Awful MPG of my 2006 Honda Civic

[akkurtv]

I am getting 29 mpg (no a/c, closed windows, only 2 adults with total weight of 280 ib, trunk empty, proper tire pressure, no aggressive driving/acceleration, no hills)

When I spoke with Honda Motor Corporation representative about my concerns, he stated the following about the FACTS OF HONDA CIVIC gas consumption.

It is a fact that the car would never get the mileages printed on the sticker that the car came with and it was misleading the public.

This misleading is the fault of the U.S. Government, not Honda Motors.

The actual gas consumption was 15-25% worse that what Honda presented during the sale of this vehicle.

He claimed that even a 20-lb of suitcase would make a dramatic change on the Honda Civic’s gas consumption. He stated that this suitcase would be the culprit for obtaining worse than expected gas mileage consumption.

I find this and other similar and ridiculous explanations of the horrible gas consumption of my 2006 Honda Civic part of the cover up of the public misleading and perjury by Honda Motors.

[Greenblurr93]

Check your fuel filter, spark plugs, and other things that have to do with a tune up.

[CivicSpoon]

The government does in fact test for mpg, not Honda. Honda just prints the info they're given, whether it's misleading or not. There's a government standard that is followed. Just think about all the other SUV's & trucks that quote less than 20 mpg, and how low the mpg must really be.

I highly doubt a 20lb suitcase would change it too much, probably just a couple mpg. If you add a passenger into the equation, on top of the suitcase weight, there would definitely be a big difference. In my car, if I have my other set of rims in the back (to change from winter to summer or reverse), there is a HUGE change in mpg. I figure each of my rims/tires weight about 20-25lbs, times 4, is around 80-100lbs. You'll also get far better mpg if your fuel tank is a ¼ of the way filled vs full.

So at least some of the explaination is legit. I'm not saying that you didn't get screwed over, I'm just saying that there are other things involved. What model Civic do you have? Is it automatic or manual? Mostly city driving, mostly highway driving, a mix?

[45civic]

we have a brand new 08 civic lx with 5000 miles on it, just had the first oil change. when we first took delivery of the car, the mpg was about 18. now it's about 20-21. My wife drives it down the main road to about 15 miles round trip to work. Mostly stop and go. I hope it gets better. The Honda service writer said "everyone is getting bad mileage - Ethanol."

we also have an 03 lx and I havent checked the gas mileage in quite a while but our average was 26 when it was newer. Not quite as much stop and go but pretty much the same. I havent checked the specs that carefully but I think there is a difference in the engines will have to look into this.

We have only touched base with one other owner of a new car, a Saturn Vue and the mileage reported there is also very bad. Much worse than sticker.

Ethanol does not save gas. Read the Consumer's Reports article on it, it should be on the web somewhere. You get worse mileage with corn. It costs us more. It's a big rip off! and for those carbed engines its not good for the carbs.

I am not confident that that is the only answer but this has been my hunch all along. I will have a better idea when I fill up my 03 later this week.

I can tell you that our late spring vacation on the last tankful which was more than half sustained highway I might say at least 65% gave us 30 mpg. Still way below what is expected of a Honda Civic.

The EPA lowered the ratings across the board since our 03 was rated, so why does the government still use an unrealistic formula. How do they come up with these figures? Something is radically wrong somewhere.

My wifes driving techique and mine are different but seem to only average 1.5 miles different, actually not even enough to mention.

The 08 only started to be broken in after this trip and about 4500 miles (150 miles steady highway each way ) so maybe there is still light at the end of the tunnel. I didnt feel that the car was broken in until we got back from the trip and I still dont think it is.

I wasn't planning on taking the service writers word for the brushoff and was going to call Honda HQ but I guess there is no use in that.

I think our gooses are cooked.

I am not sure when they started adding ethanol all year round.

I wonder some mfrs engines can handle the corn gas better than others.

In my travels if I hear that other new owners with different makes are getting much better mileage, then this Honda will be my last.

any other Honda owners with bad MPG that they don't expect?

[z800210a]

I have an 06 Civic LX with approximately 47,000 miles. I drive with the A/C on all the time. What I found that helped my gas milage improve greatly was eliminating extended ideling, and keeping my speed limited to 60 MPH.

I am averaging 38.0 - 39.8 MPG combined highway/city.

Have your car dealer serviced every 5.000 miles and watch for irregular tire wear.

[45civic]

z8..... thanks for the information

[Huney1]

New 09 Civic sedan EX auto tranny drving 60 half the time and half around town with almost 1K mi on it all I can get is 30 MPG driving conservatively. I have a sales route and if I idle it between stops it blows the mileage to he((. A friend has an older civic with 150K mi runs like a top commmutes 65 mi every day round trip gets 40 MPG. Nowdays engines are put up tight and mileage should start to improve at 5K miles so don't make a snap judgment on a low mileage Civic.

[45civic]

We have about 11k miles on it now and will recheck dont get a feel for it as my wife drives it mostly

thanks for continuing the thread

[Huney1]

"Thanks for continuing the thread". No problem Sir, the pleasure is all mine.
This may be interesting to a lot of folks here. I have a relative who worked for Cummins diesel engine company for many years. He said wear test done by oil analysis show engines are getting broke in good at around 20K to 25K. I almost fell off the chair. Say what? Yup, metals & bearing material babbet in the oil still showed break in class wear and the longer they ran the less metal was in the oil. So, at say 100K miles there was way less metal in the oil than at 10K mi.

Same holds true for gas vehicle engines which is why I say it doesn't get "loosened up" until around 5K miles and gets broke in good at 20K. When you start getting into Hondas you will find a lot of old folks that got an easy 300K mi out of it then gave it to their son or daughter to go to college. I saw a young man at the recycle dump with a spotless older Honda and I asked him how many miles. He said his dad bought it new and gave it to him for a wedding present with 407K miles on it. Naaaahhh . . . you got'ta be kidding. He said no and only major repair in the Hondas life was new alternator and AC compressor.

Lady who is a Honda service writer here has an old Honda with 330K miles on it running like a champ. Ask any of the high mileage owners and they all say they had the oil changed and kept it up and it has never failed them.

I must be honest and say there are a lot of good cars on the road that will make an easy 250K miles IF you take care of them and treat them nice. I live in red neck swamp country and Bubba swears by his F-150 while Leroy loves his Silverado. But, you let the speedo turn 5K mi and you find them under the hood changing oil and when needed it gets a new air filter and anything else that will help keep it humming along.

In another forum a gent said he loved his car and changed oil & filter every 1500 miles. OK, I respect a man like that. However, to his chagrin I told him he was wearing his engine out faster than changing it every 5K mi. He said SAY WHAT? This a fact, as oil wears it bcomes a more efficent lubricant and so fresh oil causes more wear than oil with 3K mi on it. I know I'm going to catch flak from that statement, but oil analysis tests do not lie. They check the oil for micro particles in it that indicate wear ad fresh oil has more wear particles than oil with say 3K mi on it which is why it is perfectly alright to go 5K between changes.

Honda now says OK to go 7500 mi under easy conditions so that should tell us something. Last I knew Honda filters are made by WIX in the US and Bosch in Europe. My 09 Civic has barely 1K mi on it and when I change the oil at 5K mi I'll go with MotoCraft 5W-20 synthetic blend $2.77 a qt from WalMart and the five gal container is cheaper yet. Same oil they use in cop cars and if it can stand up under their abuse then it will be great for our easy riding Honda. Full syn I chose WalMart SuperTech 5W-20 $17.00 for 5 qts. Their filters are made by Warren Oil cheap and do a good job.

One more thing. To many folks neglect their transmissions and seem to have the mind set of if it ain't broke don't fix it. Very true, but you should MAINTAIN it or it will break sooner or later. Rebuild about $3K and tranny fluid change $100. and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to do the math on that one. Ya'll have a nice Sunday and a super fine week ahead. "GOD BLESS AMERICA AND WATCH OVER OUR MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN." United States Air Force Veteran and darn proud of it.