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Why would my Yeti suddenly use much more fuel?


Salteena

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Hello all, thanks for a very useful and interesting thread. Just wondered if anyone had any suggestions as to why my 11-month old 1.2 petrol Yeti (due for its 10,000 mile service later this month, though it hasn't quite done that much) should have unexpectedly used about twice as much fuel as expected on a routine motorway trip that I make regularly?

Details: 200 mile journey, tank was full though not brimming. No heavy load being carried and only me in the car. 70mph or under for MOST of the way :-) mainly thanks to 50mph stretches.

No warning lights or messages, fuel consumption readings didn't raise any concerns and seem perfectly within the expected range. But I could almost see the fuel gauge dropping as I drove, and where I would expect the journey to end with the needle at ten past or even slightly more, it's dead on half a tank.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

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Welcome to the forum.

 

Were you filled up at your usual choice of Filling Station?

Best fill up now and see the actual fuel use.  How much you need to put in.

 

You say you are due your service, 

so i take it you are on Fixed / Annual Servicing @ 372 days / 9,400 miles (10,000) and not variable servicing.

 

Your Yeti should go on the diagnostics at the service and any Fault Codes checked and any Software updates done.

 

Your car is low mileage, but best check the Air Filters condition or have the dealer, it is not due as the Service Schedule / Guidelines,

and check the tyre pressures & reset if not already checked.

Edited by GoneOffskiroottoot
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^^^ the air filter won't affect economy, the computer will adjust to it, but will reduce power a bit?

I would think if nothing is coming up as a failure (a rich mixture would)

A strong headwind and/or anything on the roof?.(aero drag is significant in the Yeti)'any other significant weather factors?.

Was your last fill economy normal or better than normal ( didn't put as much in as you expected?)

Check you can push it on the flat without too much effort but should be consistent (mine was a pig to push)

Edited by Ryeman
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There's been some very strong winds recently.

I once drove to Leeds in really strong headwinds on the M62 and my 170 TDI showed around 34mpg.

Returning home later that day, with the wind now behind me , it showed around 54mpg.

Edited by bilun777
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^^Ryeman,

Sometimes you just say things that are totally wrong.

When you drive a car that has a 40,000 - 60,000 mile Air Filter Schedule and you notice the Economy getting poorer and then look and see the Air Filter is Dirty, clogged, damp and change it for a fresh one, and the economy improves, 

you then know that MAF sensors, ECU Adjustments air fuel is not the greatest thing since sliced bread.

 

A dirty filter might not just be from working in a quarry or commuting on farm roads, 

but sitting in a City in Polluted air behind buses and the likes.

 

PS

If the car reduced the power a bit as you say, but the driver continues at the usual pace, maybe even on Cruise Control 

then that can use more fuel.

 

Anyway, a simple check and free with the use of the correct Screwdriver Bit. Check the Air Filter.

Tyre Pressure Gauge or 20 pence in a machine, check the tyre pressures.

Edited by GoneOffskiroottoot
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This may be a bit obvious but have you had a sniff around to see if there is an unusual whiff of petrol and you have a leak? I know its unlikely but on my previous car I noticed a drop in fuel economy and my dealer traced it to rodent damage to a rubber(?) component in the fuel line. Apparently it wasn't that unusual, something in the compound seemed to be attractive to them. New part fitted and never occurred again. Ironically the car had so many different problems over my three years it spent half its life at the dealer so for me the problem was picked up very quickly. 

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Thank you all. It was filled up at one of our normal local garages - same brand of fuel as usual. There was nothing on the roof; weather was pretty good in fact, despite recent very strong winds, I hit a good day! Tyres were checked before setting out and were fine.

I'll be filling up to make the return journey so will pay much closer attention to the stats and what happens....annoyingly, because I wasn't anticipating the problem, I hadn't noted my facts all that closely when I set out - it was only when I stopped for a break that I suddenly realised the fuel was disappearing at an unusual rate of knots.

If no joy, at least the service team can be asked to take a look at the things you suggest.

Thanks again.

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Some of the best economy the small petrol engines from VW, the 1.0, & especially the 1.2 & 1.4 TSI can be in cooler air and even damp air,

and it can also give the worst economy on wet roads and head winds etc.

 

As to the car being almost new as Ryeman says, 

you have asked about a noticeable rise in the use of fuel or as i read, an indicated higher use according to the gauge.

So simples really fill up with fuel and see how much you used for the journey.

If it was actually excessive, check why with simple free checks first.

Edited by GoneOffskiroottoot
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Sounds more like a glitch with the fuel gauge, what was/is the average fuel consumption showing on 1 and 2?

As it suddenly started using more has it gone back to normal now.

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Full, not brimmed and judging by the behaviour of the fuel gauge -not sufficiently precise in my opinion if you judge it full because of the needle on the gauge you may well be a gallon or two out since it is relatively common for the fuel gauge not to show any significant drop in level for some time after a genuine fill up. Reset your trip, brim the tank, drive for at least 100 plus miles then re brim the tank using the exact amount from the receipt and the calculator on your phone one gallon =4.55 litres and then you will know your actual fuel consumption then you can either worry or relax

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I don't know much about modern petrol engines but they

have sparkplugs that need gapping? tyre pressures need

checking just routine stuff but for a relatively small engine

it could make a difference. Direction travelled makes a difference

going North is all uphill, going South is downhill.

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I don't know much about modern petrol engines but they

have sparkplugs that need gapping? tyre pressures need

checking just routine stuff but for a relatively small engine

it could make a difference. Direction travelled makes a difference

going North is all uphill, going South is downhill.

Absolutely

Going down the map is obviously more economical.......

  • Like 3
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My Fuel gauge is stuck on full.

Wont move, gotta do maybe 500 miles before I see any action.

 

 

 

Quote " a routine motorway trip that I make regularly"

 

Should have gone for the

1.6 Greenline Diesel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ps.  Of course I'm  only kidding. :D

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Although I don't own a Yeti yet, in my car the fuel gauge does not go down linearly. Sometimes it goes past the 1st quarter really fast and then slower between 1/4 and 3/4. It really worries me to see that just after a full tank and a few trips I have already used 25%. But then I can drive a lot more until I actually reach 50%. Also people say to fuel in the morning because the fuel will me more dense due to low temperature. I don't know how much the outside temperature affects that huge mass of gas stored underground but it could affect the fuel in your tank and mess the fuel gauge: say a tank has 50 liters at lunch and by the evening the temperature drops, the fuel "contracts" even more so you a get a wrong reading. It would be interesting if someone would do the experiment to let the car for example in the sun and then check the fuel gauge very early in the morning and then in the afternoon. 

 

Also someone told me that he started to get better mileage  after he changed the time of day he went to the gas station. Apparently sometimes he was arriving just after the fuel truck left and the fuel was all stirred up inside the tank with sediments floating around. 

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I noticed occasionally an odd situation where the gauge would 'recover' almost a full 'notch'.

I wondered if there was a sort of small overflow tank which would, when full, empty back into the main tank......sounds batty I know.

Also down hill would over read - uphill under read......normal.

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You could use Fuelly app to monitor fuel and mileage, which will give a better insight into efficiency over a longer period of time, brand of fuel can make a difference, as can tyre pressure, weather, driving style etc. I find if I drive at 60mph Yeti reasonably efficient, put the foot down efficiency drops as the Yeti is shaped like a brick as it goes through the air.

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Check your tyre pressures.

Was there any strong winds.

Try a different fuel station (there's one shell garage in Watford I won't use as I get 2/3 economy every time I use their fuel compared with anywhere else).

Fill up the tank - see how much fuel it actually takes - it could be an anomalous reading on your fuel gauge.

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Air is denser in the cold.  Was it colder weather than you're used to ?

 

(I'd probably not overthink the consumption based on just one trip though)

Edited by Fenix
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Turbo engines like Denser / Colder air, which is what Intercoolers are all about.

Then once a vehicles engine is at operating temperature less energy is required to cool the coolant if already at an efficient temp, Coolant & Oil.

Then colder road surfaces have less adhesion / grip / Friction.

 

So if you are not using more energy for lights, fans, etc, and only head and cross winds are making the difference, 

colder / denser / lower ambient temperatures might mean more efficient running and equal out the extra time taken to get a engine up to temp.

Not that long in petrol engines usually.

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To get simple, Yes in cool air.

& in the old days we used to put wood or cardboard in front of Radiators in Winter to stop from getting too cool.

 

But not when it is hotter, hence fans and coolant pumps.

Some have fans that suck and some that blow, then the Oil Coolers. 

The air coming in a grill on a 1.2TSI in Warm Weather does not keep the coolant down near 90*oC and cool the Oil back down all alone 

when sitting with the car not moving and ambient temps are in the 20's plus,  cooling takes energy, and heat saps energy..

Edited by GoneOffskiroottoot
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I think most people on here keep track of their fuel consumption to a greater or lesser degree. I've kept a close watch on mine ever since I started driving just for interest mostly but a long time ago now when I was running a Mk5 Cortina, I suddenly dropped from around 30mpg to 20mpg. I hadn't noticed anything different in the way the car was running but having confirmed my figures over a couple of fills, I went off to a local car tuning specialist and left it with them to have a look at. Turned out the carburettor was shot and a refurb unit put my consumption straight back up to the mid 30's (higher than it had ever been). I know cars are far more sophisticated with their self diagnosis nowadays but I still think it's worth keeping accurate records.

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