Is this normal MPG??

I got my '08 4.0 4x4 new and I reset the MPG display with every fillup. In mixed driving over 11 years and 183,000 miles I've averaged exactly 14.7 mpg on almost every tank. I think it's rigged.

In fairness, I live in western PA where you can't drive more than a quarter mile without going up a hill. With the cat-back exhaust I've seen as high as 23 mpg in Florida where it's flat with the cruise set on 65.

I used the MPG function when I bought my 2007 V8 4X4 Sport Trac new and checked it using a calculator. It never matched what the calculator came up with and the MPG function on the ST was always more optimistic. That was until I had the update re-flash done to correct the tranny bump issue.....then the MGG function of the ST matched the hand calculations I made so, from the factory.....I'm not sure I'd trust the MPG function. JMO!

Also, I went on a trip where I headed into a strong wind and the mileage was bad but when I came back and had a strong tailwind, the mileage was outstanding so conditions will affect your outcome. Wind, hills and load will affect it.

I also added a K&N air filter and intake tube after I had owned it for a year or so and my mileage went into the can. It did look cool but the hood was down most of the time so who cared!! I stuck my foot in the gas a bit more. Sold it and went back to stock.

Todd Z's modded throttle body is the best thing for mileage!

RMYLY said:

2010 Adrenalin V-8/180,000 MILES..
Drove the truck back home from dealer, 300mi hi-way trip at 70mph and dash showed 21 mpg.
In-town driving is only showing 11mpg and i cant drive/accelerate any slower than i do.
Happy with hi-way mileage BUT city SUCKS.... BIG-TIME !
Not sure why such a difference in hi-way/city mileage.

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I get 11 mog ony 2004 with 200000

My 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac XLT Gas. Has the worst Gas Mileage. I get about 6 to 7 miles per gallon. I have about 156,000 miles on it. Spark plugs pretty new. It drives very smooth and quiet. No engine after market upgrades. No check engine lights. Air filter new . Good pick up but gas mileage is the worst. I have had big V8 engine cars , Mustangs 5.0 and 4.6 even a Big 460 Ford Station Wagon and my 2004 Ford Sport Trac has them all beat as the worst gasoline mileage vehicle.
Can anyone suggest how to troubleshoot my gas mileage dilema ?
Thank you for reading !

Last month I went from Tucson to the LA area. I zeroed out the MPG function and topped off before I crossed the border to CA. 23 mpg, but it was raining and seldom could I do the speed limit. When I got to LA I topped off again and checked the MPG reading and it was 21 mpg. With a lot of local driving in LA it had dropped to 18 mpg by the time I made it home with clear conditions and lots of time at 75 mph. 2008 STA AWD 4.6 V-8.

LOL's on you guys. I'm new to trucks, but am used to driving Mustangs. Please, stop crying rivers over your piss-poor city driving MPG. My old girl got way worse than anything you can come up with in town. She was okay on the highway, but not great (and required, minimum, 91, really wanted 93+).

My '08 ST V8 4X4 is getting 15.1 combined mileage, and that's about what I expected from it. It's still a very heavy vehicle, with a V8, and 4x4. WTF are you people expecting?! If you don't have 4x4 or AWD, and don't have a V8, maybe you're expecting a little more. Guess what: I don't think you're going to get it. It still weighs two tons, and takes a bit of dino-juice to move it around. If you have the v-6, you might get better on the highway, but less efficient in town. It takes a good bit to move one of these pigs. YMMV as they say, but it's a 4K-pound+ vehicle. It'd going to take a bit to get her moving.

I like the way my 4.6, 3-valve gets it moving (same motor my '06GT Mustang had, and I put a Kenne Bell SC on that one), and I hope to be able to do something similar to this truck. But I'm NOT worrying about MPG, if I'm driving a truck. And even if I'm worried about truck MPG, 15+ average seems to be what they're getting, right?

Hmm, V8, city driving, 4K+ pound vehicle. Think the city driving MPG might suck?

WTF are you people talking about? I drove a Mustang in the city for decades, and was far worse than these truck referendums. I get a good 13-15 MPG in my '08, V-8, 4x4 ST, and I'm HAPPY to get it. They're a PIG, with a big motor (if you have the V-8, and drive it in town alot). WTF do you expect, people?! It's the highway driving that gives it an, even remotely, okay gas-mileage rating. It's NOT that they get good bas mileage. They don't. They're trucks!!!

Dmiranda1269 said:

Okk. But my mustang with the coyote gets 4 miles per gallon more than my sport trac. Pretty sad

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I don't know what to say about this. The ST was ended in 2010, well before the 5.0 Coyote was offered in any trucks. And if you're wondering why a 5.0 might do better in a smaller Mustang than it would in a truck, I don't know what to say.

JC2008SportTrac said:

I don't know what to say about this. The ST was ended in 2010, well before the 5.0 Coyote was offered in any trucks. And if you're wondering why a 5.0 might do better in a smaller Mustang than it would in a truck, I don't know what to say.

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Not to mention that the new 5.0 coyote motor wasn't offered in these trucks (and man, do I wish they, or the SC 5.4 GT 500 motor, were). I'm a Mustang guy first, but good gravy what I woulnd't have given for the new Lightning! And they had all the parts there; just put the GT500 motor in one of many of the pickups!!!

well to start he asked if it was normal not whining about fuel but last i checked this was a sport trac forum so if ya want to rant and rave about mustangs there is a mustang forum, poor gas mileage is usually poor performance and can cause major damage if not looked at or worse leave ya stranded. i can sit here and complain about my lifted excursion v10 and i cry every time i feel it up with gas but smile once i start driving it.

curtis james said:

well to start he asked if it was normal not whining about fuel but last i checked this was a sport trac forum so if ya want to rant and rave about mustangs there is a mustang forum, poor gas mileage is usually poor performance and can cause major damage if not looked at or worse leave ya stranded. i can sit here and complain about my lifted excursion v10 and i cry every time i feel it up with gas but smile once i start driving it.

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Obvious what he was asking!!! Didn't know you couldn't compare a sport trac with another vehicle without someone whining

Rick Merlin said:

I just bought a 2008 Sport Trac XLT with the 4.0L V6 and Love the truck!



My one complaint is the gas milage on this thing... According to my dash readout my "average" MPG is about 15mpg and that is if I am being super conservative on the gas petal and using cruise control whenever possible.



Is the average MPG really that awful? Most of my buddies in their big F150/1500 Rams V8's and oversized tires are averaging like 17MPG and here I am in my tiny V6 truck between 13-15... Ugh



Is this normal???

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I get 20 -22 on Highway with my 07 4x4

that is what my 07 got after putting a little bigger tires, it was new and back in 07 i put a intake and exhaust cat back and it went up like 1 to 2, it helped a little but mine was always shifting gears it was like the trans was never happy with one gear. it was 4 wd and a v8.

Mr. Rick Merlín at least you are getting about 15 MPG. I’m only getting between 4 to 7 and believe I’m not exaggerating ! But your Ford Explorer Sport Trac is not big but weighs 4000 pounds empty for a small 4.0 V6 to power. In the upside it is very comfortable , Sharp, and has accessories for a very enjoyable pickup truck which rides like a luxurious SUV. I would be a happy camper with your Explorer Sport Trac it is more than 10 years old and still giving you great gas mileage with it’s weight and 4.0 V6. You got a gem take good care of it.

My ‘04 gets 17 mpg under the best conditions on the highway, 14 or 15 in the city for driving a bit more aggressively. I have 160K miles but this hasn’t changed since I got it with 20K miles on it.

Mr. Holmes you got a great Explorer Sport Trac. I wish I was so lucky hopefully after changing the Spark plugs, wires and MAF sensor.

Tony Lugo said:

Mr. Holmes you got a great Explorer Sport Trac. I wish I was so lucky hopefully after changing the Spark plugs, wires and MAF sensor.

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Tony, my apologies for being a douche-bag earlier. If you're only seeing 7-8 MPG, under ANY driving conditions, except for you having your foot floored on purpose, at all times, then, yes, you have a mechanical issue.

It's very likely a plugs/wires issue. And, since you've got a V-6, you can swap those out easily, and very inexpensively. Do so, and you should see a massive improvement in your MPG. I'd bet you're driving around on 4-5 of your 6 cylinders (one or two of the cylinders aren't firing properly).

Sorry I was a douche earlier. I'm having a hard time going from a GT500 to a truck; too much of my manhood was tied up in that. Please forgive me, I'm trying to be better!

My 04 gets around 13 average. Best I ever got was 17 mpg when she was new and my then girlfriend bugged me to do the speed limit from Western Ma to York Maine. All highway driving. Filled up when we left and again as soon as we arrived. Never saw that mileage since.