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2011 Dodge Journey Pentastar fuel economy


Defender007

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Normally I sit in a lot of stop and go traffic every day for at least an hour and a half both ways, i've been up around 13-14L/100km during this, but when going at good speed without having to stop or slow down (long trips) it drops down really low.

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I kinda figured that. But what do I tell them? they'll probably think I'm full of crap!

I think you have to start by showing them what your EVIC says and tell them you've been talking to other 2011 Journey owner's and that your gas mileage seems way out of whack with everyone else.

They will most likely try to blame it on driving habits. You could then say "fine, let me take another 2011 Journey for a day or two for comparison". They will likely laugh at you if you say that but you have to get it across to them that you are seriously concerned about this issue and want to know if you get the same results with another vehicle of the same trim level.

It would be ideal if you could find a place that rents 2011 Journey's and just take one for a day or two to compare.

It's a tough spot to be in. It certainly sounds to me like there is an issue with your Journey and I really hope something can be done for you.

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Normally I sit in a lot of stop and go traffic every day for at least an hour and a half both ways, i've been up around 13-14L/100km during this, but when going at good speed without having to stop or slow down (long trips) it drops down really low.

Is yours an AWD or FWD?

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My Journey RT has 1800 kms on it and my fuel economy has been at 16L/100km, that is all city driving as I have not taken it out of town yet. Even on the expressway in the city, it has been short trips of a few kms. My wife drives the car most of the time, but I have learned that since the weather has been very hot here in Southwestern Ontario, she has been using the remote car start to start the car and let it cool down the interior for a few minutes before driving off. i asked her when she started doing that and it has been around the same time that the economy has been worsening. Having the car idle alot will affect the numbers for obvious reasons. If she allows the car to idle alot, that is where the problem is. My wife also waits for the kids to come out of school for a good 5 minutes with the engine running. Driving me nuts at $1.30 per litre.

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No offense to your wife but it really bugs me that people leave their vehicles idle for extended periods of time.

I rarely let my Journey run for more than 15-20 seconds after starting before I take off. I frequently turn it off at lights if it's going to be more than a 30 second wait. Any time I have to stop and wait anywhere, I always turn it off. Better for the environment and better for the pocketbook!

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Can anyone convert all those numbers above to american style "MPG", haha. I guess a lot of people have Journey's in Canada, and the majority of them are on this board, lol. Anyways, mine is averaging 19 and that is mostly city. On top of that, here in Colorado, almost every gas station puts the 10% ethanol in their fuel (which I hate) and that drops my MPG by about 4-5mpg. And then you have to figure in the high elevation as well which is hurting gas mileage also. I can't wait to get back to my home state of Oklahoma because I estimate I'd be averaging close to 26mpg city.

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Can anyone convert all those numbers above to american style "MPG", haha. I guess a lot of people have Journey's in Canada, and the majority of them are on this board, lol. Anyways, mine is averaging 19 and that is mostly city. On top of that, here in Colorado, almost every gas station puts the 10% ethanol in their fuel (which I hate) and that drops my MPG by about 4-5mpg. And then you have to figure in the high elevation as well which is hurting gas mileage also. I can't wait to get back to my home state of Oklahoma because I estimate I'd be averaging close to 26mpg city.

Hey dodgemen324, when is the US going to join the rest of the world and move into the metric system. Just imagine, changing all the road signs to metric would be one hell of a stimulus package for your economy. Haha. Actually, FYI the Dodge Journey is Canada's best selling crossover, hence all the canucks on the forum. Thanks for the info on the 10% Ethanol in the fuel. We have the same amount here in Ontario and it never occured to me that this is affecting the MGP(L/100km).

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No offense to your wife but it really bugs me that people leave their vehicles idle for extended periods of time.

I rarely let my Journey run for more than 15-20 seconds after starting before I take off. I frequently turn it off at lights if it's going to be more than a 30 second wait. Any time I have to stop and wait anywhere, I always turn it off. Better for the environment and better for the pocketbook!

Wow, no offence but that's crazy. I want to save money but not that badly, aren't you going just a little bit overboard?

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How am I going overboard?

Not letting your car sit there running for a long time once started has been recommended over and over again by many pros.

Turning it off at lights if I'm going to be there for a bit saves gas. Turning it off if I'm stopped somewhere, like waiting to pick someone up, only makes sense.

To each his own but I'm doing what I can to save gas and do my very small part to cut down on the pollution that I create.

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Driving Tips

Drive at a Steady Pace - Fuel efficiency increases when you drive at an even speed. You can also improve your gas mileage by avoiding fast starts and quick stops and by using cruise control during highway driving.

Drive at Moderate Speeds - Most cars operate most efficiently between 35 and 45 miles per hour. Operating your car at lower and higher speeds reduces fuel efficiency. For highway driving, gas mileage can increase by as much as 15 percent if you drive at 55 miles per hour rather than 65 miles per hour.

Combine Your Trips – By combining your errands into one trip, you get more things done faster with less driving, less gas, and less pollution. Starting a car after it has been sitting for more than an hour creates up to five times more pollution than when the engine is warm.

Avoid Unnecessary Idling - Contrary to popular belief, your car uses more fuel when your engine idles for 30 or more seconds than when you turn off and restart your engine. To improve your fuel economy, try reducing engine warm-up time in the winter and turn your engine off in traffic jams. Idling for long periods in cold weather can lead to excessive engine wear.

Get Fuel When it’s Cool – Postpone refueling your vehicle until the cooler evening hours. Evaporative losses of gasoline from refueling are less when the temperature is lower.

Don’t Top Off the Tank - It releases gasoline fumes into the air and cancels the benefits of the pump’s anti-pollution devices. Stop short of a full tank, it’s safer and reduces pollution.

Avoid Carrying Unneeded Items in the Trunk - Extra weight decreases gas mileage. Also, reduce drag by placing items inside the car or trunk rather than on roof racks.

Maintenance Tips

Keep Tires Properly Inflated and Wheels Aligned - Proper tire inflation and wheel alignment prevents excessive drag and can improve your fuel economy by up to one mile per gallon. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.

Get Regular Tune-ups and Maintenance Checks - A tune-up can improve your car’s performance and gas mileage. Poor starting, rough idling and lower gas mileage may be signals that your spark plugs are worn and need to be replaced. Repairing a faulty oxygen sensor can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent. Also, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for replacing motor oil and air filters.

Use Your Air Conditioner Sparingly - Running the air conditioner places added drag on your car’s engine that can reduce gas mileage by up to 20 percent in city driving. Try rolling down the windows on those not-so-hot days or when you’re stuck in traffic.

Check & Replace Air Filters Regularly - Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine.

Know Your Car - Check the tailpipe for signs that your car may be running inefficiently. Black smoke means there is too much gas in the air/fuel mixture and the fuel injection system should be checked. Blue smoke means the engine is burning oil and excess hydrocarbons are being released. Pay attention to flashing dashboard lights that warn of engine problems. A sudden drop in gas mileage may signal engine troubles and higher vehicle emissions. Get your vehicle to a skilled automotive technician for repairs when you notice any of these problem indicators.

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6700 K and readout is 10.4 BUT this transmission does NOT down shift when a slight rise in the road comes up, it just drags the speed down, and requires more throttle, and uses more gas-----we have been manually shifting in to 5th in order to maintain speed, have not gone over any real mountains but lots of hills in BC and Washington that on the east coast are called mountains

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6700 K and readout is 10.4 BUT this transmission does NOT down shift when a slight rise in the road comes up, it just drags the speed down, and requires more throttle, and uses more gas-----we have been manually shifting in to 5th in order to maintain speed, have not gone over any real mountains but lots of hills in BC and Washington that on the east coast are called mountains

10.4? is that all highway?

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How am I going overboard?

Not letting your car sit there running for a long time once started has been recommended over and over again by many pros.

Turning it off at lights if I'm going to be there for a bit saves gas. Turning it off if I'm stopped somewhere, like waiting to pick someone up, only makes sense.

To each his own but I'm doing what I can to save gas and do my very small part to cut down on the pollution that I create.

Not letting warm up, I understand. Shutting it down while waiting for someone, I agree. But shutting it down at stop lights, cmon! That's excessive IMO. How much gas could you possibly save doing that? If you forget to restart, the people behind won't stop honking at you!

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Don't worry, I am intelligent enough to know that I need to restart the vehicle before attempting to pull away and I don't wait until the light has turned green before I restart. It's common sense.

A number of manufacturers are putting automatic start/stop technology into their vehicles in Europe already. It's only a matter of time before that tech makes it's way over here. I'm just doing manually what will be an automatic feature in vehicles here in a few years. Can't be that bad of an idea if the auto manufacturers have already started to implement it.

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Don't worry, I am intelligent enough to know that I need to restart the vehicle before attempting to pull away and I don't wait until the light has turned green before I restart. It's common sense.

A number of manufacturers are putting automatic start/stop technology into their vehicles in Europe already. It's only a matter of time before that tech makes it's way over here. I'm just doing manually what will be an automatic feature in vehicles here in a few years. Can't be that bad of an idea if the auto manufacturers have already started to implement it.

First off I have to say that I admire what you are trying to do in terms of saving the environment as much as possible. We should all be so lucky to have more people as concerned .I have to agree though that I think this is a bit excessive unless the light lasts for a few minutes, otherwise I would think you are just increasing wear and tear on your vehicle. Lights do not stay red for much more than a minute, if that. So taking into account the start and stop, you are only benefiting a few seconds and potentially causing more damage to your vehicle. I'm no mechanic, just my 2 cents of logic.

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I have about 2000kms and have been averaging between 11.5 - 12.5 combined city/highway (40% / 60%) since day one.

I don't open it up often and I just drive smooth and nothing over 115kms, yet :shift:

Exactly the same for me...about 2000kms right now and averaging 11.5 - 12.5 with about 40/60 (city/highway) since the day I got it.

EDIT: Forgot to add it's a R/T AWD

Edited by Dre
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