New Owner - Mileage Concern

[benschevy]

Well I've had my sonic (automatic) for two months now and just got back from my first full road trip. Aside from it running blessedly smoother and quieter than my previous vehicle, I do have one concern. And I came here to see if it IS a concern.

I'm allegedly supposed to get 25 mpg city, 35 mpg hwy. But I'm getting probably 22 / 27. For the highway, I had cruise set the whole way, going. 75-78 mph. I'm pretty disappointed it is so far off the advertised mileage. How trusting is the dashboard estimate anyway? The car has 2000 miles on it now. Maybe it just hasn't been properly run in yet?

PS. I can't get the dang timer to stop. Manual day press button to stop, hold to reset. But it will not stop. I can only reset. Annoying. Just wondering why I can't get it to stop...

 

[rdss]

It's your speed causing the less than expected mileage. Slow down to 70 or even better 65 and you will be a lot happier with your mileage. Is a matter of if you want to get their faster (and minimally at that) or get better mileage. I run 75 no matter what with my 1.4 but I do not really care if I get 36 mpg or 40 on the highway, I'm to impatient and dead set on a 10+ the speed limit driving mentality.

And the timer, if your car is running the timer is ticking, that's its only job.

 

[Larry]

Cruising at 70MPH vs 78 is at least 3-5MPG right there. So since you're averaging 25 now, if you cruise at 70 you would get around 30. That's EPA estimate.

@rdss: 75MPH vs 70MPH saves you maybe 3 minutes on a 50 mile trip, not as much as it seems. It just seems like you're getting there fast because you're passing up other people.

Here's actual calculations.

Q: How long would it take to drive 50 miles at 70mph?

A: 42 minutes and 51 seconds.

Q: How long would it take to drive 50 miles at 75mph?

A: 40 minutes.

So even less than I thought.

 

[Maddog2020]

I assume you have the 1.8. I agree with the previous posts, speeds in excess 70 kill you mileage.

The timer has been discussed before, and the Owners Manual indicates is can be stopped but nobody was able to stop it. See the thread below

http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/t551-3/

 

[Eric Smit]

I'm a big fan of going 60 and getting ridiculous mileage.

Also, with 20,531 miles, I still haven't found a way to get the timer to stop. Regardless of the consensus, which I discovered those many months ago, I still am actively trying to find a way.


-Eric Smit

 

[Calculon]

Yeah, I've been getting 34MPG combined with 80% of the time at 60MPH in fifth.

 

[mitdr774]

the 1.8 is capable of great economy on the highway if driven at a speed condusive of economy. Keep in mind that the EPA highway test cycle hits a maximum speed of 60 MPH but only averages something like 48.3 MPH.

My previous drive for work took a couple minutes longer to get to work at 60 compared to 70, but at 60 I would average 3 MPG better for the tank. Maybe 1/3 of the tank could be thought of as highway and the remainder was either off the highway or in slow moving/stop and go highway traffic.

 

[key1cc]

If we are talking about the timer in the instrument cluster...I stop it all the time. I just push the button. What I don't like is that is does not show seconds as it counts....it only shows minutes.

key1

 

[Maddog2020]

If we are talking about the timer in the instrument cluster...I stop it all the time. I just push the button. What I don't like is that is does not show seconds as it counts....it only shows minutes.

key1

That's funny, I have never tried it but the Operators Manual states "To stop the timer, press SET/CLR briefly while the timer is displayed". Is that what you do? Since it doesn't display seconds, is there an indication it is stopped other then minutes not incrementing?

I bet people were stopping it but didn't wait long enough to tell. I'm going to try it.

 

[Eric Smit]

I tried.


-Eric Smit

 

[SSpeckerwood]

Welcome

 

[key1cc]

That's funny, I have never tried it but the Operators Manual states "To stop the timer, press SET/CLR briefly while the timer is displayed". Is that what you do? Since it doesn't display seconds, is there an indication it is stopped other then minutes not incrementing?

I bet people were stopping it but didn't wait long enough to tell. I'm going to try it.

Yes that is what I do and yes there is an indication. look at the colon between the zero's.. if it is flashing the timer is running.... if it is not flashing the timer is stopped.

Key1cc

 

[key1cc]

How to work your Sonic timer

I just went out and confirmed. When colon between numbers is flashing timer is on. when it is not flashing timer is off. Press the button all the way in until you hear a beep to reset. press it part way in (no beep) to toggle the timer on and off.

Key1cc

 

[Maddog2020]

I just went out and confirmed. When colon between numbers is flashing timer is on. when it is not flashing timer is off. Press the button all the way in until you hear a beep to reset. press it part way in (no beep) to toggle the timer on and off.

Key1cc

OK, I tried it and at first the ':' was not blinking and was at 00:00 (I never used the timer). I had to hold the button to get the timer to start (':' blinking). Nothing I tried stopped it.

I have a 2012, and I can reset it but I can't stop it just like everyone else. Please tell me you have a 2013, or do you have the only 2012 that works?

 

[key1cc]

I have a 2013 LTZ Hatch. I bought it in september and it has a build date of september 2012. I just tried it again and it works sitting in my garage. now i will drive around the block and try it moving....be right back
Key1cc

 

[Maddog2020]

That's what I thought, it's a bug in 2012 models. If I remember I will mention it next time I go in for service. Maybe a firmware update will fix it.

 

[key1cc]

just drove around the block and it works as descibed. the key is the colon must be flashing for the timer to be running. if it is not flashing the timer is not running.
Key1cc

 

[Maddog2020]

Maybe CoHPhasor can confirm the timer feature works fine in a 2013?

 

[seanp1]

Maybe CoHPhasor can confirm the timer feature works fine in a 2013?

I will attempt to confirm in my 13.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Once you're vehicle has reached about 5,000 miles which is the vehicle break in period you should start to see an increase in MPG. You can check out fueleconomy.gov for tips and advice on increasing fuel economy.

Vanesssa
GM Customer Service