2004 V8 Explorer gets LOUSY mileage

CKNSLS wrote:
Sounds right. This could have been researched before your purchase. Usually, if one is concerned about mpg one doesn't buy a "body on frame" SUV.

On the upside-that is a good motor.

I'm not losing a lot of sleep over this. THe bride is happy, she likes the color and the leather. My research consisted of looking up MPG on fuel.gov and seeing htat it peaked at 19.

Now on further reading I see that most people get mid-teens with this truck.

We are not towing with it.

It gets about the same MPG as my Expedition. Given that it weighs 1000 lb less with about 50 fewer cubic inches, it seems reasonable to expect better mileage.

The dealer also put on a new set of tires and I don't recognize the brand- proably very cheap.

But if the real world MPG is only 14 I can live with that.

Sounds right. This could have been researched before your purchase. Usually, if one is concerned about mpg one doesn't buy a "body on frame" SUV.

On the upside-that is a good motor.

Sounds normal to me! I get just shy of 15 with my V-10 X on the highway!

BenK wrote:
Hope it's not in 4x4 lock? Full time also gets less MPG

What size tires? OEM size?

What is the diff ratio?

Suspension lifted?

Tuner?

All good questions. THe truck is all stock, OEM tire size, no lead footed teens driving it.

My wife and I tend to get closer to EPA and fuel.gov estimates, this truck should be in the high teens.

CLogged cats sounds like an excellent place to look, maybe I'll wait for it to get a little worse.

thanks

Old O2 sensors can also drag down your MPG.

Hope it's not in 4x4 lock? Full time also gets less MPG

What size tires? OEM size?

What is the diff ratio?

Suspension lifted?

Tuner?

Plugged CATs or mufflers some times display this malady and gets progressively
worse as they plug up more and more

This the smaller of your vehicles and ask if you have a teenager driving
it? Lead foot or boy racer in the making...

Has all basic maintenance been done?

The vehicle is approaching 11 years old. Lots of things change in 11 years.

Sounds about right. We had a 2004 Explorer V8 4x4. It got 14-15 in town, 18 on the highway, and about 9 towing our TT. But it felt pretty quick and nimble, especially compared to the Expy

Our current 2007 Expedition EL 4x4 with the 5.4 gets 12-13 around town and about 16 on the highway, 18 if I keep it to 60-65 and don't go up hills, and about 8.5 towing or TT

I have an 06 v8 explorer, and get about 14-15 mpg in mixed driving, maybe 18 on the highway. Not so great. Especially when you see the full size GMs like Tahoe getting close to 20.

I can't picture expedition getting better mileage, but you have the first hand experience, I never had one.