Am I the only one here who averages 17L/100KM?
Maybe it's just the way I drive =\

It depends on driving style and driving conditions.
With the minimal information you have posted no one can tell you whether this is ok, too much or too little.

13-14 max in stop start city conditions - maybe 15 in REALLY bad traffic. Get your car checked out. Something must me amiss.

hmmm I do take off the lights like a rocket so that's probably the reason...
I think I'll fill up a full tank, drive "properly", and then the next time I fuel up see what the computer says and also manually calculate kms driven / litres..
If it's still over 13-14 I'll go to a shop and have it looked at...

I am doing 12.7/12.8 now.

Check your oxygen sensor. If its stuffed, your fuel consumption will suffer - similar to what you're getting now.

Check your oxygen sensor. If its stuffed, your fuel consumption will suffer - similar to what you're getting now.

Trouble is a 380 has four oxygen sensors, and who knows which one if any might have croaked, without replacing all of them one at a time then testing.

If one has croaked enough to effect fuel economy it's more likely to be one of the two before the third "white brick" cat than one of the two after.

Also, it seems 380 oxygen sensors don't usually fail as soon or as often as Magna ones.

My money is on some other cause, and it might just be leadfootitis.

For comparison's sake, what's your economy on the highway/freeway?

Stop Start 13-14
Freeway 9-10
Never varies and I don't hang about

I would say it's about right in heavy traffic. Filled mine up this morning, it was on 16.7L/100 today sitting in heavy peak hour Sydney traffic with the occasional out burst in gaps of traffic. Now back down to about 14L/100 after 70km's travelled. Freeway driving sees me on the 8's usually.

I get 14.4L/100k in my 380 VRX and I do many 4km trips to the post office and 5-10km trips to the shops which I think isn't too bad for very short trips. (On country roads I get around 8.8 - 9.3L/100k)

In comparison, my wifes 2.4ltr camry gets 12.9L/100k on similar short trips so it basically shows you that short trips and when the car hasn't really fully warmed up, any car will burn much higher, not just the 380. (even the aurion burns only about half a litre less in these short trips)

If you're doing short trips or stuck in heavy traffic for long, you could easily get up to 16-17L/100k, especially is you take off like a rocket at the headlights.

My mates 4ltr Territory does around 19L/100k in the city and it feels real slowish compared to the 380.

Not much traffic so far but I do take off the lights like a rocket still wouldn't expect it to be that high
Next time I get it serviced i'll mention it to my mechanic and ask him to investigate the problem (if there is one)...
It was last serviced at 100k and i'm on 109k now
maybe i should go for the service sooner than 115k

I'd get it checked out in your next service as 17L/100k is high if you're not stuck in traffic.

Trouble is a 380 has four oxygen sensors, and who knows which one if any might have croaked, without replacing all of them one at a time then testing.

If one has croaked enough to effect fuel economy it's more likely to be one of the two before the third "white brick" cat than one of the two after.

Also, it seems 380 oxygen sensors don't usually fail as soon or as often as Magna ones.

My money is on some other cause, and it might just be leadfootitis.

I'm not really mechanically minded so I'm just wondering would you happen to know if:
1. the oxygen sensors are hard to get to? are they just sticking out and easily accesibale?
2. can they be checked? or would they just have to be replaced and they to see if it improves?
3. if it is the problem, would leaving it untreated for say 2-3k km would potentially cause more damage?
4. how much the sensors cost?

I honestly don't care about the extra few litres, just worried that the underlying problem might cause bigger issues...


thanks!

I'm not really mechanically minded so I'm just wondering would you happen to know if:
1. the oxygen sensors are hard to get to? are they just sticking out and easily accesibale?
2. can they be checked? or would they just have to be replaced and they to see if it improves?
3. if it is the problem, would leaving it untreated for say 2-3k km would potentially cause more damage?
4. how much the sensors cost?

I honestly don't care about the extra few litres, just worried that the underlying problem might cause bigger issues...


thanks!

They are relatively easy to get to, no plugs inside the cabin like a Magna, all four plugs are in or around the engine bay.

Up on a hoist is the best bet though for getting at the actual sensors, especially the rear two. But they can be very tight and hard to crack.

You could try replacing one at a time, starting with the front ones, to see if that makes any real difference.

But that could turn out to be an expensive exercise with no result.

As nickk says, ask your dealer to check them out at your next service. I think the MUTIII they use can do that, but not sure.

As far as I know (and our resident expert Mal can confirm or shoot me down), a conked 380 O2 sensor does not usually throw an engine check light, so just because you haven't got a check light doesn't mean all your O2 sensors are OK.

Also, you could invest in an OBD2 scanner and check yourself for fault codes. Whether that works to show O2 sensor fault codes that don't trigger a check light, I don't know.

All I do know is that with my extractors, the two rear O2 sensors throw a range of error codes all the time, about "O2 heater circuit", but I have never had a problem with how the car runs or performs or fuel economy. So these particular error codes don't indicate any real problem.

As far as I know a conked O2 sensor doesn't cause damage or long term problems other than poor fuel economy and/or poor performance. Again Mal would know more.

As for cost, the factory/OEM ones aren't cheap, around the $150 mark each. And all four have different length wiring, so getting the right one if you go the one at a time route can be tricky.

A much cheaper alternative, which I have done, is to buy generic sensors from Ebay which you then have to cut the wires and splice the connector plug onto, using joiners/crimps.

A bit fiddly seeing as there are four wires on each sensor, but if a klumsy klustz like me can do it then anyone can!

constant 11.7L per 100km

They are relatively easy to get to, no plugs inside the cabin like a Magna, all four plugs are in or around the engine bay.

Up on a hoist is the best bet though for getting at the actual sensors, especially the rear two. But they can be very tight and hard to crack.

You could try replacing one at a time, starting with the front ones, to see if that makes any real difference.

But that could turn out to be an expensive exercise with no result.

As nickk says, ask your dealer to check them out at your next service. I think the MUTIII they use can do that, but not sure.

As far as I know (and our resident expert Mal can confirm or shoot me down), a conked 380 O2 sensor does not usually throw an engine check light, so just because you haven't got a check light doesn't mean all your O2 sensors are OK.

Also, you could invest in an OBD2 scanner and check yourself for fault codes. Whether that works to show O2 sensor fault codes that don't trigger a check light, I don't know.

All I do know is that with my extractors, the two rear O2 sensors throw a range of error codes all the time, about "O2 heater circuit", but I have never had a problem with how the car runs or performs or fuel economy. So these particular error codes don't indicate any real problem.

As far as I know a conked O2 sensor doesn't cause damage or long term problems other than poor fuel economy and/or poor performance. Again Mal would know more.

As for cost, the factory/OEM ones aren't cheap, around the $150 mark each. And all four have different length wiring, so getting the right one if you go the one at a time route can be tricky.

A much cheaper alternative, which I have done, is to buy generic sensors from Ebay which you then have to cut the wires and splice the connector plug onto, using joiners/crimps.

A bit fiddly seeing as there are four wires on each sensor, but if a klumsy klustz like me can do it then anyone can!

thanks for the quick response!
I'll have it looked at and if it's the o2 sensors i honestly dont think ill even bother replacing them because the extra 3-4L/100km don't bother me at all

The two primary sensors (one on each bank closest to engine) control fuel mixture

As pointed out above if they fail engine defaults to rich /safe mixture from ECU map with no leaning for light throttle and better economy

I changed mine recently - $120 from dealer or online $150 from Bosch with correct plugs etc

Dealers only supply the rear bank sensor now - slightly longer lead is only difference,

Mitsu part number is MI-1588A039

Bosch is 0 238 006 737 (firewall) and 0 258 006 735 (radiator)

See http://au.bosch-automotive-shop.com/en/

REPCO have a special socket u need at about $25, see

http://issuu.com/repco/docs/specialty_tools_new_2012?e=1019780/2597330

I found unplugging the rear bank much easier with inlet air trunk removed between throttle body and air cleaner