needing help with a v-6 gas problem that gm says is correct

[wreeseelkins]

I have a 2011 1LT with 1200 miles on it. I am getting horrible mpg (12.1-12.7) I am driving it very easy, no quick starts, no hot rodding, but all in town driving. Traffic is there but not to bad. I have had it at the dealer 2 times now and now the technical assistance for the mechanics are telling me that is all that I can expect. A lot different than the 18 it is rated at...... has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions on what to do?Thank you!

[Russell James]

City driving is going to vary widely. There is no way to accurately measure against how much time your spending idling at lights, stop and go in traffic...

If you want an accurate mpg check - Fill it up at a station right near the highway. Let the pump click off twice. Hit the highway for about 50 miles or more, use cruise control as much as possible at the speed limit - not over. Go back to the same pump, fill, clicking off twice. Manually calculate the highway mpgs.

If your check engine light is not on, and the dealer has checked it twice, highly unlikely anything is wrong.

[Sir Nuke]

ok.....its all city driving......and you are getting TERRIBLE milage. the first thing I would ask, what does it do out on the highway?

you don't need to fill it up....just reset the MILEAGE (mpg) readout in your DIC, get up on teh highway and set your cruise on the speed limit and after about 20 miles or so, what does it read? it should be in the ballpark of the advertized milage.....if not, do it as discribed above by filling up, run a long distance, using cruise, and then checking manually by refilling up and do teh math yourself. IF both ways you get BAD numbers, its a bigger problem as its not just you and the fact its city driving.

[suplex]

I also have a 2011 1LT. My drive to work is only 3 miles one way, so in the 4 months I have had it I don't even quite have 1,000 miles on it yet.

I was getting about 14.2 miles per gallon (according to the setting between the Speedometer and Tachometer). Then, I took it on a road that has no traffic lights where you can stay up to speed for a good haul, drove to the end of the road and back (probably a good 30 mile round trip). I actually watched the Miles Per Gallon go from 14.2 to 16.8, and I know it would go even higher if I didn't solely drive it around town.

If you can get it on a nice long drive, something where you aren't stopping for traffic lights, you will notice a difference.

[clg_98ta]

What's your average speed (from the DIC)? If its 27 MPH or less, then its probably just the type driving that you do. If your average is over 30 MPH, then I think you have a problem.

Also, I assume that you probably run the A/C all the time? That probably lops off 10% of your MPGs.

[KMPrenger]

Lets see:

- Low mileage (car should return better mileage and power after more miles)
- In town driving. If your doing lots of stop light to stop light stuff that is gong to KILL your MPGs. As someone else has said..what is your average speed?
- Hot weather. This will also hurt the average and if your AC is on that only puts more of a load on the engine.

Plan a 20 to 30 mile trip sometime from your home to a good highway run and then back home. Before you leave, reset your MPGs. Go out and drive normally and return home to see what your average is. If a good deal of that driving is on the highway you should see 22 - 24 MPGs...unless your drive to a highway involves lots of stop and go driving just to get there lol.

Also, on another trip sometime, you could try resetting the MPGs while your out on the highway and see what kind of MPGs your getting on the highway. If you go 65 to 70 MPH you should see ratings well into the upper 20s or better.

[wreeseelkins]

as I live in florida I do use the ac most of the time. The dic mph is normally around 24ish. I have some bad anxiety issues so I refrain from driving on the interstate, but there are some places that I can ride for 8-10 miles at around 60mph and it gets around 28mpg. Last night i reset the dic I went to visit my parents that live about 12 miles away,(the other side of town) with barely any traffic and 4 stop lights and running 38-40 I was at 13.2mpg when I got there. I did not reset it for the ride back home and it dropped to 12.8 mpg.

[Sir Nuke]

since you are getting NORMAL milage on the highway......I'm not sure you have a problem of any type.

[wreeseelkins]

i am really not trying to be smart about this comment, but it seems that to get the posted city mpg then you have to drive part of the time on the highway?

[Russell James]

"Any suggestions on what to do?Thank you!"


Leave the DIC on the MPH setting and enjoy the car. Seriously.

I've owned mine for over a year and half, never once checked the mileage.

[wreeseelkins]

also just fyi, I do the calculations myself of my mileage every friday when I have to fill up. lol

[clg_98ta]

Originally Posted by wreeseelkins

as I live in florida I do use the ac most of the time. The dic mph is normally around 24ish. I have some bad anxiety issues so I refrain from driving on the interstate, but there are some places that I can ride for 8-10 miles at around 60mph and it gets around 28mpg. Last night i reset the dic I went to visit my parents that live about 12 miles away,(the other side of town) with barely any traffic and 4 stop lights and running 38-40 I was at 13.2mpg when I got there. I did not reset it for the ride back home and it dropped to 12.8 mpg.

Yeah, averaging only 24 MPH with the A/C on, I think the gas mileage you're seeing is normal.

Not sure about the 12 mile trip, but it probably depends on what gear you were in...

[wreeseelkins]

so the lastest thing that they told me was that unless i ran fast enough to get in 6th gear i cant expect anything better than 12...... well i found the epa's guidelines for rating the mpg's of a car and it shows about 3 minutes out of 31 minutes that its actually fast enough to be in 6th gear..... more bs...
City: Represents urban driving, in which a vehicle is started with the engine cold and driven in stop-and-go rush hour traffic.Driving Schedule Attributes Test Schedule City Trip Type Low speeds in stop-and-go urban traffic Top Speed 56 mph Average Speed 21.2 mph Max. Acceleration 3.3 mph/sec Simulated Distance 11 mi. Time 31.2 min. Stops 23 Idling time 18% of time Engine Startup* Cold they also showed a graph of the accelerations and braking ect.... I tried my best to simulate as close as possible and got 12.3 mpg..... this is aggrivating!

[Phail]

1200 KM's here, I drive it like I stole it most of the time, very heavy stop and go traffic (This thing has yet to see a highway), and I'm floating between 16-18mpg average. Average speed of 27km/h (Yes that's in KM/H).

You shouldn't ever get 12-13mpg unless you sit in traffic for hours on end for a 10 mile trip.