Crap MPG!!!!

[morphinemitt]

Right then according to other V40 D drivers my current MPG is crap!
My fuel computer has just told me my average MPG is down to 37.4 with a full tank giving me a range of 420 miles, 250 of these miles being 60mph on A-roads cruising and the rest at town-driving speeds.
The car is a V40 diesel (115bhp) with FSH and 125k on the clock.
I know that the Volvo figures are inflated and my fuel computer may be lying, but 420 miles from a full tank of V-power does roughly equate to what the computer says.
So how can I get somewhere near the promised figures?
I do have my C/Control on all the time, but that shouldn't make too much difference should it? I flicked it over to instant MPG today too and at 70 on the M-way it was still only reading 39ish.
The car still runs and pulls smoothly, with a little bit of smoke when I pull away sharpish, which I'd expect from a high mileage diesel
Any ideas?

[pringle_addict]

That does sound very low.

For comparison, I run a 1.8 petrol and have been averaging 36.5-37.0 over the last 1200 miles.

This is mostly 20-40 mph on the A14 so is a bit better than I would have expected, but is still not far from your figures.

CC/AC does make a difference to mpg as the engine is now powering a compressor as well, but I would have thought that it would be in the region of a 1-3 mpg difference, not enough to drag your figures right down.

Do you have a lead right foot?

[S40_Paul]

Does seem awfully low. I got my S40 1.9115bhp Sport and I do a few A roads and Im clsoe to breaking 500miles per tank so far, and my car has 110000miles on.

As said by Pringle_Addict your Climate Control/Air Con and even sometimes strangely enough, Cruise Control can actually mess a bit with your MPG but for a diesel you should be getting at least mid 45's+

It may be your engine might be overfuelling a bit or overcompensating perhaps for lack of air for the mixture. When was your last MAF sensor changed? it may be clogged up and giving false readings to your fuel to pump more in to make up for lower air. Also check usual things like Air Filter that it aint clogged up. Also, a quick cheap buy would be some Diesel Magic from halfords. Mate of mines Xtrail was running bit sluggish/low mpg so poured a bottle in and a bout 10-15 miles later a nice big cloud of black smoke came out, might have had something stuck in the fuel lines or injectors.

Dont know if any of that will be any use but worth a shot!

[morphinemitt]

Right, I decided to do a little bit of a test today.
I got the car up to temp with a 15-20 minute drive on A and B roads then got on the Mway, turned off my Climate/heater, radio and phone, set the cruise control to 70mph and reset the computer. These are the results: Distance travelled= 17.1 miles, Average speed= 68mph, Average MPG= 44.6.
Does that equate to 'normal'?

[S40_Paul]

That does sound a bit more 'normal' as such yeah, mid 40's for a diesel should be average at least, though it does seem a bit strange for your Climate Control to be taking 6mpg off you, thats taking alot of power from the engine but that could be right. Do you have the climate control on trying to keep it like super cold or super hot? obviously in either case it surely will mean its working harder and thus needing to run more, sapping more engine power.

[morphinemitt]

Climate is usually on to keep an ambient temp of about 22 degrees.
I'll try again I think with the climate and everything else on.
The spec for the V/S40 115 turbo diesel lists fuel consumption as urban= 38.2 mpg, extra urban= 65.7 mpg and combined= 52.3 mpg.
I would have thought my 70mph stint down the Mway with a warmed up engine would constitute the extra urban with the figure of 65.7, yet I don't even make the combined cycle of 52.3.

[phillipo1972]

How does 20mpg sound in my wifes 1.6glx auto Mitsubishi Colt Auto? Terrible?

We have never had anything more than about 25mpg from any of our small autos, all being 1.4 or 1.6 ish - even when I try driving like a nun there isnt a great improvement. Sorry, I know that this isnt strictly related to the OP. I just thought I would mention it.

[4 forty]

morph,
i would disregard the manufacturers mpg qoutes, as these are carried out in laboratory conditions,various motoring organisations are pushing to get the tests changed to reflect true fiqures.
my s40 diesel 115 bhp, returns roughly 45mpg on localised city motoring, but 50mpg can and has been achieved on open roads.

paul

[morphinemitt]

Mine's well short of the 50MPG at the moment then. Any suggestions?
What's the miles on yours Paul?

[Nickmac]

I have the same car also, 45mpg combined is about right. You have to concentrate very hard to get 50 mpg and rely on never braking at all (any one see Clarkson when he took that Audi up the M1 and back on 1 tankful?)
I live out in the country, no motorways and most stuff twisty turny and i can just get 500 miles out of a tank, have heard people reckon they get 550 ish, but that must be all motorway.

[morphinemitt]

Thanks, I'm only getting 44 on a run with no electrics running, with a bit of town driving it drops to 37!
45 combined would be most acceptable if I could get it.

[JimM]

Think you've got problems, I only get 21mpg out of my 2.0T V40. Admittedly that's all town driving and as I only do a 5 mile commute the car literally hasn't got up to temp before I park up. Makes me cry as I only get 220 miles out of a tank :(

Jim

[big_yin]

I am getting around the 34 Miles per Gallon form my 1.6 1999 model.
I use the car mainly for commuting which is 40 miles up and 40 miles down.
75% is motorway.
I still don't understand it is running this low mileage on a gallon as my 740 was doing just a little bit less then this and the that car was from 1989 with a 2.3 litre engine.

[S40_Paul]

I was thinking about this last night concering my heating at home MorphineMitt and might maybe related, but bear with me as I dont know climate control's.

Is climate control like an air con system that needs regassing? I know aircon units do but do Climate Control's? One wild shot in the dark might be the climate control is struggling to maintain the temperature you desire and overworking itself, thus burning more fuel in the process as it has to draw more and more power, kinda like when heating is running on air not water to pump round, makes alot of noise and uses **** loads of gas!

[shiznit76]

the climate control doesnt work with gassing cylinder like air con, its temp controlled air through heater matrix and temeperature sensor on control pannel

[Dandle]

shiznit76 is wrong. Climate control is a just aircon but rather than just blowing whatever the hot/cold dial is set to it has a temp selection and will trim the incoming air to try and match the cabin temp to the selected temp, it just posh aircon if you like. It has all the same componants as a normal airconditioning system as it still has to have cold air to be able to trim the temperature.

It still needs gassing every so often. Mine needed doing at 5 yrs and Volvo did it for £75(although they did say that was 50% off). You should be able to get it done for between £60-£80.

There is a sight glass on the condensor and if you see bubbles in it it needs gassing. (I never bothered looking at mine and just got it done.

[S40_Paul]

Ahh so my strange idea's of heating at home is linked to climate control lol Never owned a car with it so didnt know how it works but if it is posh aircon then as you said should need re-gassing.

I know a few places like Kwik Fit offer cheap regassing, im sure their will be a garage, dealer or otherwise who will re-gas, that might help, it might not but worth a shot.

[Ambiesda]

For further info,

Both/either Climate Control and Cruise Control, when in use will reduce your mpg on your car. (As per VOLVO) Summer time, I get 52 mpg from the 2002, 115 bhp, 1.9 V40 D, Winter time when the Climate Control is used in Auto mode and to demist the windscreen on a daily basis, it drops to 41 mpg. That's mixed town/county driving. I never use the cruise control.


Regards

Malky