Exesive fuel consumtion

[lynns hubby]

My daughtet has just informed me that her 1998 S40 1.8 petrol vehicle has, for the last week or so been using a lot more fuel than usual. I am away at work at the moment so can only give you all limited information.
She has told me there is NO smell of fuel around the car, so I can only presume the fulel line or filter etc are NOT leaking.
She tells me it is using a lot more fuel than it used to. I apreciate this is very little information, but is there any thing glaringly obvious that any one can think of or has come acros with this model.

[AdamIngs]

There will be people here more technically qualified to give suggestions (and I'm sure they will!), but since I'm here, here are my suggestions;

Using AC will put more load on the alternator, which in turn uses more fuel.

Heated seats, windows - ditto. Any electrics used more in colder weather will use more fuel.

Low tyre pressure - check this for the colder weather.

Binding brakes - may not be immediately obvious.

Engine takes a little longer to get up to temperature - I think not warming the car up by idling in the morning is the best way to go - 2-3 mins should suffice, then drive to get engine up to temp quicker, uses less fuel?

Check spark plugs, air filters etc. maybe a winter service is in order.


Feel free to correct me or add to these points anyone!

[lynns hubby]

Thanks for the reply, but to be honest she tells me its using way more fuel than it used to a week ago. I agree on all of your points, but that would not acount for the sudden change in consumption that has hapened over the last week.
Thanks again.

[hjdlatd]

Have any lights appeared on the dashboard that dont go out?

[lynns hubby]

The Brake warning light came on a couple of weeks ago, but a tea spoon of fluid sorted that out. No engine management light on.

[AdamIngs]

Granted, although the AC/Heated Seats/electrics are probably the most obvious things, they're not going to cause a great deal of change I shouldn't imagine, but anything mechanical could change within a week. My 1.8 V40 isn't great on fuel around town, or even as good as some other members cars on here generally - which after considering all of the points I put forward (and actually dealing with a binding brakes problem, and regularly filling my tyres, changing plugs etc.) I think I can put down to a degree of engine wear - maybe my car had a hard life before I bought it...

Hope you get a relevant answer...

I guess providing as much info about the car in the first instance is going to help others help you - is it a 1.8 or 1.8i (GDi)? And yes, as hjd points out, initial checks may be necessary to rule out anything obvious - once you can see the car of course.

[lynns hubby]

Thanks for that AdamIngs. I will need to see it to have much of a clue. It's just that my daughter tells me it has changed drasticly on the fuel consumption??? I would imagine for this to happen, then something drastic has happened, thats why I asked her if there was any smell of fuel around the car,thinking along the lines of a coroded line or filter, I just can't, for the life of me, think of anything. Just wndered if anyone else could?

[pphilpot]

Can you find out if there are any performance differences? Any change in engine noise?

My best guess would be along the lines of AdamIngs point 4 - binding brakes, for a sudden change without any other obvious symptom (although, you get to smell binding brakes )

Has she got a boot-full of paving slabs by any chance?

[stephend]

Is it warming up correctly? If the thermostat has jammed open, or if there's a temperature sensor fault that's making it run rich, that could give a sudden drop in mpg.

[Alex121]

Originally Posted by lynns hubby

My daughtet has just informed me that her 1998 S40 1.8 petrol vehicle has, for the last week or so been using a lot more fuel than usual.

How much fuel are we talking here? A few mpg difference or is it a considerable amount? Also what's the mileage on it?