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Hyundai Santa Fe Eco On/Off

11 messages,  Last post on Jan 05, 2012 at 11:16 AM

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What is this discussion about? Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai, SUV

    

Messages Page 2 of 2

#2 of 11 Re: SANTE FE--- ECO ON/OFF ??? [chucko6] by jchagtdi

Apr 06, 2011 (9:59 am)

Replying to: chucko6 (Apr 02, 2011 1:11 pm)
I have a 2011 Santa Fe 4 cyl, and the owners manual says that when the ECO light is on we are "driving for economy". I've noticed that the only time the light of off is when the vehicle is in reverse, neutral, manual (or Sportronic..whatever Hyundai calls the manual shift mode), park, and idling at a traffic light for more than a few seconds. Even under hard acceleration (auto shifting at 5k RPM) the light stays on. I hardly consider THAT driving for economy.
 
I was hoping that it would function like the economy "gauges" in the Honda CR-Z (the entire dash hue transitions from green to red in real time) and Ford Fusion Hybrid (vine grows and loses leafs).
 
Hyundai should have saved the money they spent on engineering this stupid light and kept the dual exhaust from the 07-09 SF.

#3 of 11 Re: SANTE FE--- ECO ON/OFF ??? [jchagtdi] by chucko6

Apr 06, 2011 (6:54 pm)

Replying to: jchagtdi (Apr 06, 2011 9:59 am)
I have checked the average MPG in both the ECO On and ECO Off modes and found the mileage to be practically the same.
Actually I found out about the ECO function when a Service Advisor suggested changing it to Off for a more favorable Transmission action.
That didn"t happen either.
Meantime, don't fret about doing away with the Dual's. You will save yourself a ton of Money when it gets time to replace them.

#4 of 11 Re: SANTE FE--- ECO ON/OFF ??? [chucko6] by chucko6

Oct 21, 2011 (4:36 pm)

Replying to: chucko6 (Apr 02, 2011 1:11 pm)
Since the latest Transmission Computer Update did not do away with the 2nd to 3rd BUMP, I decided to revert back to the ECO OFF mode.
 
Well the BUMP still is with us but my gas mileage has improved.
We had been averaging 21 mpg for city driving and the past month we're hangin 23+
 
No one has come forward to enlighten me about the ECO ON vs OFF function during the past 6 months but mine is staying OFF as long as the MPG's stay improved.
 
2010 Sante Fe Limited, AWD V6

#5 of 11 Re: SANTE FE--- ECO ON/OFF ??? [jchagtdi] by obkt

Oct 27, 2011 (8:28 pm)

Replying to: jchagtdi (Apr 06, 2011 9:59 am)
The light also turns off at 78 mph. Out here the speed limits are 80 mph, which means everyone goes 85. And I have not noticed any difference in driving with the Eco selected on or off.
2010 SF 4 cyl.

#6 of 11 Re: SANTE FE--- ECO ON/OFF ??? [chucko6] by santafe999

Dec 09, 2011 (10:58 am)

Replying to: chucko6 (Oct 21, 2011 4:36 pm)
Hi
We have 2011 Santa Fe 2.2lt. 4x4 automatic. We find that when you put the ECO light on (near the gear stick) it governs the engine and we do get more mpg. However, when towing we find we need to turn the light off, because the engine revs and it feels as it if's not got enought power. But with the light off - it sails away with the van on, and you almost forget it's towing.
THIS DOES NOT affect the little green light you get on the dash to tell you when you are in ECO mode. We find this only comes on when we are on the motorway and keeping a steady pace (both towing & not). I think this green light is just to let you know that you are driving economically.
 
We once had a Reliant Realto (3 wheeler) and it had a little dial on the dash with a needle and a green half and a red half (a bit like an old battery monitor) and that went into the red from starting up, the only time it went into the green was when you went down hill. It really used to crease us up with laughter (a dangerous item in that vehicle) but whenever you went out you had a laugh.
 
Unlike the VW campervan we had for a short time - that made you cry - you could see the petrol guage going down, whenever you did more than 50m.p.h.

#7 of 11 Re: SANTE FE--- ECO ON/OFF ??? [santafe999] by kdconod

Dec 09, 2011 (12:16 pm)

Replying to: santafe999 (Dec 09, 2011 10:58 am)
I just bought a Santa Fe and reading the manual it seems to me that turning the ECO mode on or off does not affect anything about the engine or transmission. Its not really a "mode" its really just an indicator.
 
For example if you area at a stop light and the light changes you floor the gas pedal the ECO light will go off because you are not driving in an efficient manner. On the other hand if when the light changes you accelerate smoothly to cruising speed the green light will stay on.
 
Turning off the ECO mode doesn't mean the vehicle is less efficient - you are just turning off the indicator.

#8 of 11 Re: SANTE FE--- ECO ON/OFF ??? [kdconod] by chucko6

Dec 09, 2011 (6:56 pm)

Replying to: kdconod (Dec 09, 2011 12:16 pm)
Nobody knows much about ECO ON/OFF --- barely mentioned in your owners manual. My inquiry about it many months ago generated about 2 responses.
We had more today than in the last 6 months.
 
Anyhow, as I divulged 6 months ago, a Service Adviser Cochran Hyundai in Pittsburgh, PA told me I would probably prefer driving in the ECO OFF mode when I complained about how transmission shifted. What a crock !
 
As you stated, it tells when you are when driving efficiently, and backs off when you leave it in 1st gear too long, and/or over accelerate. Also, I have noticed that it's difficult to reach 6th gear if ECO is OFF. I'm not sure why.
Might as well just enjoy the little Green Light.

#9 of 11 2011 Santa Fe gas mileage by geobcon

Jan 05, 2012 (10:39 am)

Page 1 0f 2
 
Chronological events with 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe SE AWD re MPG and other related problems.
 
                                                                                     Calculated
Date: Mileage: Action: Gallons: MPG:
 
12/06/11 3703 Tank fill 10.01 19.0
 
12/12/11 3811 Tank fill 5.67 19.04
         (Odometer MPG went to 30 MPG at fill then fluctuated down to 19.04 on trip)
 
12/19/11 4017 Tank fill 11.84 17.4
          (Odometer MPG went up to 35 MPG at fill then fluctuated down to 19.4).
In addition, the indicator light for AWD lock came on (not having been activated) The car was parked and engine stopped for about 4 hours. The engine was then restarted and the indicator light was off. The ECO
Indicator is on thru out the MPG fluctuations indicating car is operating in an “economical” mode. No other signal lights were on.
 
12/22/11 4205 Tank fill 8.2 22.9
          (Odometer MPG had gone to 25 MPG until about ˝ tank then went back to 19.5 and stayed until filling on 12/27/11)
 
12/27/11 4494 Tank fill 13.84 20.9
          (Odometer MPG reset after tank filling and in 5 miles went up to 24MPG and resettled down to 19 MPG
 
Page 2 0f 2
 
12/28/11 4590 Tank fill 4.42 21.7
        Tank filled prior to trip to New Haven. Odometer MPG went up to 29 MPG then back to 25.0 MPG en route.
12/30/11 4762 Tank fill 7.91 21.7
       Tank filled in New Haven. Odometer MPG vacillated again and settled down around 19 MPG
 
01/02/12 4955 Tank fill 8.7 22.9
       Again, Odometer MPG reset at fill up and rose to 27 MPG and at present, has decreased to 20.0 MPG
 
In all the above cases, the ECO light is on which supposedly is indicative that the vehicle operation is within limits of conservative driving.
        
The dealer cannot ofer any advice as to why the degradation. Has anyone else exprienced similar problems and if so, were they corrected?

#10 of 11 2011 Santa Fe gas mileage by geobcon

Jan 05, 2012 (10:40 am)

Page 1 0f 2
 
Chronological events with 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe SE AWD re MPG and other related problems.
 
                                                                                     Calculated
Date: Mileage: Action: Gallons: MPG:
 
12/06/11 3703 Tank fill 10.01 19.0
 
12/12/11 3811 Tank fill 5.67 19.04
         (Odometer MPG went to 30 MPG at fill then fluctuated down to 19.04 on trip)
 
12/19/11 4017 Tank fill 11.84 17.4
          (Odometer MPG went up to 35 MPG at fill then fluctuated down to 19.4).
In addition, the indicator light for AWD lock came on (not having been activated) The car was parked and engine stopped for about 4 hours. The engine was then restarted and the indicator light was off. The ECO
Indicator is on thru out the MPG fluctuations indicating car is operating in an “economical” mode. No other signal lights were on.
 
12/22/11 4205 Tank fill 8.2 22.9
          (Odometer MPG had gone to 25 MPG until about ˝ tank then went back to 19.5 and stayed until filling on 12/27/11)
 
12/27/11 4494 Tank fill 13.84 20.9
          (Odometer MPG reset after tank filling and in 5 miles went up to 24MPG and resettled down to 19 MPG
 
Page 2 0f 2
 
12/28/11 4590 Tank fill 4.42 21.7
        Tank filled prior to trip to New Haven. Odometer MPG went up to 29 MPG then back to 25.0 MPG en route.
12/30/11 4762 Tank fill 7.91 21.7
       Tank filled in New Haven. Odometer MPG vacillated again and settled down around 19 MPG
 
01/02/12 4955 Tank fill 8.7 22.9
       Again, Odometer MPG reset at fill up and rose to 27 MPG and at present, has decreased to 20.0 MPG
 
In all the above cases, the ECO light is on which supposedly is indicative that the vehicle operation is within limits of conservative driving.
        
The dealer cannot ofer any advice as to why the degradation. Has anyone else exprienced similar problems and if so, were they corrected?

#11 of 11 Re: 2011 Santa Fe gas mileage [geobcon] by kdconod

Jan 05, 2012 (11:16 am)

Replying to: geobcon (Jan 05, 2012 10:39 am)
I defer to those more experienced than myself, but I think it was established in another thread that the MPG resets at every fill up. Mine certainly does - and it does jump around a bit until you've driven a while. It is averaging the MPG over time so it takes a while to settle. I think that's perfectly normal behavior. But I am not sure how the MPG is begin calculated. I've checked mine against the trip odometer at fill ups and it is generally accurate.

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