Gas mileage

have a question about the gas mileage for a 2014 4Runner SR5.. just bought it and specs say 17/21 … but I've put 125 miles on it and it's reporting about 12 driving around town (city) .. burn a half tank and filled it up and the reading seems about right?? way off what I was expecting, is something wrong or is this what I should expect. Thanks

 

Well by now you know where the best gas is so find a station that ur vehicle agrees with and stick with it. Are you running E85?

 

No.. just regular, it was pretty much short trips in traffic, stop lights... it just seemed quit low.. it's running perfect or seems to be.

 

I prefer Exxon...and a small station near my local airport. For some reason prob traffic/sales the fuel runs a lot smoother seems I get much better gas mileage too...

 

Try a can of Seafoam and see if that helps.

 

Wow is that a joke? Whatever you do don’t use that stuff go with BG. Today’s gas has all the additives you need. Maybe a plug change is due?

 

Take it back to the dealer and ask them.

 

For comparison, I have an SR5 also and I average 17.0 in the winter and almost 18.0 in the summer (north of Seattle). I also mostly take short trips and when I hit the highway it improves.

 

the 4 runner is not a high MPG vehicle esp in city/traffic operation. if temps below 50F also.. MPG will be for me short runs in these conditions about 14 MPG..
now today I am on my road trip air temps 75F .. I just did 1400 mile run 21 MPG @75mph.. loaded with luggage etc.. used shell/Exxon/citgo ....

 

Don't reset your mpg indicator on the dash. Let it go for several tanks and it will give you a good ballpark all-around mpg.

Also, calculate by hand at the pump over a few tanks to compare.

I know that doesn't answer your question, but it'll give you a better ballpark estimate than resetting the clock and driving some short trips.

I'd imagine you're gonna see mpg similar to the rest of us. 17-18 all around. Maybe 20-21 on the highway. 14-15 in the winter on short trips in town.

 

Thanks everyone for all the comments and info... I'm taking it to the dealer Monday for the airbag recall replacement.. I think I'll have them run a diagnostic report on it and see if all is good, it's not the dealer where I bought it but it is still under the 3 month warranty if something is wrong I'll take the report back wear I bought it!

 

First rule. Don't believe the estimates that are printed on paper. Those are federally mandated numbers. Also don't believe the dash readout. YMMV as does mine.

 

4R's suck on gas they probably won't find anything.

 

That being said does the "Pedal Commander" I read about improve it at all? Can anyone comment that has it? Perhaps not if it makes the vehicle "peppier" maybe leading to a heavier foot! Ugh...

 

I also have a 2014 4Runner SR5. Bought it new. In my normal about-town driving I average about 14-15 mpg. When my wife drives the vehicle it drops down to 12. Driving style matters a lot. On a long road trip I can get around 20 or 21, but only if I keep my speed down to no higher than 65. Higher than that, and the MPG starts dropping.

 

I must be lucky. Around town I average 15-16 and on road trips I am getting 18-20. I DO NOT drive slow by any means, highway is typically 75-80 mph with passing. Maybe because I haven't changed anything yet. No lift, stock tires, and nothing extra on the roof.

 

Do not add Seafoam to your engine, it's not an old Chevy with blown piston rings. The pedal commander will change your perceived throttle response, nothing else. Even if it could improve your MPG (it won't), it would take a while to recoup your expense. For a quick example, if gas was $3.00 a gallon and it bumped your MPG from 19 to 20, it would take you 38,000 miles to break even. The cheaper gas is, the longer it will take you. Keep this in mind any time some vendor touts their "MPG gaining" product.

Most likely, you need to evaluate your driving style and environment. Constant stops and accelerations kill mileage. The smoother you drive, the happier your wallet will be. And you can do this without spending a single dime.

 

Funny you say that I've also noticed mine changing a little when I set the cruise on 70 or if it's set on less than that. Around 65 does seem to be the vehicles happy-happy point. Problem is on todays highways anything less than 70 practically gets you rear ended. I often drive it set at 70 which gets me passed like I'm standing still.

 

Educate me what’s so bad about seafoam?

 

sea foam is a solvent .. yes can be used in the gas but no in the engine oil .
MPG issues are most times the lead foot or constant pedal movement .. hold pedal steady ..

fuel injectors can get damaged but if you have over 200K that could be a injector issue.. also if you use cheapo gas non TOP TIER fuels then that sure can kill the MPG with injectors sticking .

I add 2-3 OZ of MMO in my fuel tank .. works good to reduce corrosion and lubes the injectors ..
I know all this sh*t because I have done this sine 1998.. my vehicles 4 are old one has a carb on it ..

 

what is MMO and is it recommended for new t4r?

 

Seafoam is fine for its intended purpose, which is to gently clean carbon residue from oil rings, cylinder walls, valve stems and lifters in order to reduce blow-by. This can help aging motors with loosening tolerances stay on the road, instead of pulling it apart for a rebuild. Grandpa uses Seafoam to keep his old Buick running without too much oil smoke.

OP has a 5 year old Toyota engine, it's FINE. If the service history indicates a proper oil/filter change every 5-10K miles, I could probably eat dinner out of the crank case.

The solution to better mileage is to alter driving style, not spend money on misapplied products.

 

MMO is Marvel Mystery Oil .. product is an old oil conditioner and fuel additive,, been around for 80 yrs .. no it is not like seafoam .. this is an oil ..this is what I use in the gas on all my engines yes even in the lawn mower.. this stuff works to keep your engines running good , perhaps till you die ..

injectors do work better with this because of alcohol fuels .. alcohol is water so this stuff protects from the alcohol damage..
seafoam is solvent not good for engine oil .. yes can be used in the gas to clean fuel system but does not lube the fuel pump/injectors.. WALMART HAS MMO FOR $4 A QT....cheap and effective..2-3OZ in full gas tank..more is not better..

many have added this into the engine oil .. 5-6OZ because of lifter noises .. many had this issue because they use dino//conventional oils // again alcohol fuels create sludge with conventional oils so all of us must use 100% synthetic engine oil or engines failing early ..

 

Okay, a lot to unpack here but I'll try.
Marvel mystery oil is, again, a fine additive for its intended purpose. It was originally formulated to free up gunky valves and jets in carburetors that have been sitting a while. It's also a general use formula for soaking old parts to clean varnish and add some basic lubricity.

Modern engines do not require marvel mystery oil, because they do not have carburetors or jets. The fuel pump, and valves and nozzles on port injectors are cleaned and lubricated by gasoline (gasoline is a solvent, but it has additives and lubricants to keep the fuel system running cleanly and effectively). At best, Marvel mystery oil will do nothing for your modern car. At worst, it will introduce pollutants into your exhaust stream and prematurely wear your catalytic converter. Go ahead and put it in your lawnmower. Your 5th gen 4Runner does not need it.

Alcohol is NOT water, but it is hydrophilic (left alone long enough, it will absorb moisture from the air). Yes, most gasoline today is 10% corn ethanol. This is done to add octane and also reduce dependency on oil production. Again, modern fuel systems are designed with this in mind. Look at your fuel cap, it tells you that E10 gasoline is acceptable. Ventilation is carefully controlled up make sure the tank isn't exposed to undue moisture, and fuel filters are meant to catch contaminants before they get injected into the engine.

As far as engine oil goes, I don't know who would be putting conventional oil in a current-gen 4Runner. Use synthetic 0W-20 as the owner manual stipulates.

In fact, the 5th gen 4Runner has seen plenty of examples chug ahead of 300,000 miles with nothing else but basic maintenance according to the specifications in the manual- not because "some guy named Randy" added lead back into the gasoline or put zinc additive in the oil. These are anachronistic solutions to problems that don't exist on modern cars. Leave the Marvel mystery oil back in the 1920's for carburetors. I would rather trust the recommendations of the huge team of Toyota engineers who designed this thing than to spend needless money on unknown additives.

 

WELL my use of MMO is decades of success... I do not do vehicle replacing every 3-5yrs LOL...
vehicles are kept for 20 yrs ..
more is NOT better ..

 

Ah the ageless debate continues...I think I tend to march to Tory's drum these days but again just another opinion and we all have them. For me it really doesn't matter cause I'll keep my Toyota 5-7 years and see ya like all my vehicles. Except for my '09 Accord which I'm driving till I have issues I no longer want to repair it's a Honda and that may be awhile! For longevity with a vehicle I like Honda way more than Toyota's they just didn't have an SUV I liked. Would of preferred the Pilot hands down but I like the older "boxy" look of them before they went to the typical rounded soccer mom look. Personally I'm not adding any additives to the 4R just my Mobil 1 at or before the suggested change intervals.

 

The only snake oil I use is Amsoil P.I. every oil change. Really get on it for the whole tank. Keeps everything in the fuel system where it should be

https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-prod...e/p-i-performance-improver-gasoline-additive/

 

Any update OP?

 

Oh Amsoil is far from "snake oil" it supposed to be good $hit. Mobil 1 has served me fine and maybe more importantly it's readily available at my local Wally Mart. I'm beginning to see Royal Purple and Amsoil making an appearance on the shelf but usually not their full lineup of weights.

 

It was just a figure of speech, hence the quotes. The P.I. works