# Passat 02 - Poor MPG or Normal?



## geno2000 (May 4, 2010)

I have been getting about 16 mpg. I have done the following to attempt to reach at least 22 mpg to no avail.

Checked and made sure tire pressure was per cars spec
Changed Spark Plugs to the NGK Laser Platinums
Changed Air Filter to new Wix Air Filter
Cleaned MAF
Seafoame in the gas tank and through the Brake Booster Vacuum Hose
Replaced Fuel Filter with a New Wix Filter
and changed driving habits, not driving so aggresive.

I manged to gain about 3-4 mpg but still wont hit anything over 20mpg.
Does anyonne know/have tips to try and get it to cross over 20mpg? Currently im hitting about 17.5mpg average. City driving.

Also no codes check engine lights, etc. are on, checked the codes anyway for "ghost" codes and the scanner didn't come up with any codes either. I am at a loss. A full tank of gas gives me a little over 200 miles.

Or is that just the way the car is? Thanks for any help.

geno


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## walkingfool (Mar 24, 2008)

*try this too*

I would check the following:
1. PCV system for proper function (replace hoses etc.)
2. Check 4 wheel alignment
3. Check the brakes for dragging
4. Check gas mileage on a 100 mile or longer highway trip.

Happy hunting. Keep us informed.


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## geno2000 (May 4, 2010)

Thanks for the tips. To do withing the next list:
PCV Hoses
Seafoaming Engine/Engine oil change

***Alignment was done a few months ago when I purchased new tires.
***No draggin on the brakes, had them replaced a few months ago as well. 
(Had it checked for brake dragging for good measure 2 weeks ago)

I will post updates. Thanks!

geno


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## afawal (Oct 18, 2005)

Has it always given you bad mileage or just started recently?

Is your car running rich? It could be an issue with O2 sensors or fuel temp sensor not reading correctly. With VAG you can see what all the sensors are doing and determine if they are all reading correctly or not.

They can still be "functional" and not throwing any codes, but just "off"?


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## jaysvwgti (Nov 5, 2007)

keep your foot from WOT:screwy:


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## geno2000 (May 4, 2010)

I dont keep my foot WOT. lol, thus the "Changed driving habits" comment. lol.

As for codes, I did run it through a OBD-II scanner and it didn't give me anything abnormal. No "Ghost Codes". It didnt say I was running "Rich" or "Lean".

Would an OBD-II scanner be the similar as a VAG-COM? 


Side notes - I seafoamed the Engine this weekend using 1/3 of the bottle (1pt i think). Did the oil, oil filter change. Too soon to know if anything really changed, but will keep you posted.

geno


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## RosevilleWgn (Dec 12, 2009)

You are getting the same MPG I am. Same year, and I happen to have a Wagon. One thing that helps
immensly is the number of stops and starts you make. I started leaving 1-1.5 hours earlier for work, reducing the amount of traffic I have to contend with, and that netted me a good 2 mpg alone. The cars are heavy, you just have to roll with filling the tank more often. It was a nasty suprise, having come from an Acura RSX that got 20-25mpg on the same commute.


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## geno2000 (May 4, 2010)

Thanks for your input Rosevillewgn.
Yeah, I used to drive it aggressively (LOTS of stop and go), now I have become more conscious about MPG...well my wallet has lol. So I am a lot more easy on the accelerator. But when I didn't notice a huge change on my MPG, I started to change everything I could (Per my OP). And that only gained me a few MPG. So I wasn't sure if that how these cars were, or if mine was a sign of something going REALLY bad.

I come from a Maxima 00, and I drove that aggressively and still got over 20mpg. Which is why I was concerned. But I am should be filling up the gas tank by this weekend on the Passat and will check in with you guys if the Seafoam and oil/oil filter change did any improvements.

I am looking into changing the PCV hoses.....but eh, the heat is making me lazy. lol.

gEno


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## ismule (Mar 8, 2005)

With out stepping in it just driving , I was out on a road trip from Illinois to Colorado then over to Arizona in 08 and I was very amazed that at 128,000 Thousand Miles , in mode 1 , that on cruse , outside temp 62 and at 74 MPH 3/4 tank of fuel , two Passengers 320lb. , full trunk of gear 120 lb. , tire pressure 33 rear 32 front , and one small dog 20 lb., I had to photo the interment gauges , plus it uses a quart of every thousand miles , used that much oil from new , Have not every reached that kind of mileages again , got 153,00 on it now and got 28 MPG today, in a 25 mile stretch on the Inter State 80 , was running solo , at 89 Deg. 

KEEP'EM ROLLIN CLUB

GRAY BEARD


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## O_o (Nov 12, 2009)

I used to get 22-23 mpg lead-foot driving in city traffic when my A4 was 8-9 years old and had 80,000 or so miles on the odo, and 28 mpg on the highway at 75-80 mph. Granny-driving to get to 17 is definitely not normal.Two things I noticed you didn't mention checking are the CTS and thermostat, both of which are common failures on cars that age. If the CTS fails with the output high, and/or the thermostat is stuck open the ECU will get stuck in cold-start mode, which uses a lot of fuel.



geno2000 said:


> Side notes - I seafoamed the Engine this weekend using 1/3 of the bottle.


Seafoam et al. won't clear out the gunk from the intake manifold, where most of it builds up. One way to get that crap out is to disconnect the PCV hose at the valve and spray carb cleaner into it (obviously, with the engine running). Pinch the hose with a vise-grip to minimize the vacuum leak, and don't spray too enthusiastically, or you might loosen up a big ol' glob of goop and stall the engine.

Unfortunately, it's not easy to get a look inside the manifolds on the 30V, on account of them crazy intake runners, but if you don't see smoke coming out your tailpipe anymore, you probably got it all.


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## 02GTIFREESKIER (Oct 3, 2006)

I get about 24mpg hwy with a decent lead foot now. When i bought it it only got 18mpg. 

I replaced my valve cover gaskets(leaking oil into the spark plug holes) a few months back, and was amazed at how clean the lifters and cams were. But i noticed a bunch of dried up oil vapor gunk in the breather hoses/intake mani. I replaced the breathers, ran the intake mani through a parts washer, and cleaned the TB. Difference was night and day.

Good luck
-Dave


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## geno2000 (May 4, 2010)

I am sad to report that I cannot give an accurate MPG reading due to the fact that it has been hot as hell, and the wife insists on turning on the A.C. 
Although with the A.C. on I did manage to hit 19.5 mpg which is pretty good for at least lol. 

 
You mentioned I should check the CTS and Thermostat for failure. I'm not sure what CTS is or how to check, would appreciate it if you can point me in the right direction. 
I also dont know how to check for the thermostat failure, but if it's a 20-30$ part, I will just replace it to be on the safe side. Will look into that later on today. 

Replacing the PCV hose and valve is pending, I think for a while anyway. 

Thanks for the feedback.


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## geno2000 (May 4, 2010)

Dave, 
I clean out my engine compartment at least twice a year with engine brite. I havent really noticed oil leaking into the spark plug holes. Although I do notice it getting oily between the metal parts (gaskets??) I guess it's time to replace the gaskets. 

I don't feel too comfortable cleaning the TB but will look into that as well.


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## O_o (Nov 12, 2009)

It's easy enough to check whether the thermostat is stuck open. From a cold start, feel the upper and lower rad hoses. You should feel flow in the upper hose but not in the lower hose. If there's flow in the lower hose, it's stuck open. If it were stuck closed, you'd be overheating. 

You can check the coolant temperature sensor by disconnecting the wiring and checking the resistance between the output terminal to any ground on the engine. From a cold start, it should start at around 2kOhm and start going down noticeably as the car warms up, ending up at around 500 Ohms or so. Or, for $10-15, you can just replace it in about 10 minutes. 

If you're leaking a little oil from the valve cover gasket or into the spark plug wells, replacing the PCV hoses and making sure the PCV valve is working might be enough to stop it.


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## RosevilleWgn (Dec 12, 2009)

EPA Mileage Estimates: (City/Highway/Combined)
Automatic: 17 mpg / 25 mpg / 20 mpg

The OP and I are getting the "correct" MPG for city driving. I know there are factors that will improve highway efficiency, but I certainly don't know how some are getting 20+ mpg in the city.


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## O_o (Nov 12, 2009)

RosevilleWgn said:


> *Automatic:* 17 mpg / 25 mpg / 20 mpg


Mine was man-tran. Is there _that_ much difference?


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## RosevilleWgn (Dec 12, 2009)

O_o said:


> Mine was man-tran. Is there _that_ much difference?


Add on a couple hundred pounds for the wagon version, and the weight of the transmission, then yes. I could see that making the difference.


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## O_o (Nov 12, 2009)

RosevilleWgn said:


> Add on a couple hundred pounds for the wagon version, and the weight of the transmission, then yes. I could see that making the difference.


Another thing I just thought of: when I owned that car, our gasoline was not diluted with moonshine.


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## RosevilleWgn (Dec 12, 2009)

After a couple weeks of purposefully driving a longer, but few stop light route to work, I've achieved 19-20mpg. The stop and start simply kills the efficiency of the car, and I think weight has a lot to do with it. The transmission feels like it's shifting well (Although it's so smooth in the Passat you don't often feel it) so I don't think poor ratios or lead footing is involved.


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## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

Do you use 91+ octane fuel?
Do you have an automatic?
4-motion?
I get on average 21-22pmg mixed with my 02 wagon glx v6 auto 25mpg highway only 19 winter


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## Jeffus13 (Apr 12, 2009)

i use 91/93 in my 2001 automatic 4motion wagon and i get around 16-18 in town depending on how hard i try and usually get around 24-25 with straight highway.


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## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

sounds good to me


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