Hey everyone,

This is the first new car I've ever had so I'm still not sure what to expect, but I just got this 07 3.0L Ranger in late December. The car was bought new in California and only got about 300 miles of driving out there. Then I shipped it to Southern Ohio where I live now. The truck has 1500 miles on it and the sticker and fueleconomy.gov says the expected fuel economy is 17 city 21 hwy.

I have put maybe 4 tanks of gas in it so far and every time I have consistantly gotten 15 mpg I don't drive it hard, and I know it says not to take the fuel economy into consideration till after the 1000 mile break in period.

Am I burning so much gas besause it's so cold out? Or does anyone think something might be wrong?

 

if you read the sticker closely youd see those are just average mileages, and did you modify the vehicle in any way, bigger tires , brush gaurd, bug gaurd,

 

I purchased a used 2002 ranger Edge 3.0L autowith 65k on it this summer. I installed a delta tool box (plastic) and a tonuea for it, no other mods. I live in North New Jersey and have not gotten better than 16, locally, (highway & secondary roads). I am down to about 13.5 with cold weather. I have gotten between 21 & 23 on the open highway with cruise set just over 70. I beleive the flaw is the 3.0L. At 70+ I am turning 2200 - 2400rpm. However,whengetting on the highway or accelerating from a light (and not mashing the gas)I have notice the engine wants to pull about 3000+ rpms. Also, that when cold the trans does not go into OD until ithas startedwarming, even at speeds of 60 to 65. One more note for all Ranger owners, I have noticed a cold weather glich..... If the temp is down in the 20's and you start the truckcold(as in overnight), place it in to drive (I back into my drive at night) and drive without giving it 30sec to a minute to runand come to a stop within the first100 yards and proceed quickly that the OD light will come on due to the trany fluid being cold or the converter being low due to long shutdown. I have had this happen twice. Each time I stopped, shut down and restarted and it cleared with no other effects.

PS: The 3.0Lwarms best well driving. I can sit andidle 20 mins and still have little heat. I drive around town 10mins andI have heat.

 

The truck is bone stock, except for 16 in rims and a little wider tires, but not taller.

I know it's just an estimate, but i would think that with a 19.5 gal tank, I should be getting at LEAST 350 miles off a tank, i only get 280.

Ihave noticed now that it is a lot colder here, i have been getting worse milage. i hope that is just the way it is until it warms up and not something physically different becasue it wasmeant to bea CA car

 

You mention the 19.5 gal tank.....but how many gallons are you putting in at a fill-up. I know that my gauge reads near empty with 3+ gallons left in the tank. 280 miles on 16 or 17 gallons is 16.5mpg to 17.5mpg.....which aint bad.........

 

Well 280 was the most i ever got out of a whole tank and when I filled it up I got 17.8 gallons in, and most of my driving has been done on the freeway, maybe 20 miles each way 15 of it on the freeway. I never gun it, well I have, and i do notice when i do that quarter of a tank goes faster than normal, sometimes i can get 90+ miles out of a quarter, and more recently i've only been getting around 50 or 60.

it's really starting to make me nervous

and i dont want to take it in and have them look at it and tell me nothing is wrong and charge me for it


does anyone know if the california cars have anything diffeerent with them that should be addressed ion cold weather?

 

cars bought in CA have tougher emissions controls thanany where else, could that be the reason for the below average fuel economy?
winter gas does not provide as great a gas mileage as summer gas even though engines run more efficiently in the winter feels like you have more power!