Anybody besides me suffering noticeable gas mileage drop? Mileage has

[PinkTiger]

gone from 25-8 miles a gallon to about 22 in the last couple of months. I had my car (Honda Accord EX-V6, 2001) checked by the dealership and no problems. It runs great, still the same, and it has 192,000 miles on it.,
But I can't afford this drop in mileage. I drive 100 miles a day.
Ideas?
I still get my gas from the same place, by the way, and it isn't ethanol.

Edited from 11 to 22 - sorry. Bad typing!!!

[sailor65]

1. Are you measuring

or using the computer's mileage numbers?

[Fierce]

2. No.

In fact, I've gone from about 25 mpg to almost 35. But I think it's because I inflated my tires.

[PinkTiger]

12. My tires are 29 psi. How much can I inflate them?

Is it safe? Could I go to 31?

[TomInTib]

13. Max psi is stated on the sidewall.

Peg it.

Your ride will be slightly stiffer, but hey.

But at max psi, you should check tires regularly for uneven wear.

[skids]

3. That's a really severe drop for sure...

...I watch my mileage closely and haven't noted any change.

See if your next door neighbor has a bucket and a plastic tube stashed next to his garage.

[phylla]

4. Do you have a locked gas cap?

Someone might be helping themselves to a little petrol at your expense.

[PinkTiger]

22. It's locked.

The Hondas are automatically locked when the car is.

[Gold Metal Flake]

5. Around 25 MPG to 11 MPG?

This thread might get moved.

That is a huge drop. It would be indicative of a significant fuel leak (hole or crack in fuel line or hole in fuel tank) or gas theft. This is not due to "bad gas" or engine malfunction.

Get a locking gas cap.

[deadmessengers]

6. Have it checked by a different mechanic.

A sudden drop in gas mileage is a HUGE red warning flag. I would look for a fuel leak, piston rings (are you burning oil, by any chance?), even a bad catalytic converter. Is your car's "check engine" light working - maybe it would be on if not for a burned out bulb or something. There's really no explanation for a healthy 2001 Accord getting mileage like that. My 2000 Accord w/110k miles still gets in the high 20s in the city, better on all-highway trips.

Your dealer might be sandbagging, in the hope that your Accord craps out soon and that you'll buy a new one from them. My dealer's service department has been pretty good to me, but not all of them are. You may want to get a second opinion.

[robinlynne]

7. air conditioner turned on? That will do it. also take extra weight out of the car,

and inflate your tires.
Also gas up only at night, when the temperature is down.
All the little things together add up to better mileage.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

8. Three Options: Either Someone's Stealing Your Gas, You're Calculating Wrong, Or Your Car Most

definitely has a problem.

[TomInTib]

16. She is in Missouri. I am betting on warm gasoline.

In warm/hot weather, always fill up in the morning when the tanks are coolest.

[KillCapitalism]

29. That's probably it.

We've had some rather extreme heat for this time of year in Missouri and that can reduce gas mileage in any vehicle.

[texastoast]

9. You have cooties in your car.

I wish you could take it to my mechanic. He would tell you the truth.

[lynnertic]

10. the temperature of the gas at point of sale changes mileage

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/07/california_gas.html
July 3, 2007.
California Gas Stations Admit 'Hot Fuel' Ripoff and Put Decal on Pumps --Legislature Should Take Action

Judy-Dugan.gif
By Judy Dugan
Research Director
The Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights (FCTR)
and OilWatchdog.org Project

Refiner Tesoro is putting warning decals on its gas station pumps, including dozens of Shell stations, warning that consumers may not get all the energy they paid for in a gallon of gasoline, according to industry reports today. Instead of a warning on the pumps, Tesoro should sell gasoline that is compensated for high temperatures that cause the fuel to have less energy per gallon.

The warning labels are acknowledgement of this long-time oil industry ripoff of motorists just as they begin their holiday trips. More consumers will understand what's causing their summer dropoff in gas mileage and be furious. Tesoro would be better off if it went ahead and sold its gasoline fairly.

California legislators should move quickly to require that gasoline sales compensate for higher temperatures at the pump.

The report appears in the July 2 edition of Oil Express, an oil industry publication. The warning decals are apparently a response to lawsuits charging motorists are deceived by "hot fuel" sales. Gasoline is sold and taxed as though its temperature was 60 degrees. In California and dozens of other states, gasoline is much hotter when sold, so it expands and provides a few cents' less energy per gallon.

[demobabe]

25. Yikes!

I'm in Hawaii and where the temperature rarely ever falls under 70 degrees!

And Tesoro is the main gas station here!

Eek!

[PinkTiger]

11. Oh, goodness, I mistyped. I meant 22 mpg.

I'm sorry.
But it is still a bad drop.
11 wouild be really, really bad, lol

[Gold Metal Flake]

17. Well, that's different!

:-)

So, check your tire inflation, fuel early when you have the best chance of the gas being cool (if you see the gas tanker, go to a different dealer).

When was your air filter last replaced?

How long ago was your last tune up?

[PinkTiger]

20. I took the car in for routine maintenance the other day, last week.

They said it didn't need anything else done. My air filter is clean, the spark plugs perfect, they changed the transmission filter and fluid--that was it. Trust me, they would have nailed me to the wall if they could have.
I think maybe gasoline is suffering somewhat around here (I think they are putting something in it.)

[burrowowl]

14. If gas pumps are not equipped if a

temperature differential meter, you are getting less gas in summer than in winter. The volume is the same but not the density.

[TomInTib]

15. Fill your tank early in the morning, just as the sun comes up.

You will get a lot more petrol per gallon.

Trust me on this, gas readily expands as it warms. So you get less real gasoline in a warm gallon than in a cool gallon.

[Sanctified]

18. Do they put Ethanol in your gas in your area during the summertime?

[PinkTiger]

21. I think they do.

They aren't supposed to do that are they? Without telling us?

[mod mom]

19. It might be from the heat & running the air con. Mine dropped and my husband reminded me of it.

[dansolo]

23. I've seen about a 10% drop in gas mileage in the past few months

I was wondering the same exact thing just the other day.

[PinkTiger]

28. I am beginning to suspect that the industry is trying to get more money from us.

Instead of upping the price, they are lowering the quality. If we could prove this, it would be a very big thing, I hope.
I'm very tired of the price hikes and the volatile status of fuel prices.

[wuushew]

24. Check your air filter

also even though you claim your mechanic says nothing is wrong you should get a second opinion. I had a bad knock sensor in my Nissan and that affected engine performance quite a bit.

[demobabe]

26. Another thing you can do to save a few pennies...

...is not fill your gas tank all the way. When you have a full tank of gas, you're paying to transport that full tank wherever you go.

However, you don't want your tank to get too low because that's when you get to all the gunk that clogs stuff up.

[wuushew]

27. if you don't fill up the tank it is hard to measure mpg accurately

n/t

[Screwfly]

30. Try a different gas station

Maybe be the gas station you do business with has started rigging their pumps to short people on gas.