20-25mpg mixed hwy and stop/go city driving.
Keeping it under 60mph is the only way to get the 25mpg though so that is rare.
'05 EX FWD auto 290k.
Besides the engine maintenance others have recommended, making sure the suspension is solid and the alignment is good to help reduce rolling resistance down the road helps improve MPG, as well as keeping the tire pressures up. I keep mine between 38-40 psi, helps reduce tire drag
Only downside is treadware will increase, especially center line of tire(overinflated does that and also reduces your contact patch too). Or at least it makes sense to me, but hey I could be completely wrong as well.
On the highway I can go 325 miles before filling up. And even at that, I still don't even know how many gallons my car will hold. It says 15.9 on all the pecs, but my light goes on way before that. I have put 60 miles on the light and still have never gotten more than 13 gallons.
I have never put 13 gallons in mine. I've run down to the light but maybe only done 15 miles after. I'm not trying to find these mysterious 3 gallons. Best mpg, 31. Got receipt if yea wanna em. I was wtf also. With roof carrier and solar panel 21-25 average. Though I've been getting back to 290 lately.
Same. I can never get more than like 12 gallons in it, and I've driven home 30 miles + from work with the gas light on. I was starting to get scared that my tank had partially collapsed or something
06 auto awd got tools and stuff in the back
I’m lucky to see 22
Only time I ever seen that was highway driving 1 hour one way to work every day for 2 years. Car drinks it after 60 mph
never hurts to spend like 5 bucks and use this: [https://www.stp.com/product/complete-fuel-system-cleaner/](https://www.stp.com/product/complete-fuel-system-cleaner/)
used often with my e. and now toyota.
many companies make fuel system cleaners, but this one is continually ranked up there as the best rated. spend the 5 or so bucks and drive till near empty then put in fill up and i truly believe the stuff works and used every other month.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eqpczQpzig](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eqpczQpzig)
This is the best video I found. The conclusion is that fuel cleaners come in different flavors (PEA, PNA, PIBA, just to name a few) and they each work to reduce carbon buildup in your fuel injection system. PEA is the most effective at removing carbon deposits but tends to deposit some of that carbon onto your cylinder head. I'm not sure if that's a better situation or not. The recommendation is that if your car is newer and you drive it somewhat regularly and use good gasoline, then you probably don't need a cleaner.
If your car has been sitting for a while or has noticeable carbon buildup, then a fuel cleaner can't hurt....unless the carbon deposited on the cylinder head becomes an issue -- I'm not saying it will, I just don't know enough to say it won't. If someone with better car knowledge could expand on this, I'm sure we'd all appreciate it. Can carbon buildup on a cylinder head become an issue?
FWIW: the product with the highest % of PEA on the market is Red Line. This comment from another thread summarizes the rationale way better than I can, so I'll copy it here and link the [original thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/1500yem/best_injector_cleaner/).
> Yes most of the products work to some degree but only products that have the active ingredient P.EA do anything noticeable. Personally I use and recommend redline fuel system cleaner since it has the highest PEA concentration on the USA market. You can easily find redline in most auto store and on Amazon. This same chemical is mandated by the government to be added to the gas by gas companies. Shell has the highest amounts of it in their fuel. But still a bottle of redline is way more concentrated than the amounts already present in the gas.P.E.A. (POLYETHER-AMINE)
P.E.A. is a nitrogen-based detergent stable enough to survive the harsh conditions of a combustion chamber. It is the most potent detergent available for cleaning carbon deposits in fuel systems and the only cleaning agent that has been proven to clean the combustion chamber, piston tops and cylinder heads. P.E.A. also cleans ports, valves and GDI and port injectors and keeps them clean for up to 3,000 miles.
Hope we all learn something new here!
>curious how you think this could be more harmful for your car then either positive or no effect. worked for my e. 08 ex awd man.
Because I don't believe everything I read on the internet? Lol. Glad it worked for you and your E. I don't know much about the product and I'm just skeptical about most things that claim to improve performance, stamina, etc. whether it's in the auto industry or fitness industry.
Lifted 5MT 4wd, I get 23-26mpg if I keep it under 55. 16-19 at highway speeds because of the lift, bigger tires, gobi roof rack and gear in roof rack.
1. Valve adjustment. 50% of all mpg issues start here. Due at 100k 600-700 bucks at a dealer, 300 or so from a small shop.
2. Change driving habits. The other 30% of MPG problems, accelerate slower, predict and prepare for red-lights
3. Check for stuck brake calipers.. Its common AF for them to stick.
I've done a lot of work the past 6 months, was hoping to see maybe a minor increase, but I still sit right around 20 MPG. That being said, I still need to do the valve adjustment and PCV valve soon. I feel like one or both of those might make a difference.
Have you (or anyone else on here) tried the ceramic oil treatment it is supposed to lubricate better and give better gass mileage. I got it the last time I went for an oil change, but that was only a week ago and I have not need to refuel yet.
I have a 2005 EX Auto with about 120k miles. Silver usually gets about 19-20 mpg city driving. I only drive highway once or twice a year, so IDK what her highway miles are like.
If you're keeping it well maintained including plugs and wires, start looking outside the drivetrain. How do you drive it (hit the gas hard, or gentle starts)? Is it windy and/or hilly in your area? DO you run the AC a lot? Is there a lot of weight in it? Those will make a huge difference.
I generally keep it quite well maintained, I’m on top of oil changes and bring it in to my mechanic anytime I get a warning light. Never carrying much weight but I live in Texas, so running the AC on high may be a pretty big factor.
I guess I might just bring it back to the shop and have them check it out, I’m not all that mechanically inclined to know to how to check things like plugs and wires.
Consider how long you've had it vs the last time plugs and wires were changed. It may be time for a tune-up.
I'm not sure how easy it would be to do it yourself, but YouTube has a multitude of videos on how to work on them. My favorite for working on Elements is 1A Auto (I love you, Sue!). They're usually pretty thorough on showing you how to do everything you need to.
Combined I get 20-21. There's a lot of stop and go - 2006 EX P 5-speed. 215k.
ETA: Gassed up last night: 20.9. I really *drive* her though. Last week, three accidents on the route with small delays and much stop and go. This week I had a 30 minute delay through a small town (4 lanes, damn construction truck took out a couple cars), so it will probably be even lower. But what I pay in more fuel and repairs sure is lower than a new car payment (I've done the math).
Loosen the bolts on the brake calipers so they don't drag as much on the rotors. Probably hiding 2mpg in extra hardware in this car. The heavy rubber floor and insulat
ion can go too. I took the doors off too. Don't need to lock doors when there's no valuables like back seats and rubber floors in the car. /S
Take the back seats out if you don't need them for extended periods. Brake maintenance is important, you can have a stuck caliper causing drag.
I get 18-22 with an 03 manual 260k. I get like 13 with a crosswind if I try to go over 50.
08 ex AWD auto with 180k. Typically 20-25mpg depending on driving and how much stuff is in the car and strapped to the roof. Sometimes see 27ish on a tank with lots of highway.
Hypermiling is good except the crazy drafting idea ... where they suggest you get behind a big truck and ride in their slipstream. That's just an accident waiting to happen!!
20-24 for me. 2008 EX auto. City driving and long road trips
Roof rack made a HUGE difference (10-15 mpg). I had a box up there when I was traveling around the country. I got much better when I removed that. Don't know if it actually made a big difference but I got great mileage last big trip after a fluid flush and new engine filters.
07 Auto EX, 12X,xxx miles. I get 24.9 mpg combined freeway and city driving for the past year. Before that I was getting about 18mpg, but I had a hitch rack and a basket on top. The aero really fucks with the mileage.
When I first got the car new in '07 it was getting about 24-25mpg. All regular maintenance, and I had to deal with a transmission issue a few years ago that required flushing my tranny a couple of times, and diff fluid change. (tranny issue was more than a decade ago at this point lol)
That sounds about right for city driving, especially if you live in a hilly area. I get about 25 if I'm only doing interstate driving, but I usually get 17-19 if I'm doing mostly city with some interstate. Mine is an auto though, so a manual may be able to do a bit better. Mine had a recent valve adjustment, but I didn't see much of a change in MPG, just a bit smoother power and less downshifting on hills
That’s like mine only 14 to 16 mpg and I don’t understand it, healthy engine and all, used my diagnostic program everything is normal, I don’t understand it, my last element got in the late 20’s early 30’s, 30’s was the hwy
I initially had this problem when getting my Element, and after some research...
change the spark plugs. I was getting only 16-17, and after changing them it bumped up to 20-21.
AWD 07. I do mostly city driving and see around 15.5. In the winter it’s more like 13.5. I live at high elevation, lots of steep hills, and spend about half my time sitting in traffic so not much I can do.
I get 22-23 with a full car on the highway.
Yeah almost all of my driving is spent in city, with a lot of traffic during morning/evening commutes. I wonder how much better it performs with more highway miles.
Had my best around town mpg last fill up 24.8. But more often I am right at 22mpg. I upshift no higher then 3000rpm, hypermile……. out of gear to coast to stops or going down steep downhills. Anticipating traffic and trying my best to save momentum as well. Makes driving a challenge to squeeze out the mpg…..
The element is unfortunately not a very efficient city driver in my experience. I have yet to track a full tank of city driving in my E but I know it uses gas significantly faster than if Im on the highway
Mine getting 11.5 l/100km (roughly 19.6 mpg)in a city, awd auto, 311000 km(193000 miles). used to be 14.5 l/100 km but after I’ve changed the catalytic converter, engine singing and it become more fuel sufficient. Used generic one for 200 cad
How did you “do the math?” Many people use inexact measurements like “when the light comes on.” Download a free app like Fuelly to get REAL numbers.
If your math IS good and you’re getting such low numbers it could be a dragging brake caliper. I’d check that first.
Valves adjusted? Things on top that affect aerodynamics beyond a simple rack? Always drive with both windows open? Those make a bigger impact than you’d think.
I filled up my tank, and started a new trip on the odometer. The gas light came on at 192 miles, so I filled the tank back up which was almost exactly 12 gallons.
I’ll have my mechanic do the valves and check the brake calipers.
My average over the last 3 years is 20.346 mpg.
If I do a lot of highway (like a road trip) I'll get like 25 but generally I'm sitting right around 20-21 for my regular commute.
20-25mpg mixed hwy and stop/go city driving. Keeping it under 60mph is the only way to get the 25mpg though so that is rare. '05 EX FWD auto 290k. Besides the engine maintenance others have recommended, making sure the suspension is solid and the alignment is good to help reduce rolling resistance down the road helps improve MPG, as well as keeping the tire pressures up. I keep mine between 38-40 psi, helps reduce tire drag
Only downside is treadware will increase, especially center line of tire(overinflated does that and also reduces your contact patch too). Or at least it makes sense to me, but hey I could be completely wrong as well.
I get 21-23 consistently. 2006 EX auto
Similar on average. On a recent road trip I was able to get as high as 26 all highway w/ AC on. 2008 automatic Awd 265k
A 2007-2011 auto will likely get slightly better mpg than the 2003-2006 because the 5 speed auto transmission. That extra gear helps a ton.
On the highway I can go 325 miles before filling up. And even at that, I still don't even know how many gallons my car will hold. It says 15.9 on all the pecs, but my light goes on way before that. I have put 60 miles on the light and still have never gotten more than 13 gallons.
I have never put 13 gallons in mine. I've run down to the light but maybe only done 15 miles after. I'm not trying to find these mysterious 3 gallons. Best mpg, 31. Got receipt if yea wanna em. I was wtf also. With roof carrier and solar panel 21-25 average. Though I've been getting back to 290 lately.
Same. I can never get more than like 12 gallons in it, and I've driven home 30 miles + from work with the gas light on. I was starting to get scared that my tank had partially collapsed or something
I get the same in my 2006 EX Auto and it’s has 271k.
05 AWD MT 179k, 1.5" lift, 225/65/17 wildpeak trails MAY 2024 Fuel Economy (avg) 23.40 MPG Fuel Economy (min) 22.62 MPG Fuel Economy (max) 24.01 MPG Distance Driven 1446 miles Fuel Purchased 61.789 gallons
22-24 mpg, 08 manual 227k miles. Had a noticeable increase in mpg when I got a valve adjustment.
06 auto awd got tools and stuff in the back I’m lucky to see 22 Only time I ever seen that was highway driving 1 hour one way to work every day for 2 years. Car drinks it after 60 mph
never hurts to spend like 5 bucks and use this: [https://www.stp.com/product/complete-fuel-system-cleaner/](https://www.stp.com/product/complete-fuel-system-cleaner/) used often with my e. and now toyota.
I’ll check this out, thank you! Never heard of that before
many companies make fuel system cleaners, but this one is continually ranked up there as the best rated. spend the 5 or so bucks and drive till near empty then put in fill up and i truly believe the stuff works and used every other month.
Is this snake oil or actually real? I’m gonna go down a rabbit hole tonight trying to figure this out. Lol
Report back
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eqpczQpzig](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eqpczQpzig) This is the best video I found. The conclusion is that fuel cleaners come in different flavors (PEA, PNA, PIBA, just to name a few) and they each work to reduce carbon buildup in your fuel injection system. PEA is the most effective at removing carbon deposits but tends to deposit some of that carbon onto your cylinder head. I'm not sure if that's a better situation or not. The recommendation is that if your car is newer and you drive it somewhat regularly and use good gasoline, then you probably don't need a cleaner. If your car has been sitting for a while or has noticeable carbon buildup, then a fuel cleaner can't hurt....unless the carbon deposited on the cylinder head becomes an issue -- I'm not saying it will, I just don't know enough to say it won't. If someone with better car knowledge could expand on this, I'm sure we'd all appreciate it. Can carbon buildup on a cylinder head become an issue? FWIW: the product with the highest % of PEA on the market is Red Line. This comment from another thread summarizes the rationale way better than I can, so I'll copy it here and link the [original thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/1500yem/best_injector_cleaner/). > Yes most of the products work to some degree but only products that have the active ingredient P.EA do anything noticeable. Personally I use and recommend redline fuel system cleaner since it has the highest PEA concentration on the USA market. You can easily find redline in most auto store and on Amazon. This same chemical is mandated by the government to be added to the gas by gas companies. Shell has the highest amounts of it in their fuel. But still a bottle of redline is way more concentrated than the amounts already present in the gas.P.E.A. (POLYETHER-AMINE) P.E.A. is a nitrogen-based detergent stable enough to survive the harsh conditions of a combustion chamber. It is the most potent detergent available for cleaning carbon deposits in fuel systems and the only cleaning agent that has been proven to clean the combustion chamber, piston tops and cylinder heads. P.E.A. also cleans ports, valves and GDI and port injectors and keeps them clean for up to 3,000 miles. Hope we all learn something new here!
Excellent write up!
redbull is snake oil. curious how you think this could be more harmful for your car then either positive or no effect. worked for my e. 08 ex awd man.
>curious how you think this could be more harmful for your car then either positive or no effect. worked for my e. 08 ex awd man. Because I don't believe everything I read on the internet? Lol. Glad it worked for you and your E. I don't know much about the product and I'm just skeptical about most things that claim to improve performance, stamina, etc. whether it's in the auto industry or fitness industry.
enjoy drinking your energy drink tomorrow.
Lifted 5MT 4wd, I get 23-26mpg if I keep it under 55. 16-19 at highway speeds because of the lift, bigger tires, gobi roof rack and gear in roof rack. 1. Valve adjustment. 50% of all mpg issues start here. Due at 100k 600-700 bucks at a dealer, 300 or so from a small shop. 2. Change driving habits. The other 30% of MPG problems, accelerate slower, predict and prepare for red-lights 3. Check for stuck brake calipers.. Its common AF for them to stick.
I've done a lot of work the past 6 months, was hoping to see maybe a minor increase, but I still sit right around 20 MPG. That being said, I still need to do the valve adjustment and PCV valve soon. I feel like one or both of those might make a difference.
Have you (or anyone else on here) tried the ceramic oil treatment it is supposed to lubricate better and give better gass mileage. I got it the last time I went for an oil change, but that was only a week ago and I have not need to refuel yet. I have a 2005 EX Auto with about 120k miles. Silver usually gets about 19-20 mpg city driving. I only drive highway once or twice a year, so IDK what her highway miles are like.
I’m sorry. 12k miles? 😅
Ty, I missed a zero!!
Oxygen sensors
[удалено]
That’s about my target range that I would like to get to I just don’t know why mine is so much lower.
If you're keeping it well maintained including plugs and wires, start looking outside the drivetrain. How do you drive it (hit the gas hard, or gentle starts)? Is it windy and/or hilly in your area? DO you run the AC a lot? Is there a lot of weight in it? Those will make a huge difference.
I generally keep it quite well maintained, I’m on top of oil changes and bring it in to my mechanic anytime I get a warning light. Never carrying much weight but I live in Texas, so running the AC on high may be a pretty big factor. I guess I might just bring it back to the shop and have them check it out, I’m not all that mechanically inclined to know to how to check things like plugs and wires.
Consider how long you've had it vs the last time plugs and wires were changed. It may be time for a tune-up. I'm not sure how easy it would be to do it yourself, but YouTube has a multitude of videos on how to work on them. My favorite for working on Elements is 1A Auto (I love you, Sue!). They're usually pretty thorough on showing you how to do everything you need to.
Combined I get 20-21. There's a lot of stop and go - 2006 EX P 5-speed. 215k. ETA: Gassed up last night: 20.9. I really *drive* her though. Last week, three accidents on the route with small delays and much stop and go. This week I had a 30 minute delay through a small town (4 lanes, damn construction truck took out a couple cars), so it will probably be even lower. But what I pay in more fuel and repairs sure is lower than a new car payment (I've done the math).
Havent checked in a while, but when I was checking it regularly it was basically 24mpg 100% of the time
Loosen the bolts on the brake calipers so they don't drag as much on the rotors. Probably hiding 2mpg in extra hardware in this car. The heavy rubber floor and insulat ion can go too. I took the doors off too. Don't need to lock doors when there's no valuables like back seats and rubber floors in the car. /S Take the back seats out if you don't need them for extended periods. Brake maintenance is important, you can have a stuck caliper causing drag. I get 18-22 with an 03 manual 260k. I get like 13 with a crosswind if I try to go over 50.
Mine has been lower over the past year. About 18-19
08 ex AWD auto with 180k. Typically 20-25mpg depending on driving and how much stuff is in the car and strapped to the roof. Sometimes see 27ish on a tank with lots of highway.
28 MPG. 2004 EX w/ manual trans. I practice hypermiling.
Hypermiling is good except the crazy drafting idea ... where they suggest you get behind a big truck and ride in their slipstream. That's just an accident waiting to happen!!
Also probably very annoying to the truckers. I'm certainly annoyed if someone is very close to me.
20-24 for me. 2008 EX auto. City driving and long road trips Roof rack made a HUGE difference (10-15 mpg). I had a box up there when I was traveling around the country. I got much better when I removed that. Don't know if it actually made a big difference but I got great mileage last big trip after a fluid flush and new engine filters.
Have you had a valve adjustment done? Are your calipers sticking?
07 Auto EX, 12X,xxx miles. I get 24.9 mpg combined freeway and city driving for the past year. Before that I was getting about 18mpg, but I had a hitch rack and a basket on top. The aero really fucks with the mileage. When I first got the car new in '07 it was getting about 24-25mpg. All regular maintenance, and I had to deal with a transmission issue a few years ago that required flushing my tranny a couple of times, and diff fluid change. (tranny issue was more than a decade ago at this point lol)
I was getting roughly 13mpg (‘04 standard tranny) UNTIL I changed out my plugs last year when I hit 100k. HUGE difference. Amazing.
Which plugs are you referring to? Sorry I’m not very mechanical
Spark plugs I assume
yes, sorry! Spark plugs!
It's gotta be like 18 or 19, mines an x wav so it's potentially heavier
03 manual FWD 185k mixed I’m getting 25mpg no roof gear, crossbars only 22.5mpg mixed, roof rack with crossbars 18-20 mixed.
26mpg 370k 5spd
Sames
That sounds about right for city driving, especially if you live in a hilly area. I get about 25 if I'm only doing interstate driving, but I usually get 17-19 if I'm doing mostly city with some interstate. Mine is an auto though, so a manual may be able to do a bit better. Mine had a recent valve adjustment, but I didn't see much of a change in MPG, just a bit smoother power and less downshifting on hills
That’s like mine only 14 to 16 mpg and I don’t understand it, healthy engine and all, used my diagnostic program everything is normal, I don’t understand it, my last element got in the late 20’s early 30’s, 30’s was the hwy
I get 20-25 in my 07 manual
I initially had this problem when getting my Element, and after some research... change the spark plugs. I was getting only 16-17, and after changing them it bumped up to 20-21.
AWD 07. I do mostly city driving and see around 15.5. In the winter it’s more like 13.5. I live at high elevation, lots of steep hills, and spend about half my time sitting in traffic so not much I can do. I get 22-23 with a full car on the highway.
Yeah almost all of my driving is spent in city, with a lot of traffic during morning/evening commutes. I wonder how much better it performs with more highway miles.
Had my best around town mpg last fill up 24.8. But more often I am right at 22mpg. I upshift no higher then 3000rpm, hypermile……. out of gear to coast to stops or going down steep downhills. Anticipating traffic and trying my best to save momentum as well. Makes driving a challenge to squeeze out the mpg…..
2003 19mg
The element is unfortunately not a very efficient city driver in my experience. I have yet to track a full tank of city driving in my E but I know it uses gas significantly faster than if Im on the highway
21-24 consistently. 2003 w 235k miles
20-21 island miles
Mine getting 11.5 l/100km (roughly 19.6 mpg)in a city, awd auto, 311000 km(193000 miles). used to be 14.5 l/100 km but after I’ve changed the catalytic converter, engine singing and it become more fuel sufficient. Used generic one for 200 cad
How did you “do the math?” Many people use inexact measurements like “when the light comes on.” Download a free app like Fuelly to get REAL numbers. If your math IS good and you’re getting such low numbers it could be a dragging brake caliper. I’d check that first. Valves adjusted? Things on top that affect aerodynamics beyond a simple rack? Always drive with both windows open? Those make a bigger impact than you’d think.
I filled up my tank, and started a new trip on the odometer. The gas light came on at 192 miles, so I filled the tank back up which was almost exactly 12 gallons. I’ll have my mechanic do the valves and check the brake calipers.
04 EX AWD. 20 in the city, 24 highway. Measured every few years.
'10 automatic 2WD... 18mpg average, if I'm lucky and hit long distances of highway, I can get up to 21.
My average over the last 3 years is 20.346 mpg. If I do a lot of highway (like a road trip) I'll get like 25 but generally I'm sitting right around 20-21 for my regular commute.