38 replies to this topic

[ravdyna]

hi guys i am a new member from malta.i have just bought a 2003 rav 4 2.0lvx about 2 months ago, i really love it but am worried about the fuel consumption.i dont know exactly how much is the normal consumption,but mine is just making about 28km per gallon.it consumes too much.can someone help me about this?i am afraid that there is a problem,speaked to a local mechanic but told me that if there is no warning lights he is afraid that everything is ok.here in malta we dont have highways so my trips may be compared as you city trips,last thing i just drive about 70km/h.thanks alot

[local hero]

Hi Ravdyna + welcome to the club, If I am reading your post correctly + your saying 28km per gallon, then this is far too low, If you were saying 28MPG then i would say your consumption was about right, I used to own a petrol Rav (I now have a diesel) but from memory I never experienced less than 24/26 mpg + could achieve 30/32mpg on a longer journey + this was driving enthusiasticaly.. I cannot advise why your consumption is low, but obviously a good "tune up" or diagnostic check should hi-lite any problem, other than a fuel leak, hope this helps + if you need further help then there are guys on here with a lot more techy knowledge than me, who will be very willing to help Stew

[ravdyna]

Hi Ravdyna + welcome to the club, If I am reading your post correctly + your saying 28km per gallon, then this is far too low, If you were saying 28MPG then i would say your consumption was about right, I used to own a petrol Rav (I now have a diesel) but from memory I never experienced less than 24/26 mpg + could achieve 30/32mpg on a longer journey + this was driving enthusiasticaly.. I cannot advise why your consumption is low, but obviously a good "tune up" or diagnostic check should hi-lite any problem, other than a fuel leak, hope this helps + if you need further help then there are guys on here with a lot more techy knowledge than me, who will be very willing to help Stew

thanks a lot local hero for your quick answer,yes its 28km/g,even my trip computer tell me that it is supposed to do apprx. 28m/g.thanks again i will try to take it over to a mechanic maybe he will make a check up,till than i hope that someone else will give some other ideas.thanks again

[anchorman]

Welcome to the club.

Are you checking the consumption from the trip computer or manually. The computer is only a guide so don't go off that. The next question refers to how you use the car. If you are doing very short trips that don't allow it to warm up it will use vast amounts of fuel. I am also assuming this is a manual box and not an auto? Don't be offended but the RAV is a big car for a regular 2.0 litre engine and you will have to drive it considerately to realise good fuel consumption!

If all those things are OK then go for the obvious first. The air filter should be checked and if in any doubt they are cheap and easy to fit yourself. Next you have to make sure the tyre pressures are right at 2.0 bar. I am also assuming that there are no "more fundamental" problems and the engine runs OK. The engine should be fitted with Iridium plugs which are quite expensive (about 50€ a set here just to buy) but they make a difference so if it has normal pugs get rid of them.

Finally, to realise that original design fuel consumption (and remember that all of the above will make a mess of your fuel consumption even on a new and perfectly running car) then you need to consider that for an engine to run optimally it needs only;

compression

a source of ignition

the correct fuel ratio which is in the order of 15-18:1 by weight.

This can easily be checked with a fuel/air test which most garages can do and providing that shows OK you need to look back to those items above.

I hope this helps you to think about what might be wrong but don't hesitate to come back to us.

[ravdyna]

Welcome to the club.

Are you checking the consumption from the trip computer or manually. The computer is only a guide so don't go off that. The next question refers to how you use the car. If you are doing very short trips that don't allow it to warm up it will use vast amounts of fuel. I am also assuming this is a manual box and not an auto? Don't be offended but the RAV is a big car for a regular 2.0 litre engine and you will have to drive it considerately to realise good fuel consumption!

If all those things are OK then go for the obvious first. The air filter should be checked and if in any doubt they are cheap and easy to fit yourself. Next you have to make sure the tyre pressures are right at 2.0 bar. I am also assuming that there are no "more fundamental" problems and the engine runs OK. The engine should be fitted with Iridium plugs which are quite expensive (about 50€ a set here just to buy) but they make a difference so if it has normal pugs get rid of them.

Finally, to realise that original design fuel consumption (and remember that all of the above will make a mess of your fuel consumption even on a new and perfectly running car) then you need to consider that for an engine to run optimally it needs only;

compression

a source of ignition

the correct fuel ratio which is in the order of 15-18:1 by weight.

This can easily be checked with a fuel/air test which most garages can do and providing that shows OK you need to look back to those items above.

I hope this helps you to think about what might be wrong but don't hesitate to come back to us.

thanks anchorman.i am checking the consumption manually the trip computer says that the mpg should be better(what the computer tells me that i should do in miles i do them in km),yes my rav is manual.the air filter is new,the tyres are ok,i dont know about the plugs as it is a second hand car and i own it just for the last two months but i will surely check about that.i drive the car not for long trips as here in malta in one hour you can cross the hole island but minimum i drive it minimum for about 15min trips,so i think that it is warm.surely i will check about the fuel/air test,i already went to ask mechanics if there is something to do about it(maybe reducing fuel flow) but none mentioned this test,they told me that it is the computer that regulate petrol and they can do anything.probably i will try to go to the toyota garage as probably i think that they can solve this out(the only problem is that they are quit expensive).thamks a lot again

[anchorman]

But also a local garage can do it. Here the test is part of the annual MOT. They just put a probe in the exhaust and that measures the CO levels etc. This test alone will invariably say if the vehicle is consuming the right amount of fuel.

Good luck!

[local hero]

Oh Dear I am gonna make a right pratt of myself (it has been known) but you say your trip is showing in miles what your computer is showing in Kms, or the other way round is it possible that your trip is actally showing miles + not kms, because i think you can alter the obd to show either but i am not sure you can do this with your trip.. If this is absolute nonsence then please ignore me but i am trying..

[kmrobertson3]

On this topic, what does everyone get MPG in a T180 Rav? I am getting around 32MPG

[ravdyna]

But also a local garage can do it. Here the test is part of the annual MOT. They just put a probe in the exhaust and that measures the CO levels etc. This test alone will invariably say if the vehicle is consuming the right amount of fuel.

Good luck!

thanks again i will go for it

[ravdyna]

Oh Dear I am gonna make a right pratt of myself (it has been known) but you say your trip is showing in miles what your computer is showing in Kms, or the other way round is it possible that your trip is actally showing miles + not kms, because i think you can alter the obd to show either but i am not sure you can do this with your trip.. If this is absolute nonsence then please ignore me but i am trying..

dont worry actually you are helping.yes i can alter the computer.when my computer tells me that i should do 28mpg i actually do 28but km/g not miles.