MPG Mystery SOLVED!

[otterhere]

Okay; I'm a dipstick... Was driving some guys around for the first time since I got the car and was complaining mighily about my disappointing mileage... One remarked that the engine seemed to be running awfully hard and fast; then they started listening for the gears to shift (it's a automatic) and determined that they weren't shifting correctly... Of course I'm having visions of days and weeks spent taking this LEMON back and forth to the dealer or arguing with them about replacing the car when someone noticed my gearshift... Apparently I've been driving it in "3" all this time instead of "D" (I thought it was kind of strange that I had to pull it down and then over, but figured this was just *more* bad design). Boy, did that engine ever settle down and drive smooth after that (also takes care of the "loud engine" complaint), and the guys also all assured me my mileage would improve from now on...

Just goes to show; sometimes it takes a guy!!!

[rningonfumes]

Sheesh...lol

[tuckevalastin]

let's just pretend it didn't happen....

[otterhere]

Well, I maintain it's really bad design; what's with all the little indentations, and why double-up two of the gears together? My Swift (not to go on and on about my Swift) had just a straight line of gears, all separate; user-friendly for the "dumb girl" driver.

[Chupacabra]

OMFG.......LOL!!! A classic. Just goes to show you that it "is" important to read the owner's manual.

[otterhere]

After figuring it out, I put it back in 3rd for a minute and thought, man, no WONDER I was griping!!! hahahahaha

Anyone happen to have a photo of that gear thang so I can redeem self to friends???

[Mikeb Yaris]

Originally Posted by otterhere

Well, I maintain it's really bad design; what's with all the little indentations, and why double-up two of the gears together? My Swift (not to go on and on about my Swift) had just a straight line of gears, all separate; user-friendly for the "dumb girl" driver.

First, let me congratulate you for being a good enough sport to post what was actually wrong!

Now, I for one, used to be with you - thinking the gated shifter was stupid. I thought it was just European uselessness / gimick. UNTIL I discovered DCFO that is. The gated shifter makes popping into 3 @ 1100 rpm to maintain DCFO then up into N at stoplights SUPER easy and you can be absolutely certain what gear you'r in without looking at the indicator on the dash or the shift lever. Pop, pop, pop, pop = great gas mileage! I tried doing this on my other cars with straight shifters and was ALL OVER THE PLACE!

I'm a converted fan of the gates!

[otterhere]

"...popping into 3 @ 1100 rpm to maintain DCFO then up into N at stoplights..."

I'm also a good-enough sport to post that I have no idea what you're talking about here.

[TinyGiant]

lol... that happens alot i guess

the dealer i bought our yaris from had us sit in the car before we drove it and said .. okay put your foot on the break and put it into gear ... so my wife slid it down to 3rd also .. not noticing the d.. i guess all dealers dont do that.. but should

[lita_g]

To be honest, I don't get how people get it all the way to 3rd without noticing, the D is right after N, why dragging it one more spot? and isn't it obvious in the dash when it says "3" instead of "D"?. No offense, I just truly don't understand how it's possible.

[otterhere]

With me, it was because I had to pull it down and "zig-zag' it (sorry, but it's not a straight pull down; not like on the Swift and other - more sensible - cars) that I figured I just had to zig and zag some more; because all the gears are "in gear" when on the extreme left, I applied that also to that one SHARED gear. And too many cup holders!!!

[lita_g]

Lol, well, I used to have a mazda6 a couple of years ago, and had to also zig-zag to get to "D", I got used to it though and found it much better than the straight line gears, my previous car had all the gears in a straight line and many times I wouldn't get the right one, although I always looked at the panel in the front to make sure I was picking the right one, it was easier than looking down at the gear box.

You know, you don't HAVE to use the cup holders, I rarely use them (only when I have my husband with me) and they're not an inconvenience, especially since they're always closed. Sometimes I even use the one to my left to put my cell phone in.

[Sodium Duck]

All your posts sound more like, "user errors." How could you not notice the huge LCD display next to your speedometer that tells you what gear you're in? Or the big lighted letters and numbers on the shiter? Stop complaining, if you hate the Yaris so much, then sell it and cut your loses.

Too many cupholders, seriously? What's the next miniscule thing you'd like to pick out and complain about?

[Sodium Duck]

Originally Posted by PK198105

i thought this was a Yaris enthusiast Forum and not Yaris whine forum

+1, It's a shame Toyota just didn't have her to design the entire car specifically the way she wanted. We could've avoided all this mess and blatant overuse of cupholder design.

[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....

[Bob_VT]

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

[otterhere]

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....

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.

[Mikeb Yaris]

Originally Posted by otterhere

"...popping into 3 @ 1100 rpm to maintain DCFO then up into N at stoplights..."

I'm also a good-enough sport to post that I have no idea what you're talking about here.

There's a sticky on the mileage thread about it, but here's the short version. The Yaris is programmed to literally shut off the gas to the engine every time you lift off the accelerator above 1100 rpms. This has the effect of engine braking, but more importantly the engine doesn't idle burning fuel when you are decellerating. When the engine speed goes below 1100 rpm, gas is again fed to the engine at idle rate.

SO, if you let off the gas (early) when coming to a stop, allowing the engine to do the braking instead of maintaining a constant speed and hitting the brakes, you will save gas! 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.

When at a stop light in D, the engine is trying to move your car and your foot on the brake prevents it. This puts a load on the engine causing it to burn more fuel than simply at idle. So, you pop the shifter into N and this releases the load on the engine and you'll burn less fuel at the stop lights.

So, you see, when I'm driving in town I cycle from D when maintaining speed, lift off the gas early when I see a light ahead, pop it into 3 to extend the fuel savings and increase/continue engine braking, pop into N when I've come to a stop and then back down into D when the light changes.

I'm currently averaging just over 41 mpg with my lowest tank at 38. This and running max tire inflation are the things I credit my success to.