MPG Mystery SOLVED!

[lita_g]

Originally Posted by otterhere

It must be the Yaris Blind Zealous Loyalty forum (I failed to notice that sign, too)...

Hey, it's a great little car, guys, and the best of the lot, but it's not perfect. Should be okay to post the good along with the bad, esp. if it could help someone else avoid the same dumb mistake and thus love Yaris even more.

+1.

I've read of several other guys on the forum that have set it on 3rd too, I don't understand how anyone would not notice, BUT it's no reason to crucify someone over it. Hopefully otterthere will end up loving the yaris like we all do, or if not, she'll find something else to love.

[gid]

Originally Posted by tuckevalastin

well I know I have certainly accidentally popped it into 3rd at least once or twice and didn't notice it for a second.... it may not be a yaris whine forum but its also not a yaris flame every other user forum either....

when we 1st testdrove an '08 sedan . This could be a danger when traveling at fairly fast speeds or down hills on snow , ice , or rain soaked roads . I would think VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL could help correct the situation .

[Bob_VT]

Huh.... read that owner's manual!

[otterhere]

"Also, as you decellerate, if you pop the gear shift over into 3 when the rpms hit 1100, you will maintain this effect for a longer period - right up to the point where you HAVE to put the brakes on to actually stop."

How do you know when your rpms hit 1100; is this yet another signal I'm not seeing?

I am familiar with the practice of putting the car in "N" while at stop lights to prevent its "pulling" on the engine and thus saving gas, but the 3rd gear thing is new to me... Aren't you afraid you're going to wear out the stickshift with all that manipulating???

But it's worth a try; 41 mpg would make up for a multitude of sins.

Honestly, after I noticed the "R" BLINKING at me when in reverse (why does it have to blink???), I think I got in the habit of just ignorning that particular area... I also now ignore the "passenger air bag on" light (why does it have to be on???). Hey, even my passengers remarked on all the lights/bells going on and off in this car (seat belt, etc.).

[4MPG]

I can't believe someone is comparing the build quality and design of a Suzuki swift to a yaris, at least not unless your laughing at how terrible the swift is. Its a SUZUKI pete's sake.

And stability control? What do you need stability control for on a 2300 pound econobox for? You can pick up a yaris in the $11,500-$15000 range for a reason. Not to mention that I have yet to ride in a car with "stability control" that would actually help out on snow/ice etc.... its built to prevent you from over driving the car around a corner in a performance situation. The thing to do with a yaris is avoid anything to do with "performance situations" in the first place... its an econobox.

[gid]

Originally Posted by 4MPG

I can't believe someone is comparing the build quality and design of a Suzuki swift to a yaris, at least not unless your laughing at how terrible the swift is. Its a SUZUKI pete's sake.

And stability control? What do you need stability control for on a 2300 pound econobox for? You can pick up a yaris in the $11,500-$15000 range for a reason. Not to mention that I have yet to ride in a car with "stability control" that would actually help out on snow/ice etc.... its built to prevent you from over driving the car around a corner in a performance situation. The thing to do with a yaris is avoid anything to do with "performance situations" in the first place... its an econobox.

only adds $250 to the price . If all vehicles had V.S.C. it would be less expensive . The Liftback is light in the rear as well , so could help in those hair raising moments .

[Mikeb Yaris]

Originally Posted by otterhere

"Also, as you decellerate, if you pop the gear shift over into 3 when the rpms hit 1100, you will maintain this effect for a longer period - right up to the point where you HAVE to put the brakes on to actually stop."

How do you know when your rpms hit 1100; is this yet another signal I'm not seeing?

I am familiar with the practice of putting the car in "N" while at stop lights to prevent its "pulling" on the engine and thus saving gas, but the 3rd gear thing is new to me... Aren't you afraid you're going to wear out the stickshift with all that manipulating???

My car (I think all sedans are) is equipped with a tachometer. Without a tach, you should be able to feel the car start to coast more freely when the gas kicks in. I'll do an experiment on the way home to see at about what speed this happens. Anyway, if you do not have a tachometer (that would be the dial to the left of the speedometer), just feel for the point when the engine isn't braking you anymore and then pop in down into 3.

I'm not at all afraid of wearing out the shifter. Think about it this way - I'm shifting 2/3 less than someone with a manual transmission. No chance I'm gonna wear this thing out!

[tuckevalastin]

Originally Posted by Mikeb Yaris

My car (I think all sedans are) is equipped with a tachometer. Without a tach, you should be able to feel the car start to coast more freely when the gas kicks in. I'll do an experiment on the way home to see at about what speed this happens. Anyway, if you do not have a tachometer (that would be the dial to the left of the speedometer), just feel for the point when the engine isn't braking you anymore and then pop in down into 3.

I'm not at all afraid of wearing out the shifter. Think about it this way - I'm shifting 2/3 less than someone with a manual transmission. No chance I'm gonna wear this thing out!

Not all sedans have a tach.

[Revsson]

Originally Posted by Mikeb Yaris

My car (I think all sedans are) is equipped with a tachometer. Without a tach, you should be able to feel the car start to coast more freely when the gas kicks in. I'll do an experiment on the way home to see at about what speed this happens. Anyway, if you do not have a tachometer (that would be the dial to the left of the speedometer), just feel for the point when the engine isn't braking you anymore and then pop in down into 3.

I'm not at all afraid of wearing out the shifter. Think about it this way - I'm shifting 2/3 less than someone with a manual transmission. No chance I'm gonna wear this thing out!

She drives a LB, and has no tach. I don't have one, until I either install one
or get a ScanguageII. I would be interested in knowing what the RPMs are
at different speeds. I know that I saw somewhere about what speeds to
shift at, but not what the RPMs are at those speeds. I have the 5 speed
and she has the automatic transmission.

Also, how does your car handle in snow with max tire pressure?

[Sodium Duck]

Originally Posted by otterhere

Honestly, after I noticed the "R" BLINKING at me when in reverse (why does it have to blink???), I think I got in the habit of just ignorning that particular area... I also now ignore the "passenger air bag on" light (why does it have to be on???). Hey, even my passengers remarked on all the lights/bells going on and off in this car (seat belt, etc.).

LoL, this has to be a joke or something, right? I can't believe how critical you are of this poor little Yaris. God, stop picking on it, Yarii have feelings too you know.

...T-REX ATTACK!!!...

[MadMax]

Originally Posted by otterhere

Honestly, after I noticed the "R" BLINKING at me when in reverse (why does it have to blink???)

This from the person who didn't realize she's been driving around in third gear for weeks now?!?

Your owners manual clearly explains how to drive an automatic, and if you didn't read it--especially since you seem to be less familiar with cars than most of us--then no other word besides ignorant better describes what you did.

You've been complaining about this car, but in reality the car should be complaining about you!

Some days I honestly wonder how some people make it through life...

[yarisugi]

How many miles did you drive in "3" before you found out? Anyway freeway time during that boo-boo?

[otterhere]

Originally Posted by yarisugi

How many miles did you drive in "3" before you found out? Anyway freeway time during that boo-boo?

Oh, quite a few... I'd estimate about four round-trips of 100 or more miles on the interestate at around 70 mph each... Poor engine...

[1NZYaris1]

Originally Posted by otterhere

Oh, quite a few... I'd estimate about four round-trips of 100 or more miles on the interestate at around 70 mph each... Poor engine...

Oh well at least it will be well and truely run in , if only in three gears .

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by otterhere

Oh, quite a few... I'd estimate about four round-trips of 100 or more miles on the interestate at around 70 mph each... Poor engine...

If you did that much driving in 3rd, I would highly recommend getting the tranny checked out and its fluid changed. Starting off in 3rd puts a lot of stress on an auto.

[Luna V 2.0]

The design doesn't suck. It can't be in a straight line because if it was it would slide around from one gear to the other, since it doesn't have a button to push in to unlock it, like older cars do.

And before you say that it should be in a straight line and have a button on it instead like I'm sure your beloved Swift had, some people happen to like this design better.

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, this new design makes it literally less painful for me to drive when I have flare ups because it uses minimal force to shift. You my dear need to learn how to read. 3 is clearly not D. And if you don't pay attention to that, you should have noticed the roaring of the engine since you were in 70 mph on freakin 3.

I'm a girl too, know nothing of cars, and my old car was an old 92 Tercel that had the same "simple straight line design". Guess what, I looked DOWN when shifting and never made that mistake. You seriously have no excuse.

And I don't get how any of these people are being "preachy". I'm not defending the Yaris, I just won't make excuses for stupidity. After complaining so much on other threads about how much you spent on the car, I'd expect you to be more careful with it, not abuse the damn thing, and then blame IT for being "too complicated".

Since when is reading complicated?

[eTiMaGo]

Originally Posted by CTScott

If you did that much driving in 3rd, I would highly recommend getting the tranny checked out and its fluid changed. Starting off in 3rd puts a lot of stress on an auto.

Actually it does not force the car to stay in 3 all the time but rather limit the highest gear it will use... so the "D" would give you the full 1-2-3-4 range, "3" just 1-2-3, and so on...

[LtNoogie]

I did the same thing the day I picked up the car at the dealer. On the way home on the freeway, I'm thinking... This thing is revving way too high all the time. Not until the next day, did I notice the little "3" on the instrument cluster and noticed the D on the shift assembly. Doh!!!

I'm an engineer. We don't read no stinking owners manuals.