knemo77

ok so with a 13 gallon fill up i am getting about 170 miles. This works out to about 13 mpg. This seems very poor to me.

My question is that with only city driving (no highway) is this normal? if not what should i do to fix the problem...and what is the problem? plugs, oil change needed, internal problem?

the truck drives fine and seems like its feeling well so what do you think the problem is, or is there a problem at all?

thanks guys

Mulkey

I have the same ride with some mods (exhaust, 2nd generation S/C and OME springs and shocks) and even towing a 16 foot duck boat I get 15-16 mpg driving 75 mph. Your 13 mpg is off. I wouldn't know what the answer to your ? is but 13 mpg is very poor. In the city- you should get no worse than 15-16.

humanoid

My dad once had a '97 Runner 4X and got crappy mileage that's why he got rid of it. I think 4X4s are nortorious for having bad gas mileage. If you've just had your rig tuned, tire pressure OK, etc. then that's about as good as it gets I'm thinking... I could be wrong.

rimpainter.com

My 96 3.4 gets a steady 17.3 MPG and I drive like a madman. On long trips at 75 - 80 MPH I get about 19 MPG.

What you are experiencing is not normal. Any recent changes? Any recent work? Check engine lights?

Go through the obvious first:

Tire press
Plugs
Air filter

then work your way to the bigger items such as O2 sensors, etc.

4RUNR

City is very relative. Go into a major metropolitan area during rush hour where Prius owners pray for 13mpg

Take a GPS and record your average speed on your average drive.

For reference I get ~18-19 @ 25mph average. Looking at that MPH figure sure looks like city, but actually it is much more closer to highway than real city driving.

knemo77

i live in the center of richmond va....i bet my average speed is like 10 mph. im getting a GPS for christmas and i'll check it out.

I dont drive much and a 170 mile tank lasts me 2 weeks, thats how little i drive. just to the store and back.

i will check my tire pressure and my plugs and I have some synthetic oil for my next change...i think its been about 4000 miles so now its time.

it just pisses me off that i dont get at least 200 miles from a tank.

ps i had a accident about 6 mnths ago and they changed some computer stuff, could that be the problem?

pps how many gallons does that tank hold? when I fill up with the gas light on it holds like 13 gallons...so how many gallons does that tank hold?

rimpainter.com

18.5 - sounds like you have the fuel gauge problem like me.

CLin9383

yep 18.5, i called the dealer and toyota corporate about the fuel gauge and they both told me that there is no recall for our year and i went on to explain that the most i ever fill up is 15 gallons and that's if the light is on for 30 min!!!! they claim that they did this on purpose to give drivers a decent amount of time to get to a gas station instead of just a quick notice. i figure this way that i will almost never get stranded...as for your gas mileage..i was getting about 13 mpg before, but after my oil change (mobil 1 5w-30), washed and reoiled my amsoil airfilter, used a bottle of chevron techron cleaner, tire pressure at 35psi ( i did all these steps at once). I was able to get back to 19 mpg highway. i rarely do any city but the worst i get city driving now is still 16-17 mpg. if you drive really short distances and keep starting your car that might be the contributing factor. not sure if this is true or not but heard that starting your car frequently will somehow consume more gas. but good luck and happy holidays!

rimpainter.com

Well the more you drive the car cold, the more fuel it uses. And of course the city driving thing is a huge factor.

4RUNR

Short drives! That's the reason + downtown Richmond. Seems like you are getting perfectly reasonable mileage for winter months.

Are you guys talking about THE gauge problem? That the light comes on when there is about a quarter tank left?

rimpainter.com

Yep. The now infamous gauge problem.

BruceTS

Tires play a key role in mileage, I see from you website, your running the same tires I am. I lost about 2 mpg when I went to them and if you did the airbox mod you'll lose more mileage, unless you stay off the pedal. My average is aprox. 14-15 range, but then again here in California we have that dang oxygenated fuel that decreases your mileage even more:cry:

4RUNR

Hmm, if that is a problem with the gauge it certainly saved my butt a few times. Keeps the fuel pump well cooled too. I'm with Toyota on this one, it doesn't seem like a defect.

rimpainter.com

When you drive 20 miles and the gauge is reading a 3/4 full of fuel, tell me if it doesn't seem like a defect.

Or when the fuel light comes on and you have 5.5 gallons left.

You expect a bit more from a vehicle that costed $32K in 1996. But I can live with it. It's more annoying than anything.

4RUNR

Mine actually works pretty even throughout the range. It takes about 65miles until it hits the first quarter mark. But the light does come on when only 12.5-13 of 18.5 was used.

rimpainter.com

I guess it bugs me most that Toyota will not address this issue (as in taking care of it). It may also be the fault of the previous owner who did not have it taken care of under warranty. Of course, it may not have reared its ugly head until post 36K miles.

Just one of those things...

Unhappy99

The gauge problem is truly a defect, as Toyota recognizes it in TSB EL010, and calls for replacement parts.

Right now your gauge may be working more or less as you expect, or have come to accept, more likely. But soon, the gauge will start giving erradic readings. Mine now either shows completely full or completely empty, regardless of whats in the tank.

It only has to run out of gas once with the gauge showing 1/2 tank before you feel as though your were serviced by Toyota and its dealers.

NHTSA got Audi to recall their defective reading gauges. They see unexpected engine stalling (no fuel) due to a lying gauge a safety problem. Heavy traffic, engine dies, no warning, no steering, no brakes.....

Toyota refuses to recognize the safety issue. Lets put together a petition and send it to NHTSA!

Unhappy99

Keep in mind that TSB EL010 is only for 1999 and 2000 4Runners.

Step one:

Fill out a DOT complaint

4RUNR

Submitted a report to them, just for the future, hehe.

Is it the fuel sender or the gauge that is actually malfunctioning?

Unhappy99

According to the TSB, its both.