What kinda of MPG are you getting on average? I get 16 mpg

[DANgerous]

I just bought my 2001 BE a month ago and I've been getting a little over 16 mpg on a tank of gas. This is on three consecutive tanks that I've calculated. My folks own a 2010 Forester that gets 22 mpg and a 1998 Legacy that gets mid 20's. There cars are driven exactly like mine...mostly city and comparable distances in the city. We also use the same gas as well. Why could my mileage be so terrible? I've been driving my car like a granny too. Also another fact...my car has been serviced at my Subaru dealership since it was new. It has had every service suggested by Subaru as well. What gives? I didn't buy this car to get the same gas mileage as a truck. I'm thinking of selling it and switching back to a Honda like my last car that got 30mpg driving around like a bat out of hell. :twisted:

Points of note:

Both of my folks use the same gas and get way better mpg.

My car is driven the same as both of my folks Subarus.

Both my folks cars are driven in the exact same climate.

My car has had ALL scheduled Maintenance...30K, 60K, etc.

[Grafton]

thats odd, my 97 gets 24.4mpg over the last 15k miles

[Bdubs]

Well, you'll never get 30mpg. My 07 gets about 30mpg on long trips at 65mph, and that is on a good day.

A lot goes into account for MPG. Yours is drastically low, though. So, something, somewhere is wrong. The wrong kind of spark plugs, tire pressure, tires, alignment, struts, driving habits, clean intake parts, cooling system, belt tension, etc. I could go on and on. All that could be an effect of poor mileage. The best I can say is one by one try and narrow it down by inspecting everything.

First place I'd start is at the air filter and make sure all the hoses are buttoned up nicely under the hood. Go from there.

[d1giPhux]

I get around 20.. these cars are not good on gas.. don't let anyone tell you any diff :lol:

[StatGSR]

im sure something is wrong with your car making it run rich

[j_saffron]

a bad knock sensor will make your mpg's lousy.

i wouldn't sell it for a Honda so soon, my 00' BE is 23- 26

[peugoby]

on big heavy 17's on a 225 I even get 22-24 average. Something is wrong man, my guess is a bad pcv valve, dirty MAF and a faulty fuel filter.
Unless your 3rd gen is an H6 3.0 wagon that you purely start up and gas hard to the supermarket down the street and back should your fuel mileage be so bad.

[anothernord]

Check tire pressure first, then knock sensor, MAF, and the rest of the sensors. Especially O2 sensors.

[LunchBox04V]

+1 on the O2 sensors once the others are eliminated. The shop just had a BE in with bad mpg's too. Put in two new O2 sensors and got back 3-4 mpg so the owner said.

[1996Battlewagon]

If your knock sensor and or 02 sensors are bad, you'll more than likely get a Check Engine Light. If you have a CEL, run the code(s) to see whats up. If you don't, do a tune up on the thing. Scheduled maintenance doesn't mean you are safe. Replace the air filter, fuel filter, plugs, change your oil, replace your PCV, and add some fuel injector cleaner and see what happens. I bet your MPG will go up to around 22. Is your BH an auto?

[Huffer]

Both of my folks use the same gas and get way better mpg.
My car is driven the same as both of my folks Subarus.


This is impossible to quantify. Do you drive the same route, at the same time, with the same driver, on the same tires?

It's entirely possible that your math might be off too.

[ShadowVlican]

a bad knock sensor will make your mpg's lousy.
wouldn't he see a CEL if that were the case?


+1 on the O2 sensors once the others are eliminated. The shop just had a BE in with bad mpg's too. Put in two new O2 sensors and got back 3-4 mpg so the owner said.
was there a CEL for the O2 sensors? he replaced both O2 sensors?

what are the symptoms of a dirty air filter? dirty fuel filter?

i get roughly 21MPG US city/summer and 18MPG US city/winter (highest i ever got was 26MPG US for hwy/summer) :-?

[Grafton]

Well, you'll never get 30mpg. My 07 gets about 30mpg on long trips at 65mph, and that is on a good day.

A lot goes into account for MPG. Yours is drastically low, though. So, something, somewhere is wrong. The wrong kind of spark plugs, tire pressure, tires, alignment, struts, driving habits, clean intake parts, cooling system, belt tension, etc. I could go on and on. All that could be an effect of poor mileage. The best I can say is one by one try and narrow it down by inspecting everything.

First place I'd start is at the air filter and make sure all the hoses are buttoned up nicely under the hood. Go from there.

i've hit 31.5 mpg that's my record high, it was on 89 octane right after the dyno run @ ecs

[nipper]

Well, you'll never get 30mpg. My 07 gets about 30mpg on long trips at 65mph, and that is on a good day.

A lot goes into account for MPG. Yours is drastically low, though. So, something, somewhere is wrong. The wrong kind of spark plugs, tire pressure, tires, alignment, struts, driving habits, clean intake parts, cooling system, belt tension, etc. I could go on and on. All that could be an effect of poor mileage. The best I can say is one by one try and narrow it down by inspecting everything.

First place I'd start is at the air filter and make sure all the hoses are buttoned up nicely under the hood. Go from there.

i've hit 31.5 mpg that's my record high, it was on 89 octane right after the dyno run @ ecs


I have hit 30, and my highets was 32, but that was at 50mph over a very long distance.

Things to check, all filters, Tune up, O2 sensors, dragging brakes, tire pressures, bad wheel alighnment.

How many miles on this car?

[rougeben83]

I'm boosted and I still manage 17-18mpg when I romp on the gas or drive light-to-light...

[ShadowGT]

I'm consistently getting 22 MPG. This is a mix of highway and city driving and with my Leggy being as old as it is and with all the new parts and work I put in it I'm very adament about what I'm getting per tank.

[DANgerous]

Both of my folks use the same gas and get way better mpg.
My car is driven the same as both of my folks Subarus.


This is impossible to quantify. Do you drive the same route, at the same time, with the same driver, on the same tires?

It's entirely possible that your math might be off too.

Nope...my math isn't off. That was my best subject in school.

I just got 13.95 mpg on my last tank. 180.3 total miles on the tank of gas. Filled it up with 12.923 gallons of gas 5 minutes ago. Something is definitely wrong with the car.

I hate to start throwing parts at this car even though I do work for a Subaru dealership and get parts at a good price. Money is money...and I don't have a ton of it...probably because I'm spending it all on gas. LOL!

[LGTgurl06]

I get on avg 24mpg. That's almost all Hwy.

[j_saffron]

a bad knock sensor will make your mpg's lousy.
wouldn't he see a CEL if that were the case?


just speaking from my own experience.
i have had a bad knock sensor without CEL.

also, on another occasion i had a seized wheel bearing once that reduced MPG's.

[Navi271]

My gas mileage has been going down the past few years, from about 24 a few years ago to now 19 with the winter gas. It's gotta be one of sensors slowly slipping away. Operating just within limits to NOT throw a code. I had a p0420 for a while until I put in an O2 sensor spacer. The code went away but gas mileage didn't come back.

I think replacing the O2 sensors would be a good idea too, I want to try it

[Big3etr]

I get about 22-26 on my 93 legacy turbo with almost 200,000 on it