'07 A4 2.0T Quattro - Terrible City Mileage

[aspain]

Hey guys, first post here.

I recently moved to the city and have a 1-mile commute each day. 95% of my driving is stop-go city traffic, and I've only been getting ~240 miles per tank. Is that reasonable? The fuel efficiency mentioned by Audi says I should be getting closer to 315 miles per tank at the 19/27 mpg minimum. Mine is closer to 14.5 mpg.

I've also noticed my fuel gauge no longer goes all the way to the full point. On this recent tank, I've only driven 10 miles and the needle is almost 1/2 way through the first 1/4. Is this normal as well? Seems to be dropping a lot faster than usual...

http://i.imgur.com/ahY13xV.jpg

[aspain]

I also drive very conservatively, rarely 'flooring' it or getting above 3k rpm

[p0isin]

Do you only do city driving? If your commute is so short then my guess it's you waste a lot of gas idling in the morning warning the engine up compared to your short commute and don't make the mpg back

[PDX04a4]

It's not unreasonable, but it does seem a little low. I do a TON of city driving as well, I'd say upwards of 90% of my commute and I'm sitting on 215 miles with a tiny bit more than a quarter tank left. I get around 280-300 miles per tank for ~18-19 mpg.

As for what could cause it, a lot of things unfortunately. You could try scanning the car for any codes, try changing your sparks plugs, air filter, fuel filter, etc (things that are not overly expensive). If you really get into it you could have a problem with your MAF, front O2 sensor, fuel pump(s). Check for any vacuum hose leaks (assuming you have a 2.0t). Just kinda throwing darts at a dart board here. It might be worth taking a trip and getting some highway mileage. Burn a half tank out on some highways cruising and see what kind of mpg's you get doing that, get an idea of both ends of the spectrum.

[aspain]

Do you only do city driving? If your commute is so short then my guess it's you waste a lot of gas idling in the morning warning the engine up compared to your short commute and don't make the mpg back

yup pretty much only city. i'm also concerned with the fuel gauge issue. It seems to be dropping way faster than it used to

[Hugh@EuropaParts]

do remember that the mpg on the dis is usually completely wrong...

[Charles.waite]

One of your fuel level senders could be faulty.

I drive 100% city and get ~17 mpgs (calculated using Fuelly using the gallons at the pump and the odometer reading).

How are you calculating MPGs and what do you mean when you say "I get XX miles per TANK" the question being what constitutes "A TANK". I usually fill up between 14 and 15 gallons, but it varies a lot as I never fill up at the same level on the gauge.

[aspain]

One of your fuel level senders could be faulty.

I drive 100% city and get ~17 mpgs (calculated using Fuelly using the gallons at the pump and the odometer reading).

How are you calculating MPGs and what do you mean when you say "I get XX miles per TANK" the question being what constitutes "A TANK". I usually fill up between 14 and 15 gallons, but it varies a lot as I never fill up at the same level on the gauge.

I'm going by what the heads up dispay tells me I have remaining + how many miles i've already driven. On my last tank, I had driven ~170 miles and it said I had 55 miles remaining when I filled it up with a little over 12 gallons. So if I only had 4 gallons less and it said I'd only make it 55 miles, that's even worse, only 13.75 mpg

[aspain]

do remember that the mpg on the dis is usually completely wrong...

can it be this much lower though? Seems pretty far off

[Charles.waite]

I'm going by what the heads up dispay tells me I have remaining + how many miles i've already driven. On my last tank, I had driven ~170 miles and it said I had 55 miles remaining when I filled it up with a little over 12 gallons. So if I only had 4 gallons less and it said I'd only make it 55 miles, that's even worse, only 13.75 mpg

The DIS is never going to be accurate. Just set your trip computer at ever fillup and divide the number by the amount of gallons put in.

[aspain]

The DIS is never going to be accurate. Just set your trip computer at ever fillup and divide the number by the amount of gallons put in.

even so, if I put 12.5 gallons in and had driven 170 miles from my last top off, that's still less than 14mpg

[Charles.waite]

even so, if I put 12.5 gallons in and had driven 170 miles from my last top off, that's still less than 14mpg

True.

What shape are your sparkplugs in?

[jsandor91]

True.

What shape are your sparkplugs in?

this have you done any recent maintenance ?

there is a ton of things that can lower your mpgs potentially

spark plugs
coil packs
fuel filter
failing pcv
failing n80
not enough air in tires
clogged air filter
clogged cat

the list goes on!

[yeoj112689]

I drive about 95% city with about a 5 mile commute each way per day. Now I sit at work for 16 hours a day most of the time so I could just be going crazy but I normally get around 350-400 miles per tank with city driving. I try to get 500 but lets me honest thats not going to happen with city driving and a lead foot... so many civics trying to race me its a hard life.

[aspain]

this have you done any recent maintenance ?

there is a ton of things that can lower your mpgs potentially

spark plugs
coil packs
fuel filter
failing pcv
failing n80
not enough air in tires
clogged air filter
clogged cat

the list goes on!

no recent maintenance, but I did have to have the State Safety inspection done a few months ago. I bought the car used from the dealer about 18 months ago, but it wasn't certified preowned. I'm not too sure about the past of the car but it is in great shape. Perhaps a tuneup would uncover some of these issues? Or would I need to pay separately to have each looked at?

[jsandor91]

well depending on the miles and what was recently done you can do alot of these yourself for much less then the dealer

spark plugs 40
coil packs 80
fuel filter 35
failing pcv 50ish ?
failing n80 20
not enough air in tires free
clogged air filter like 40 if you go k&n
clogged cat just buy a testpipe

[LINDW4LL]

Your commute is only one mile each way. 14mpg seems possible. Next time you do some highway driving fill up before you go and then fill up when you stop, and calculate your MPG manually.

[funky_snowman]

Sounds like a quirk of the trip computer. How about walking to work instead. I mean it's one mile. Short trips like that aren't the sort if miles I would want to put on my car.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk now Free ('http://tapatalk.com/m?id=10')

[aspain]

Your commute is only one mile each way. 14mpg seems possible. Next time you do some highway driving fill up before you go and then fill up when you stop, and calculate your MPG manually.

yeah, will do. It didn't seem this bad a month ago but maybe I just hadn't been paying enough attention. I drive to work so I can swing home quickly to let my dog out, also because i do a ton of walking with the dog as it is. nice to not have to walk everywhere

[jimrobbington]

For one, only trust real numbers that you figured out with MATH.

Secondly, do a full tune up. Spark plugs, fuel filter, n80, carbon clean, injector clean, etc.

Thirdly, if you are only driving 1 mile, you are driving during the warm up cycle, which runs rich.

Again, never trust the computer to tell you your mileage. This is rarely accurate.

Try getting fuel at a new station. Are you using shell/conoco or Kroger?

[aspain]

For one, only trust real numbers that you figured out with MATH.

Secondly, do a full tune up. Spark plugs, fuel filter, n80, carbon clean, injector clean, etc.

Thirdly, if you are only driving 1 mile, you are driving during the warm up cycle, which runs rich.

Again, never trust the computer to tell you your mileage. This is rarely accurate.

Try getting fuel at a new station. Are you using shell/conoco or Kroger?

Ok, will look into the tune up. I mostly get my gas at Royal Farms, sometimes BJs wholesale if i'm in the area. I never get anything below 93 or 91 octane

[mcpcartier]

I try to get 500 but lets me honest thats not going to happen with city driving and a lead foot... so many civics trying to race me its a hard life.

this made me chuckle.....got my AZ fix for the day....on to working again!

[jimrobbington]

Ok, will look into the tune up. I mostly get my gas at Royal Farms, sometimes BJs wholesale if i'm in the area. I never get anything below 93 or 91 octane

Honestly, I would try filling up with shell for a couple tanks and see if you see an improvement from that also.

[aspain]

Honestly, I would try filling up with shell for a couple tanks and see if you see an improvement from that also.

I can't imagine there's enough difference in the gas that would cause me from driving ~60 miles on 1/4 tank to now only ~25 or so, no? My fuel gauge drops more each day and i'm only driving 3-4 miles per day. Something has got to be wrong here

[Hugh@EuropaParts]

well depending on the miles and what was recently done you can do alot of these yourself for much less then the dealer

spark plugs 40
coil packs 80
fuel filter 35
failing pcv 50ish ?
failing n80 20
not enough air in tires free
clogged air filter like 40 if you go k&n
clogged cat just buy a testpipe

Voila!

Ultimate Service Kit (A4 B7 2.0T) (http://www.europaparts.com/ultimate-service-kit-a4-b7-2-0t.html)

http://media.europaparts.com/catalog/product/cache/1/image/cd6085ca2ccd08373d4b6de971808fb4/u/l/ultimate-service-kit-a4-b7-2-0t.jpg (http://www.europaparts.com/ultimate-service-kit-a4-b7-2-0t.html)

[aspain]

Hugh, thanks much for this link. I think i'll definitely purchase - with the exception of the oil. I have plenty of extra quarts since she burns through it every few thousand miles. Is this package available, sans oil? Or would I just have to find each part individually and order that way?

also, is this the kit I'd need for a 2007 A4 Quattro 2.0T?

[jimrobbington]

You can add/remove a while list of things in that kit, so you can customize it fit anything.