Hi, All.

Bought my 2020 EX a month ago - Love it. One question: Based on three refills, my mpg gauge tells me that I'm getting about 2.5mpg better than my phone's calculator tells me (dividing the trip mileage by the gas pump's reading of the number of gallons I pumped). I reset my trip A odometer at each refill. Assuming that my phone's calculator results are correct, what can be done to correct the car's mpg readings? (I'm happy with my 39 to 40 mpg results; I'm just wondering how I can make the gauge's readings accurate.) Thanks.

 

You can't. No car maker is going to give you that kind of access to tamper with their software programming. Besides, the companies probably deliberately set the readings to show slightly higher numbers so that their customers will feel good getting such great gas mileage.

 

Hello, Woof, and thank you for your prompt reply. I'll get skilled in subtracting 2.5 from the mpg number that the gauge shows.

 

i never zero my trip A reading . i let the miles accumulate , i figure over time , that posted average that figure would be more accurate . i've always thought the mpg reading that we're getting while
driving is a bit optimistic .

 

My 2017 LX CVT gauge mpg reading changes from slightly low to very low of about 4-5 mpg with each fill up. I minimize calculated error by topping off everytime (no negative opinions, please) I fill up to assure myself of the amount of gas used for the ODO miles traveled. Any reduction to my mpg calculation would give me a heads up to possible engine issues, or that I am driving locally more often. In open long distance highway travels, I would get calculated 42-45 mpg from non top tier regular gas. I have found windy conditions affect mpg.

 

Thanks, Wasserball. I track mpg's because "that's what I do" and because - like you - it's a clue about engine health, among other things.
To the person who wrote reply #4: My apologies, I didn't mean to erase your entry. Good thought - manufacturers want to make the best impression, and having slightly favorable readings is a move in that direction.

 

Good - I just realized that I didn't erase your message. Keeping one odometer for the long-haul on mpg's sounds useful. An interesting experiment. Has it shown much of a difference from the fill-up mpg readings?