djr7572 Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Hello! New to the forum and new to Subaru. Just bought a 2017 Legacy 2.5i Sport. I've only been driving it for 4 days ... have 370 miles on it. The MPG guage and the "miles until empty" guage are behaving very erratic. Does it take some time for this data to settle down and become accurate? My MPG reading, on a 35-mile drive, was bouncing around all over the place, and never really settled in. Is this normal? Also, look at my gas guage needle - it's just one mark above half a tank, yet my "miles until empty" says I've got 390 miles to until empty. That doesn't sound right at all. Or does it? Maybe I'm not understanding how this data works, but my assumption is that the car is so new and this stuff takes a little while to dial in ... ? Any help or tips would be appreciated! Am I needlessly worrying about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwlegltd Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 In my experience on my 17 Ltd, the mpg calculated by the car changes based on speed, gear ratio, & how much you press the accelerator. In the Nav system you can go to a screen that shows mpg & has dial for accelerator input. This shows how the calculated mpg's changes with how much or little you push the pedal. On mine if I coast down a hill or up to a stoplight the mpg's sometimes go up to 60+. For most, when you use actual miles to gas consumption you get a couple mpg's lower than what the Suby computer says you are getting. Are you varying your RPMs for break in period? For mine the miles to empty is usually slightly overestimated also. It will depend on if you drive the same route all the time & how & where you drive. I have been able to get over 600 miles on 7/8 of a tank a few times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoda_One Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Hello! bouncing around all over the place, and never really settled in. Is this normal? Yes! Maybe I'm not understanding how this data works Your correct!! I am being nice today! https://view.joomag.com/subaru-legacy-manuals-2016-legacy-owners-manual/0763509001437145530?page=163 Owner's Manual is a wonderful thing.[emoji57] Laughing at Oneself and with Others is Good for the Soul [emoji847] Laughing at Oneself and with Other is good for the Soul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upstater Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Um, if you have a smartphone, ignore all the numbers displayed by the car and start using Gas Cubby/Fuelly to track your mpgs and maintenance. My 2.5: Last tank was 29.8mpg, but that was somewhat long "highway" drives into Southern Vermont and thru the Berkshires. Overall, 27 mpgs combined lifetime. Mostly short trips (10 miles to work each way, some city, some highway) I drive with zero concern for how it affects my mpg's, e.g., I don't gently accelerate or avoid passing people when I see passing lanes on Route 7 in Vermont... PS: You will never feel more at home than driving your Subaru through Vermont, just about every other car is a Suby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chowser51 Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Ignore the car. Use the app above or calculate your mileage manually everytime you fuel up. Car likes to estimate on the high side. Ignore the eco gauge as well. Drive it like you stole it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ammcinnis Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 My MPG reading, on a 35-mile drive, was bouncing around all over the place, and never really settled in. Is this normal? That's the instantaneous "current fuel consumption" display; the much more stable "average fuel consumption" display is only a click away. Time to read the Owners Manual! Am I needlessly worrying about this?Yes. "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." ~ The Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djr7572 Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 In my experience on my 17 Ltd, the mpg calculated by the car changes based on speed, gear ratio, & how much you press the accelerator. In the Nav system you can go to a screen that shows mpg & has dial for accelerator input. This shows how the calculated mpg's changes with how much or little you push the pedal. On mine if I coast down a hill or up to a stoplight the mpg's sometimes go up to 60+. For most, when you use actual miles to gas consumption you get a couple mpg's lower than what the Suby computer says you are getting. Are you varying your RPMs for break in period? For mine the miles to empty is usually slightly overestimated also. It will depend on if you drive the same route all the time & how & where you drive. I have been able to get over 600 miles on 7/8 of a tank a few times. I drive it pretty normally - I don't step on it in unless I really need to. So my driving habits are very normal/average. Not sure what you mean by "varying the RPMs" ... ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djr7572 Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 Um, if you have a smartphone, ignore all the numbers displayed by the car and start using Gas Cubby/Fuelly to track your mpgs and maintenance. My 2.5: Last tank was 29.8mpg, but that was somewhat long "highway" drives into Southern Vermont and thru the Berkshires. Overall, 27 mpgs combined lifetime. Mostly short trips (10 miles to work each way, some city, some highway) I drive with zero concern for how it affects my mpg's, e.g., I don't gently accelerate or avoid passing people when I see passing lanes on Route 7 in Vermont... PS: You will never feel more at home than driving your Subaru through Vermont, just about every other car is a Suby. Just downloaded the app. Thanks for that suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djr7572 Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 Ignore the car. Use the app above or calculate your mileage manually everytime you fuel up. Car likes to estimate on the high side. Ignore the eco gauge as well. Drive it like you stole it. Probably the best advice ever - thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djr7572 Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 Yes! Your correct!! I am being nice today! https://view.joomag.com/subaru-legacy-manuals-2016-legacy-owners-manual/0763509001437145530?page=163 Owner's Manual is a wonderful thing.[emoji57] Actually, I did look at the owner's manual. Was the first thing I did! I asked the question here because I don't feel like the manual explains how the computer works in very much detail. Either that, or I'm simply not understanding it. I'm not worried about my gas mileage - I'm just trying to understand how the computer works and displays information - that's all. If it's working correctly, then that's all I'm concerned about . It's up to me to figure it out and understand it. Laughing at Oneself and with Others is Good for the Soul [emoji847] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesA Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 ...I'm not worried about my gas mileage - I'm just trying to understand how the computer works and displays information - that's all...The way it works is the numbers you see are calculated based on the length of time your fuel injectors are open and the distance traveled. You can switch the display between the instantaneous values or the average values. The instantaneous values will vary wildly depending on conditions, the average values will change slowly and smoothly. The values shown tend to overestimate your actual fuel economy by a few percentage points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djr7572 Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 The way it works is the numbers you see are calculated based on the length of time your fuel injectors are open and the distance traveled. You can switch the display between the instantaneous values or the average values. The instantaneous values will vary wildly depending on conditions, the average values will change slowly and smoothly. The values shown tend to overestimate your actual fuel economy by a few percentage points. Great info - thank you. Seems to me, there's no sense in watching the instantaneous values as it's obviously going to be jumping around constantly. Is there any reason to watch this at all? I will stick to watching the average values. Also, I'm assuming "A" and "B" indicate the trip ... does it switch from A to B when you push the trip reset button? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesA Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 ...I'm assuming "A" and "B" indicate the trip ... does it switch from A to B when you push the trip reset button? That's correct, the average fuel economy shown will change when you switch from "A" to "B". So, for instance, you could see your average fuel economy for just the last tank of gas on "A" or for the entire trip on "B". How useful is the instantaneous display? Well, it can be interesting to see the effect of your actions or the terrain you're driving on. Maybe Subaru intended it as feedback to help you learn to improve your fuel economy. I use the average display most of the time and the instantaneous display every once in a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djr7572 Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 That's correct, the average fuel economy shown will change when you switch from "A" to "B". So, for instance, you could see your average fuel economy for just the last tank of gas on "A" or for the entire trip on "B". How useful is the instantaneous display? Well, it can be interesting to see the effect of your actions or the terrain you're driving on. Maybe Subaru intended it as feedback to help you learn to improve your fuel economy. I use the average display most of the time and the instantaneous display every once in a while. Great, thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoda_One Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 And you Read the Manuals??????? Laughing at Oneself and with Others is Good for the Soul[emoji16] Laughing at Oneself and with Other is good for the Soul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisvegas Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 " ... Actually, I did look at the owner's manual. Was the first thing I did! I asked the question here because I don't feel like the manual explains how the computer works in very much detail. Either that, or I'm simply not understanding it...." djr7572, Welcome, ... I understand exactly what you mean here. I pretty much read the manual from start to finish, but still had many questions. 15 months later I am extremely happy with the vehicle, but I still think the manual could be explained better (and better indexed) for the sake of the average punter who haven't owned a Subaru before .... or for that matter are coming from a much older vehicle (like I was) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djr7572 Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 " ... Actually, I did look at the owner's manual. Was the first thing I did! I asked the question here because I don't feel like the manual explains how the computer works in very much detail. Either that, or I'm simply not understanding it...." djr7572, Welcome, ... I understand exactly what you mean here. I pretty much read the manual from start to finish, but still had many questions. 15 months later I am extremely happy with the vehicle, but I still think the manual could be explained better (and better indexed) for the sake of the average punter who haven't owned a Subaru before .... or for that matter are coming from a much older vehicle (like I was) Thank you for that warm welcome - much appreciated. Seems I'm already getting flamed for not reading the manual. I see it as a reference guide - when I need to know more about something, I open the manual! As to my original concern, I didn't feel that the manual gave enough information on this, so I posted it here, hoping for a little more insight. I've had a few helpful, friendly replies, so thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waldguy Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 ^^^ Well, they didn't tell you to search the forum first, so things are actually quite tame. There has to be some sort of initiation rite, right? Keep your foot on the gas and your tank from going empty, and enjoy the ride and welcome aboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djr7572 Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 ^^^ Well, they didn't tell you to search the forum first, so things are actually quite tame. There has to be some sort of initiation rite, right? Keep your foot on the gas and your tank from going empty, and enjoy the ride and welcome aboard. Great advice - thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upstater Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Great info - thank you. Seems to me, there's no sense in watching the instantaneous values as it's obviously going to be jumping around constantly. Is there any reason to watch this at all? That display is pretty useless, and the car MPG displays will give you values that are usually ~+2 mpg optimistic over what you will calculate at the pump. But gas is cheap, the 2.5, driven hard, is returning close to EPA estimates for me, so good enough. If you are a MPG hunter and want to hypermile, it will meet or surpass the EPA numbers. FWIW I did sometimes hypermile a 2012 Impreza 2.0 5MT Sport/hatch, and that returned only about 25 mpg in similar driving. As far as Rowlette, he sometimes gets on my nerves, and sometimes he is less cranky. Overall, this forum is tame compared to places like NASIOC. You won't need thick skin here if you just ignore occasional posts that irritate you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chowser51 Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I had eco gauges (analog) on my last two BMWs and never saw the point. When I saw the Legacy had one, I just ignore it like I did in the BMWs. I wish we could change/sort what displays we can see. If I drive 65-75ish on the freeways I can get the 28mpg EPA estimate on my 3.6. But if I drive 80ish+, I can get 25mpg, so I drive 80ish+. Might as well enjoy the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securityguy Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Sounds like Row is developing a reputation......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoda_One Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 At least I know how my vehicle works, features, Nav, voice functions and I really studied the manuals.[emoji8] BTW I always search the forums and use Google if I ever needed anything.[emoji13] Laughing at Oneself and with Others is Good for the Soul [emoji847] Laughing at Oneself and with Other is good for the Soul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djr7572 Posted July 31, 2017 Author Share Posted July 31, 2017 At least I know how my vehicle works, features, Nav, voice functions and I really studied the manuals.[emoji8] BTW I always search the forums and use Google if I ever needed anything.[emoji13] Laughing at Oneself and with Others is Good for the Soul [emoji847] It must be amazing being you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwlegltd Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I drive it pretty normally - I don't step on it in unless I really need to. So my driving habits are very normal/average. Not sure what you mean by "varying the RPMs" ... ? I am asking if you are varying you RPM's to break in your new car's engine. eg: http://www.cars101.com/subaru/maintenance-2017.html some do this, some do not. I ask, because doing this will lower you mpg's. How, is that by not letting the CVT always stay in the lowest ratio will mean that you are not getting the best mpg's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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