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      05-15-2018, 03:40 PM   #1
JohnAG
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Significant Gas Mileage Increase after an annual service

I've done some gas mileage topic search and although I found a boat load of gas mileage topics, I didn't find anything about this one, so hope that this is not a duplicate topic. So I brought my 2016 28i US spec (I live in Germany) for my 3rd annual service where they also remedied a recall (I can't remember what it was for), so I had to leave my car for the whole day. As far as I know, all they did was change the oil and the recall, but I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed about the significant uptick on my mileage.

Before this happened, my combined daily highway and street average MPG according to my car's computer is between 22-23 MPG using the Eco-Pro mode. I swear I didn't change anything after I picked up my car from the dealership, but I started noticing the blue additional mileage shown in the dash when in Eco Mode. I used to normally get +20-25 Km before I have to fill up at 1/4 tank remaining. The last full tank I was able to get +60 Km with 1/4 left in my tank. I reset my MPG counter before the last full tank and now it is up to 27.1 MPG. The car just hit 40,000 Km today.

Does anyone else has this happened to their car? I really hope they did something to make the engine run more efficiently and not a VW type re-programming or tweaking of the ECU to make owners feel better about their cars

Last edited by JohnAG; 05-15-2018 at 03:49 PM..
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      05-15-2018, 03:45 PM   #2
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I’m averaging about 20-21 mostly city. I’m getting better mpg overall in my v6 grand Cherokee. This n20 engine is peppy but rather thirsty.
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      05-16-2018, 08:03 AM   #3
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You can go on fuelly.com to see what others are getting, it's a pretty good indication of what to expect. The info is not 100% accurate because of entry errors, etc. Also everyone has different driving conditions and styles. In general you should be able to see if you are doing better or worse than average. I would think better since you drive in eco mode which most don't ever use.
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      05-21-2018, 02:46 PM   #4
JohnAG
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So it appears that I might be the only in this forum who may have experienced this I call a phenomenon. My gas mileage now stabilized at 27.1 MPG (roughly 60/40 highway and street driving respectively) after 2 full tanks worth of gas since my service was done. I'm not as concerned about the accuracy of the computer, but more on what may have been done to the car to begin showing a higher gas mileage. Perhaps the only way to confirm if the computer is accurate is to do a manual measurement, which I will do in my next fill up. I just won't have a baseline manual measurement since I didn't do it before the service.
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      05-21-2018, 03:01 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnAG View Post
I've done some gas mileage topic search and although I found a boat load of gas mileage topics, I didn't find anything about this one, so hope that this is not a duplicate topic. So I brought my 2016 28i US spec (I live in Germany) for my 3rd annual service where they also remedied a recall (I can't remember what it was for), so I had to leave my car for the whole day. As far as I know, all they did was change the oil and the recall, but I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed about the significant uptick on my mileage.

Before this happened, my combined daily highway and street average MPG according to my car's computer is between 22-23 MPG using the Eco-Pro mode. I swear I didn't change anything after I picked up my car from the dealership, but I started noticing the blue additional mileage shown in the dash when in Eco Mode. I used to normally get +20-25 Km before I have to fill up at 1/4 tank remaining. The last full tank I was able to get +60 Km with 1/4 left in my tank. I reset my MPG counter before the last full tank and now it is up to 27.1 MPG. The car just hit 40,000 Km today.

Does anyone else has this happened to their car? I really hope they did something to make the engine run more efficiently and not a VW type re-programming or tweaking of the ECU to make owners feel better about their cars
I had exactly the reverse happen. Took my '16 340 in for its first service and they said that there was a factory bulletin out about reflashing the memory. Supposedly they did that, and I found both power and gas mileage diminished. Took it back twice with no change. Frustrating.
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      05-22-2018, 04:49 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeTerp View Post
I had exactly the reverse happen. Took my '16 340 in for its first service and they said that there was a factory bulletin out about reflashing the memory. Supposedly they did that, and I found both power and gas mileage diminished. Took it back twice with no change. Frustrating.
Interesting...this goes to show that there might be something that the dealers are doing intentionally or not, that either causes increase or decrease the car's gas mileage. It may be something that only the programmers are aware of, but not the mechanics who are just following what they're being told. I wonder if there is a "fuel efficient" code that can be done to ensure the settings are set to the best possible fuel efficient settings?
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      05-23-2018, 09:57 PM   #7
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during winter (i think its over ?) my city mileage was 18.3

don't have a lead foot.
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      05-23-2018, 10:00 PM   #8
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Weather change? Fuel blend change (do they add ethanol over there)? Higher tire pressures?
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      05-24-2018, 02:42 PM   #9
JohnAG
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tracer bullet View Post
Weather change? Fuel blend change (do they add ethanol over there)? Higher tire pressures?
Like I said, I didn't change anything. I'm aware of all the variables that can change gas mileage, including driving habits and style, speed, road conditions, weather included to what you've mentioned. Even with some changes to those variables, going from 22 MPG to 27 makes me think that there's more to it, and mostlikely perhaps a change in tune to maximum fuel efficiency.
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      05-25-2018, 09:29 PM   #10
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What was the service, besides oil change? Fuel filter? Fuel injector cleaning? new spark plugs? New air filter? New O2 sensors?

Doing a manual calculation of mpg is best to determine if the computer is accurate or not.
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      07-01-2018, 02:55 PM   #11
JohnAG
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Just want to follow up with this thread after doing a manual gas mileage measurement to validate the computer, and after 2 fill ups, the 27 MPG in the computer is accurate! I'm pleasantly surprised of the 5 MPG jump after they did the service, but at the same time I'm wondering if they can "accidentally" set it back to the way it was the next time they do a service. Only time will tell.
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      07-02-2018, 12:25 AM   #12
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I believe you had a - slight - malfunction/problem, which - due to mechanic driving differently - was rectified. I take it you drive "slow" and consistent.

Exampel of possible problems:
-brakepad not fully released
-"dirt" at sparkplug
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      07-03-2018, 07:01 AM   #13
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18 MPG here. 2013 35i. (13 L/100ikm)

100% city.
JB1.

I think is a bit high, but not crazy considering its 100% city.
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      07-03-2018, 03:43 PM   #14
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Maybe you car didnt have synthetic oil before and they made the switch. did they change your spark plugs? this could also help with an increase.
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      07-04-2018, 09:15 AM   #15
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I'm getting 24.6 mpg on my '17 2.8i. I noticed it went up as well just not as much as what you are getting. We use to get a 23.5 consistently. We don't use eco-mode at all so that makes me wonder if they updated the computer. I must say that we do more highway driving then city.
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      07-10-2018, 05:05 PM   #16
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You sure when it was updated it wasn't just changed from US gallons to Imperial?

23mpg US is 27mpg UK/Imperial.
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