Rav 4 Fuel Consumption

[ravdyna]

hi guys i am a new member from malta.i have just bought a 2003 rav 4 2.0lvx about 2 months ago, i really love it but am worried about the fuel consumption.i dont know exactly how much is the normal consumption,but mine is just making about 28km per gallon.it consumes too much.can someone help me about this?i am afraid that there is a problem,speaked to a local mechanic but told me that if there is no warning lights he is afraid that everything is ok.here in malta we dont have highways so my trips may be compared as you city trips,last thing i just drive about 70km/h.thanks alot

[local hero]

Hi Ravdyna + welcome to the club, If I am reading your post correctly + your saying 28km per gallon, then this is far too low, If you were saying 28MPG then i would say your consumption was about right, I used to own a petrol Rav (I now have a diesel) but from memory I never experienced less than 24/26 mpg + could achieve 30/32mpg on a longer journey + this was driving enthusiasticaly.. I cannot advise why your consumption is low, but obviously a good "tune up" or diagnostic check should hi-lite any problem, other than a fuel leak, hope this helps + if you need further help then there are guys on here with a lot more techy knowledge than me, who will be very willing to help Stew

[ravdyna]

Hi Ravdyna + welcome to the club, If I am reading your post correctly + your saying 28km per gallon, then this is far too low, If you were saying 28MPG then i would say your consumption was about right, I used to own a petrol Rav (I now have a diesel) but from memory I never experienced less than 24/26 mpg + could achieve 30/32mpg on a longer journey + this was driving enthusiasticaly.. I cannot advise why your consumption is low, but obviously a good "tune up" or diagnostic check should hi-lite any problem, other than a fuel leak, hope this helps + if you need further help then there are guys on here with a lot more techy knowledge than me, who will be very willing to help Stew

thanks a lot local hero for your quick answer,yes its 28km/g,even my trip computer tell me that it is supposed to do apprx. 28m/g.thanks again i will try to take it over to a mechanic maybe he will make a check up,till than i hope that someone else will give some other ideas.thanks again

[anchorman]

Welcome to the club.

Are you checking the consumption from the trip computer or manually. The computer is only a guide so don't go off that. The next question refers to how you use the car. If you are doing very short trips that don't allow it to warm up it will use vast amounts of fuel. I am also assuming this is a manual box and not an auto? Don't be offended but the RAV is a big car for a regular 2.0 litre engine and you will have to drive it considerately to realise good fuel consumption!

If all those things are OK then go for the obvious first. The air filter should be checked and if in any doubt they are cheap and easy to fit yourself. Next you have to make sure the tyre pressures are right at 2.0 bar. I am also assuming that there are no "more fundamental" problems and the engine runs OK. The engine should be fitted with Iridium plugs which are quite expensive (about 50€ a set here just to buy) but they make a difference so if it has normal pugs get rid of them.

Finally, to realise that original design fuel consumption (and remember that all of the above will make a mess of your fuel consumption even on a new and perfectly running car) then you need to consider that for an engine to run optimally it needs only;

compression

a source of ignition

the correct fuel ratio which is in the order of 15-18:1 by weight.

This can easily be checked with a fuel/air test which most garages can do and providing that shows OK you need to look back to those items above.

I hope this helps you to think about what might be wrong but don't hesitate to come back to us.

[ravdyna]

Welcome to the club.

Are you checking the consumption from the trip computer or manually. The computer is only a guide so don't go off that. The next question refers to how you use the car. If you are doing very short trips that don't allow it to warm up it will use vast amounts of fuel. I am also assuming this is a manual box and not an auto? Don't be offended but the RAV is a big car for a regular 2.0 litre engine and you will have to drive it considerately to realise good fuel consumption!

If all those things are OK then go for the obvious first. The air filter should be checked and if in any doubt they are cheap and easy to fit yourself. Next you have to make sure the tyre pressures are right at 2.0 bar. I am also assuming that there are no "more fundamental" problems and the engine runs OK. The engine should be fitted with Iridium plugs which are quite expensive (about 50€ a set here just to buy) but they make a difference so if it has normal pugs get rid of them.

Finally, to realise that original design fuel consumption (and remember that all of the above will make a mess of your fuel consumption even on a new and perfectly running car) then you need to consider that for an engine to run optimally it needs only;

compression

a source of ignition

the correct fuel ratio which is in the order of 15-18:1 by weight.

This can easily be checked with a fuel/air test which most garages can do and providing that shows OK you need to look back to those items above.

I hope this helps you to think about what might be wrong but don't hesitate to come back to us.

thanks anchorman.i am checking the consumption manually the trip computer says that the mpg should be better(what the computer tells me that i should do in miles i do them in km),yes my rav is manual.the air filter is new,the tyres are ok,i dont know about the plugs as it is a second hand car and i own it just for the last two months but i will surely check about that.i drive the car not for long trips as here in malta in one hour you can cross the hole island but minimum i drive it minimum for about 15min trips,so i think that it is warm.surely i will check about the fuel/air test,i already went to ask mechanics if there is something to do about it(maybe reducing fuel flow) but none mentioned this test,they told me that it is the computer that regulate petrol and they can do anything.probably i will try to go to the toyota garage as probably i think that they can solve this out(the only problem is that they are quit expensive).thamks a lot again

[anchorman]

But also a local garage can do it. Here the test is part of the annual MOT. They just put a probe in the exhaust and that measures the CO levels etc. This test alone will invariably say if the vehicle is consuming the right amount of fuel.

Good luck!

[local hero]

Oh Dear I am gonna make a right pratt of myself (it has been known) but you say your trip is showing in miles what your computer is showing in Kms, or the other way round is it possible that your trip is actally showing miles + not kms, because i think you can alter the obd to show either but i am not sure you can do this with your trip.. If this is absolute nonsence then please ignore me but i am trying..

[kmrobertson3]

On this topic, what does everyone get MPG in a T180 Rav? I am getting around 32MPG

[ravdyna]

But also a local garage can do it. Here the test is part of the annual MOT. They just put a probe in the exhaust and that measures the CO levels etc. This test alone will invariably say if the vehicle is consuming the right amount of fuel.

Good luck!

thanks again i will go for it

[ravdyna]

Oh Dear I am gonna make a right pratt of myself (it has been known) but you say your trip is showing in miles what your computer is showing in Kms, or the other way round is it possible that your trip is actally showing miles + not kms, because i think you can alter the obd to show either but i am not sure you can do this with your trip.. If this is absolute nonsence then please ignore me but i am trying..

dont worry actually you are helping.yes i can alter the computer.when my computer tells me that i should do 28mpg i actually do 28but km/g not miles. :)

[MarsKy]

On this topic, what does everyone get MPG in a T180 Rav? I am getting around 32MPG

Recently did 300 miles to North Wales and the same back over 2 days, with 3 passengers, mostly dual carriage/ motoway, cruise control on at 74mph, brim-to-brim method gave me 38.4 mpg. Very pleased with that. I have had 45 mpg in the past from 65 mph on motorway.

And to talk-up the T180, after 600 miles I didn't have any driving aches or pain. Great long distance cruiser.

[jedi134]

Could it be faulty lambda probes as I belive these don`t always throw up error codes/lights when faulty.

You have a leak in the fuel system

MAF?

Does the vehicle freewheel ok down, (brakes binding?)

just a few idea`s

[ravdyna]

Could it be faulty lambda probes as I belive these don`t always throw up error codes/lights when faulty.

You have a leak in the fuel system

MAF?

Does the vehicle freewheel ok down, (brakes binding?)

just a few idea`s

what i am sure of that freewheel is ok.if there is a fuel leak should i find drops in my garage?what i can say is that consumption is constant. but about the others i really dont know what they are(lambda probes,maf),i am really stupid about cars... :lol:

[kmrobertson3]

On this topic, what does everyone get MPG in a T180 Rav? I am getting around 32MPG

Recently did 300 miles to North Wales and the same back over 2 days, with 3 passengers, mostly dual carriage/ motoway, cruise control on at 74mph, brim-to-brim method gave me 38.4 mpg. Very pleased with that. I have had 45 mpg in the past from 65 mph on motorway.

And to talk-up the T180, after 600 miles I didn't have any driving aches or pain. Great long distance cruiser.

What do you get out of a full tank then? Cheers

[MarsKy]

What do you get out of a full tank then? Cheers

In theory, the 60 litre tank = 13.2 UK gallons = 507 miles at 38.4mpg.

But the tank is topped up before a full tank's worth is used - it doesn't get to run on fumes to test it out.

The last time the low level warning light came on, I was near a garage and it took 46 litres to fill it up again. So from a 60 litre tank, 14 litres is approx. 3 UK gallons which gives 114 miles at 38mpg from first warning.

[stewyinpagham]

On this topic, what does everyone get MPG in a T180 Rav? I am getting around 32MPG

According to the computer thingymabob....

Ragging it on M-way and then sitting in traffic queues 30 mpg....A-road commuting minimum 13 mile between starts 32 mpg.... Driving with "granny" in the back 47 mpg. I have checked using the brim method and the computer is usually about 2 to 3 mpg short...

I'm still convinced however that the MPG has gone down as has the drivability / pickup since the ECU re-flash..

[jako999]

Hi well we have a 2.0 vx auto which is only driven around town we get around 18 to 19 mpg its always done the same and Toyota have admited this is around the norm for the auto. I know its low but its my wifes car and she loves it I drive performance sports cars and trust me if I drive them as they should be you realy wouldnt want to know their mpg.

Hope this helps.

[vivianM]

On this topic, what does everyone get MPG in a T180 Rav? I am getting around 32MPG

Recently did 300 miles to North Wales and the same back over 2 days, with 3 passengers, mostly dual carriage/ motoway, cruise control on at 74mph, brim-to-brim method gave me 38.4 mpg. Very pleased with that. I have had 45 mpg in the past from 65 mph on motorway.

And to talk-up the T180, after 600 miles I didn't have any driving aches or pain. Great long distance cruiser.

Hi Marsky,

I get towards 39/40 mpg on decent runs but just at pressent with many, many short runs (most only around 2/3 miles) and carried a load of compost (very wet bags) just been getting around 35.6

All OBC figure This is with Morrisons diesel - shall try a tank load of Anchorman's favorite special diesel soon and se what that brings.

I think mpg is worse as we have had very few days when it has been much above freezing.

Guy

[MarsKy]

Hi Marsky,

I get towards 39/40 mpg on decent runs but just at pressent with many, many short runs (most only around 2/3 miles) and carried a load of compost (very wet bags) just been getting around 35.6

All OBC figure This is with Morrisons diesel - shall try a tank load of Anchorman's favorite special diesel soon and se what that brings.

I think mpg is worse as we have had very few days when it has been much above freezing.

Guy

Don't get me wrong, if I just drive without any thought on saving fuel, I can drop down to 32mpg. But on business runs, I want to get a balance between saving fuel/ speed and getting my 40p per mile (how many years has it been at 40p per mile? Tooo long).

Did do the 600 mile run on ASDA and Tesco fuel. All fine and good. But then ran the tank down and filled up with BP Ultimate, and there is definitely a noticeable smoothness in the T180's running.

[Mattyc]

Hi guys, first post so please be nice, im converting from a landrover freelander 2.

Ive been looking at a 4.3 xtr 2008 manual model think its 130bhp 2.2 diesel and too be honest really am liking what I see.

What kinda mpg should I expect from this ? Im use to around 33mpg so anything more would be great.

Also is there anything to look out for ?

Looks a great forum, Hopefully il get on here when ive had me deal! Many thanks to you all.

Matt

[mick1020]

Hi guys, first post so please be nice, im converting from a landrover freelander 2.

Ive been looking at a 4.3 xtr 2008 manual model think its 130bhp 2.2 diesel and too be honest really am liking what I see.

What kinda mpg should I expect from this ? Im use to around 33mpg so anything more would be great.

Also is there anything to look out for ?

Looks a great forum, Hopefully il get on here when ive had me deal! Many thanks to you all.

Matt

Hi Matt & welcome to the club

On normal motoring in my rav 136 bhp i think they are , i never got less than 39 mpg and even managed 50 mpg over the full tank full . Great car and well worth getting one IMO .

Hope this helps

Mick

[Mattyc]

Hi mick, 136bhp are they. Wow impressive figures - feels I may have been missing out ! :)

Thankyou matt

[anchorman]

Welcome to the madhouse Matty!

There are bits and bobs but with a 2008 XT-R you don't really have anything to worry about. My feeling is you will find it a breath of fresh air compared to your old FL.

Mine does 4oish knocking around and 50ish on a trip.

[jedi134]

Hmmmm all this talk of MPG...................

I filled up with £50 worth of Shell V Power, and I`ll be lucky to see 300 miles? I`m on a 1/4 tank full now and have done 200 miles. I don`t know whats happened here? Next tank full will just be the normal stuff.

I was getting around 300 miles to £30 worth of normal Shell diesel.

Any idea`s????

[local hero]

Hmmmm all this talk of MPG...................

I filled up with £50 worth of Shell V Power, and I`ll be lucky to see 300 miles? I`m on a 1/4 tank full now and have done 200 miles. I don`t know whats happened here? Next tank full will just be the normal stuff.

I was getting around 300 miles to £30 worth of normal shell diesel.

Any idea`s????

I hope you appreciate this is a very rough guestimate, But £50 of V power at about £1.24 a litre is only 8.8 galls, if you are guessing 300miles, this puts your consumption at 34/35 mpg, which in the current weather conditions etc etc is not too far out..especially if doing short trips + warming up a cold car but obviously this calc is part guesswork.. Stew