Experiencing a dip in your Honda Pilot Gas Mileage can be concerning, especially when you remember the fuel efficiency it once boasted. Many Honda Pilot owners initially rave about the impressive MPG figures, particularly on long highway trips. Take for instance, the experience of one owner of a 2008 EX model. Initially, they were thrilled with a solid 23.9 MPG on a Nashville to Atlanta round trip. This was achieved by diligently maintaining a speed of 70 mph, with brief increases to 75 mph downhill. Subsequently, a tank primarily used for city driving by their spouse still yielded a respectable 20.0 MPG. These figures suggest good pilot gas mileage for the vehicle.
However, the honeymoon phase with optimal fuel economy didn’t last. An October trip from Nashville to Huntsville and back revealed a less impressive 18.5 MPG. What’s noteworthy is that the driving style remained consistent with the initial trip where fuel economy was higher. This decline sparked concern that something might be amiss with the vehicle’s fuel management system. Could the electronic control unit (ECU) be running a richer fuel mixture than necessary?
Further driving experiences only deepened these concerns about pilot gas mileage. A subsequent 270-mile journey, comprising 80% state roads at 60-65 mph and 20% at 70 mph, was undertaken with meticulous attention to fuel-efficient driving techniques. Despite these efforts, the gas mileage only reached 21 MPG. This was under ideal conditions: no air conditioning, only two adults, one child, a dog, no cargo, and tire pressure inflated to 35 PSI. While the tire pressure was slightly above the highway rating, the expectation was to get closer to the initial 23.9 MPG given the lower average speed compared to the first trip. Even employing all possible fuel-saving driving methods, the 21 MPG figure was underwhelming.
The disparity in fuel economy between when the Pilot was new and its current state seems too significant to solely attribute to variations in driving style. This raises questions about potential underlying issues. Is the ECU now commanding a richer fuel mixture than optimal? This could be triggered by a hypersensitive knock sensor or malfunctions in sensors like the oxygen (O2) sensor or other engine management components. While no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) might be present to indicate a definitive problem, sensor readings operate within ranges, and these ranges might have shifted from optimal levels, impacting fuel efficiency.
The owner’s certainty remains that achieving 23.9 MPG on the highway was readily attainable when the Honda Pilot was new. Now, with approximately 5000 miles on the odometer, 21 MPG represents the absolute best achievable fuel economy, even at a more fuel-conserving speed of 60-65 mph. This persistent decrease in pilot gas mileage warrants further investigation to pinpoint the root cause and restore the vehicle’s original fuel efficiency.
