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Vans & Minivans Mazda Mazda5 Mazda5 Owners MPG-Real World Numbers
378 messages, Last post on Nov 23, 2009 at 1:42 PM
You are in the Mazda Mazda5 Forum. Your Host is Karens
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Replying to: sbsteggs (Feb 21, 2009 7:13 pm) 1. Check tire pressure 2. Ask where you get your gas what the octane rating it and the amount of ethanol. 3. Check the air filter 4. Check all fluid levels 5. Check the brakes to ensure they are not dragging. That goes for both normal and emergency(hand) brake. I would then, after checking the above, wait for a non raining / snowing / not overly windy day then fill the tank and go take a half hour drive each way on the highway on level ground using the cruise control at 55 mile / hour (90km) then return to the gas station and refill the tank. Do this on a less busy time so that other driver do not shoot you(lol) for driving that speed. Try as much as possible to fill to the same full point. Also turn off the air and do not put the vent on the defroster only setting as the a/c will still be on even though the a/c light is off. I would then calculate the mileage at that point if the figure is not very close to the best company rating then there is something amiss. ps their is not a real difference in mileage on dry conditions from winter to summer. the difference is negated by the fact the temperature of the gas is lower in the winter and so is more dense so that even though we will use more gas to heat our cars it all comes out in the wash. they used to tell you at what temperature the price was calculated when purchasing but they tend not to show that on the pumps any more. Just a suggestion. |
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Replying to: athenasius (Feb 24, 2009 4:13 am) Air density does increase in the winter, as the temperature decreases, which means more wind drag.
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Replying to: 5_more (Feb 24, 2009 5:34 am) |
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Replying to: athenasius (Feb 24, 2009 4:13 am) I got a feeling the problem is in the brakes. They often squeak, and are extremely touchy. They may be dragging. I'm not a rocket scientist, and can hardly even speeel rocket scientist, but if the brakes are grabbing that probably would have a heavy impact on MPG. I take it in Wednesday (tomorrow) morning. I'll keep you all posted and thanks muck for your thoughts and input.
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Replying to: sbsteggs (Feb 24, 2009 2:24 pm) 
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Replying to: 5_more (Feb 23, 2009 4:15 pm) HMMM...so if you press the brake going downhill you're wasting gas too 
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Replying to: bobw3 (Feb 24, 2009 4:42 pm) Even though it may be necessary for safe travel, or to maintain speed, energy is wasted each time the brakes are used. Unless you pushed the car up the hill, the energy that got the car up the hill came out of the gas tank. In the absence of braking, you'd have traveled further on the way down. That's the miles part of miles per gallon. The exception to this is applying the brakes on a stationary car whose engine is not running. That will not effect gas mileage. What is so hard to understand about this?
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Replying to: 5_more (Feb 24, 2009 5:29 pm) |
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Replying to: 5_more (Feb 24, 2009 5:34 am)
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Replying to: sbsteggs (Feb 24, 2009 2:25 pm)  . The finger valve things, or whatever he called them, that inject or control fuel are working fine. The brakes are perfect. Here is the possible Problems: 1. The actual average mileage according to Mazda is 23 MPG combined. 2. With "only" 1300 miles on the car, it's not "broke in" yet. 3. Driving style. 4. This is the most probable cause to them for the MPG being off "slightly", the gasoline companies blend the gas differently from summer to winter. The "winter" gas mix fires differently, faster. This makes the cars start faster and get warmer faster. The "winter mix" also results in lower MPG for everybody. So there it is. Keep the tire pressure up, they documented the issue, and see if the MPG improves in the spring. A "  song and a dance  " or "  legit  "??
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