
I've done idel learning on it.
Fuel efficiency is subject to many things. Driving conditions and driving habits are great contributors.
Many Pilot owners have posted 17-20 local and 26-28 on the road. Actually higher that advertised. Also very efficient for a vehicle that size and weight.
One of the early posters complained of her Pilot averaging 11-12 MPG day in and day out. As it turned out her average trip was to work. It was something like 3 miles and took 30-40 minutes. Cold engine, lots of idling and not conducive to great mileage.
FWIW my 31 HP Diesel tractor only gets approx 5 MPG when working a bush hog. :sick:
Kip
Your strange feeling is wrong. Go back and read all my posts and you will find that I have had several problems with the Pilot over the years. And I have posted the problems as well as solutions that were found, in an effort to head off some frustrations of others that may experience similar problems.
I've also tried to offer some possible solutions to the problems you and other are having. Sorry you choose to not read them.
Nothing is perfect including the 95 Maxima my wife traded for her 03 CR-V. That is what warranties are for.
I pointed out that a lady was complaining about horrible gas mileage and the reason for her problems. If you are not driving as she did, then you at least know what your problems are not.
You are on a forum dealing with Pilot Problems and Solutions. So you are going to read about both problems and solutions. Keep in mind that for every problem you see here there are a bunch out there with few or no problems. Go to a Toyota or Nissan site entitled Problems and Solutions and you will find they are having their share of problems also.
Start jumping in the face of those you asked for help from and you may find folks less willing to help.
I used the tractor as an example. Even a small engine working and moving along slow will get terrible mileage, as with that lady with her 3 mile 30-40 minute trip.
Hope you get your car fixed to your satisfaction.
Kip
I have not seen people reporting 28 on the highway and I don't think that is a realistic number to expect.
This is a most compelling point. A forum dedicated to problems (and solutions) can make it seem as though the vehicle which is the subject of the forum is plagued with all sorts of problems. But such is not necessarily the case, as there are countless satisfied owners who have no reason to post positive comments in this forum. I have a 2007 EXL 4WD. I have been monitoring this forum in order to be aware of the sort of problems (and solutions) people have been experiencing with their Pilots. Only 2 months and 2,500 miles, but thankfully no problems so far.
Gas mileage is averaging 17mpg overall in mixed driving. I'm not happy, but I'm not suprised either. I'm about to take my first almost all highway road trip. Then I'll see if I can finally break 20mpg, maybe even achieve the 22mpg highway EPA rating. Haven't even sniffed the 20s yet. Best tank to date has been 17.9mpg. I've been posting my mpg in the forum for Pilot Real World Gas Mileage.
I can understand how you might be overwhelmed. So allow me alter the quote you chose to challenge.
Several Pilot owners have posted 26 to 28 on the road.
I suggest that you curl up one evening with your computer and READ all the Pilot post from the beginning. You will be amazed at what you can learn.
I've posted those numbers and how I achieve them. I've also posted how those numbers will and have dropped to 24-25 on the road if I choose to drive more aggressively.
Here are a couple of examples:
1. On one round trip from Atlanta to Indiana , and starting with a full tank from a station near the house and ending with a fill up at the same pump yielded these fill ups. 28.8(all road)-26.2 (all road)-21.3(running around town in Indiana)- 30.2 (all road)- 27.7 (all road and finish of trip) The entire trip including the running around averaged 26.84. Without including the running around tank the ROAD portion would have averaged 28.23. These figures were obtained driving the posted speed limit and not exceeding 70 for any reason. Ac was in use about 1/3rd the time and cruise was used only on flat sections of road.
2. A trip to Myrtle beach averaged 18.9 going. 80-90+/- mph in heavy rain with 4 people and luggage. AC and cruise on full time. The return trip at posted limits yielded 28.7 with the same load but without the rain. AC was running 1/2 the time and cruise very little. Surely that 18.9 indicated the fill up was really packed in there and the 28.7 maybe not.
Of course there are differences in the way a tank is filled each time. Individual tanks are markers but don't tell the whole story. Average of those tanks does!
I also explained how disconnecting the battery for some wiring changes resulted in mileage dropping for several tanks until I discovered and performed the ILP. Then it went back up and actually increased overall about 1 mpg.
Local driving is mostly to work. Involving 7 roads 3 stop signs, and 3 traffic lights. IT IS A 13 MILE ROUND TRIP. Starting with a cold engine both directions. Light traffic. Once or twice a week will involve a 22 mile round trip with 12-13 traffic lights each way, and a few 2-3 mile trips to the store. here are the last few fill ups. There were maybe 10 trips of 45 miles or so mixed in over the near 4 month period. Tank is filled at about 1/2 way mark.
08/24 18.9
09/13 20.0
09/25 19.2
10/21 20.2
11/13 18.0
11/26 19.4
12/07 21.3 one 80 mile trip was involved here
12/15 17.5 This one included pulling a 1500# trailer on 4 12.5 mile round trips. Cold engine both ways.
Same time frame last year: 17.4, 17.7, 19.5, (18.4, 28.7 SC trip), 19.2, 16.5, 18, 18.7, 17.5, 17.5
Do some reading and you will find the posts.
Kip
not bad... I've been averaging between 18 - 22 depending on type of driving I've been doing.
http://www.carspace.com/videos/play!id=.59cd8305
What a great video!
Kip
It takes 30 to 40 minutes, but you can be doing something else while the car is idling and learning. Actual time for you to be involved is minimum.
Try it, you got nothing to loose and possibly a lot to gain.
Kip
Here ya go!
http://www.hondalac.com/service/Bulletins/x02-029e.pdf
It is on the left side of page 3.
The Idle Learn Procedure may not help you at all. However, It only takes a few minutes to do and and can't hurt anything as it is part of the Honda new car get ready. A 10mm wrench or adjustable works good.
Easy version:
NOTE: This is the IDLE LEARN PROCEEDURE. Stress the IDLE part. It is not a race the engine to see how fast you can get it to warm up.
Start with a cold engine.
Turn on ignition switch and make sure that every accessory is turned OFF. AC,radio,all lights, everything.
Turn off ignition switch.
Disconnect the negative (Black) battery cable for 5 minutes.
Re connect battery cable. (**)
DO NOT TOUCH THROTTLE. Turn ignition switch on for 2 seconds,................ then start car.
DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE. Let it idle with all accessories turned off.
DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE. In about 10-15 minutes,in 70-80 degree weather, the radiator cooling fans will cycle. (It will take longer in colder weather.)
DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE. After the second cycle let it idle an additional 10 minutes.
(The fans will probably cycle some more during this additional 10 minutes.)
Here is a TIP: No reason to stand around waiting for those 1st 2 fan cycles. After re connecting the battery cable (**) above. DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE. and start the car. Go back in the house and do something for a half hour or so. Give it a chance to warm up. Then go back out and listen or watch for the fans to cycle twice. Then go back in the house and let it idle that additional ten minutes.
It doesn't matter if you missed "SEEING" the very first two cycles. The important thing is that it got AT LEAST 2 fan cycles and the additional 10 minutes, and any cycles that may have occurred during that additional 10 minutes.
Then: Switch off engine. Reset radio and driver AUTO window.
To reset driver window:
Turn on ignition switch. Get the window to the top.
Push down and hold driver window button including that extra little "AUTO" click
Continue to hold an additional 2 seconds after window stops at the bottom.
Pull up the switch including the "AUTO" click and hold up an additional 2 seconds after window reaches top and stops moving.
Release the switch.
Now "auto window" should be working.
Kip
Is this a just for safety's sake sort of thing? Dealer should have done it, but no way to know for sure and can't hurt to do it for yourself even if it's been done before?
I'd like to have the benefits of ILP, if any. But unless it's never been done to my vehicle, I'd rather not have to deal with all those nuisances associated with disconnecting the battery. I'm thinking about making an inquiry to my dealer to check if ILP is part of dealer prep and if they have a record of it having been done on my vehicle.