I have a 2006 2.2l HHR, the best I have averaged over a tank is 33.5mpg, whats wrong? new filters and Mobil 1, drive 65.

If you drive 65 you will not do better than 33.5 MPG. Not no way, not no how.
You will have to get into all the hypermiling techniques as described in the various threads in this section. It takes practice, patience and determination.

Nothing's wrong You're exceeding the EPA rating @ 30+MPG

My 2007 2.2 liter automatic used to get 28/33mpg city/highway. It gets 26/29 now. Working with dealer trying to figure out what's up. Suspect something in the transaxle.

33mpg is very good for the 2.2 engine, don't worry about it.

I would give my left_____ to get 33 average. Best tank average Ive gotten is 20.5 and this was with about 3/4 city short trips and 1/4 freeway trips. 08 2LT 2.4 auto.
33 is amazing for a fat, heavy, albeit bytchen car that has the aerodynamics of a brick.

I have a 2006 2.2l HHR, the best I have averaged over a tank is 33.5mpg, whats wrong? new filters and Mobil 1, drive 65.

What MPG do you think you should be getting and why?

I have a 2006 2.2l HHR, the best I have averaged over a tank is 33.5mpg, whats wrong? new filters and Mobil 1, drive 65.

geez......... is that combo mileage? or is that city only? welp it doesnt matter thats pretty good no matter ..........

I would give my left_____ to get 33 average. Best tank average Ive gotten is 20.5 and this was with about 3/4 city short trips and 1/4 freeway trips. 08 2LT 2.4 auto.
33 is amazing for a fat, heavy, albeit bytchen car that has the aerodynamics of a brick.

how have you not gotten a better thank then that? I have the same setup as you. My best so far was a 29.1, which was 95% doing between 55 and 80 with some stop in go in the small towns we passed through.

the worse mileage i've ever gotten was around 20.5, and that was on the very first tank, and i wasn't driving for mileage, i was testing it out. I'm below that right now because my wife drove it and she works for meals and wheels and had to drive a route with it and killed the mileage, although i think i can get it back up, been raising it around .5 mpg a day.

how have you not gotten a better thank then that? I have the same setup as you. My best so far was a 29.1, which was 95% doing between 55 and 80 with some stop in go in the small towns we passed through.



the worse mileage i've ever gotten was around 20.5, and that was on the very first tank, and i wasn't driving for mileage, i was testing it out. I'm below that right now because my wife drove it and she works for meals and wheels and had to drive a route with it and killed the mileage, although i think i can get it back up, been raising it around .5 mpg a day.

Mine is almost always very short trips that rarely exceed 40 MPH. As Im sure you are aware, our HHR's get into lock up right around 40 and the RPM's drop significantly. The speed limit where I commute the most is 35 so inadvertantly, Im driving above 2000 RPM's. I try to get above 40, get into lock up and back down the speed but it's rare.

Now, Ive gone on the fwy and reset the DIC. Ive gotten as high as 31 average MPG so I know it's not broken. Usually, if I stay in town for the whole tank, Im usually at 16 to 18MPG. Ive had it scanned and there are no codes. It's just how it is. I can go almost 100 miles on an 1/8 of a tank, get back into town and watch it plummet. I dont hot rod it, I never let it idle too long. Sucks to be me, however, a tank lasts me 2 weeks.

Ive had it since 12/11/07 and just clicked off 4500 miles. Could also be the added weight of 6 discs in the changer. Ha!

If you have my luck, you always get behind someone who thinks their car gets best mileage around 37mph :cussing: and you're like, "Ah c'mon man, just three more mph and I'm in my sweet spot!" :lol:


Mine is almost always very short trips that rarely exceed 40 MPH. As Im sure you are aware, our HHR's get into lock up right around 40 and the RPM's drop significantly. The speed limit where I commute the most is 35 so inadvertantly, Im driving above 2000 RPM's. I try to get above 40, get into lock up and back down the speed but it's rare.

Now, Ive gone on the fwy and reset the DIC. Ive gotten as high as 31 average MPG so I know it's not broken. Usually, if I stay in town for the whole tank, Im usually at 16 to 18MPG. Ive had it scanned and there are no codes. It's just how it is. I can go almost 100 miles on an 1/8 of a tank, get back into town and watch it plummet. I dont hot rod it, I never let it idle too long. Sucks to be me, however, a tank lasts me 2 weeks.

Ive had it since 12/11/07 and just clicked off 4500 miles. Could also be the added weight of 6 discs in the changer. Ha!

yeah i'm usually all short trips and stop and go except the few longer trips to michigan it's had. But even then i'm getting around 23 or 24 around town. I think my average speed is 38mpg right now.

Usually anywhere in the range of 30 - 40 mph i can get a sweet spot and get in instamatic reading or around 30+mpg. But since i work at the bottom of a mile long hill, it doesn't help too much. Mostly it's 2 mile drives back and forth to work.

I just checked. This tank, average speed is 24mph. Sucko big time

Wish I was worried about only getting 33mpg. I'm guessing this had to be a joke!

Wish I was worried about only getting 33mpg. I'm guessing this had to be a joke!

mike i will have to agree with you..........i think alot of these guys that are saying that are lookin to much at the dic and not calculating manual....

i cant get 30 mph on the highway at 60 and keeping the foot out of it.....with my 2.4

My best tank on my SS was 35. Typically I average 21/30 with my SS. Of course I love the skinny on this thing. Only on trips keeping it under 70 do I get 30 MPG. That's why we drive my wife's 2008 Honda Civic when we can. It averages 34. I try and commute with my bicycle whenever possible.

Jim

No I'm serious, I get 33 just on the highway with the cruise on, In Minneasota we have 15% ethanol in all our gas I was thinking maybe get better mpg with pure gas. Maybe I need to look at this hypermile closer, I think I maybe missing something in the way to do it. I can look over the posts here.

I just got gas yesterday, and using pen and paper calculated my MPG-12 1/2. That's about all you can expect driving in Manhattan. No matter how great it is on the highway (around 30 when the traffic is moving) it really hurts to average in 0 MPG when you are stuck for an hour in bumper to bumper stop and go traffic trying to get into the Midtown Tunnel and traveling only a few blocks.

I still fail to see a problem. 33MPG on a vehicle rated at 30 MPG. I think you need to see CleveandHHRs thread for further instructions and techniques on hypermiling if you want better MPG than what you are getting. Search for Absurd Mileage.

I tried some of the techniques for 2 weeks and found that I hated driving with a goal of saving gas to the nth degree. I need to sit back and drive and not spend 100% of my time trying to eek out a few dollars in savings.

I still fail to see a problem. 33MPG on a vehicle rated at 30 MPG. I think you need to see CleveandHHRs thread for further instructions and techniques on hypermiling if you want better MPG than what you are getting. Search for Absurd Mileage.

I tried some of the techniques for 2 weeks and found that I hated driving with a goal of saving gas to the nth degree. I need to sit back and drive and not spend 100% of my time trying to eek out a few dollars in savings.

Want to see hypermiling to the xtreme? Lurk on the forum @ CLEANMPG.com
These people are hardcore.

Want to see hypermiling to the xtreme? Lurk on the forum @ CLEANMPG.com
These people are hardcore.

I'd rather eat glass, but thanks.

I agree w/you Brad. Now sure, some practical good habits are a positive thing but I will damned if I shut my car off at lights, go into neutral at every chance etc. I didnt buy the car solely for the MPG.

I'd rather eat glass, but thanks.

I was joking...That why I asked to be removed from their membership.

I was joking...That why I asked to be removed from their membership.

Well, I was laughing as I typed. So birds of a feather, flock together.

I still fail to see a problem. 33MPG on a vehicle rated at 30 MPG. I think you need to see CleveandHHRs thread for further instructions and techniques on hypermiling if you want better MPG than what you are getting. Search for Absurd Mileage.

I tried some of the techniques for 2 weeks and found that I hated driving with a goal of saving gas to the nth degree. I need to sit back and drive and not spend 100% of my time trying to eek out a few dollars in savings.

LOL!!!

I'd rather eat glass, but thanks.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!

I need to get a vid of my 12.2 mile trip to and from work. I'm d#% near asleep at 5am, not watching my dic like my life depends on it. One of me trying to get a ticket, one driving on cruise at 5mph over, one with "mild" hypermiling (read: lazy eficiency), and one with "hardcore", although I can't claim to be -thattttt- proficient at it. The worst I can do is 25ish, and I will get a ticket within a month doing that, or ill be watching for cops the way you guys think i watch my dic. i'll get 27-30 if I use cruise at 65, 31-34 with mild hypermiling, 34-41 with hardcore. During my aformentioned glass-shard-feast... i mean absurd mileage thread, i usually fell between 37 and 39.

Remember no max tire pressure, 87 octane, all cold 5am starts, no cruise ever, no a/c, never below 53-54. posted limit is 60.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!

At least we're all laughing together.

I would rather eat glass to. I bought my HHR for better gas mileage but this is Texas and it is hot. I am not going with out my air conditioner and many of the hypermiling techniques are not for me even though they do work.
I am impressed at what some are doing and more power to you as long as you stay out of my way. Curly

I would rather eat glass to. I bought my HHR for better gas mileage but this is Texas and it is hot. I am not going with out my air conditioner and many of the hypermiling techniques are not for me even though they do work.
I am impressed at what some are doing and more power to you as long as you stay out of my way. Curly

If your not in the slow lane, you won't be behind me.

I decided to hypermile a new tank. I took a "practice" run to get into the "hardcore as it's been called" groove again...lol.
39.3mpg on the home from work trip. 41 untill i took the 1 mile trip through downtown traffic..... 2 lights and into a parking spot. I only have 32psi in the tires, 94 octane, no ice-off coasting, cool day windows down, 53-63 p&G on the highway, no cruise.

I still can't taste the glass.

Your mileage is not bad and better than some others. Right now I am doing some baseline testing and then making mods to improve gas mileage.
For referece my mileage is 35-39 @ 60 MPH and 32.3 -38 @ 65 MPH. It goes down quickly if you have to slow down or speed up quickly to navigate through traffic.
CHRISSHHR did a Trifecta tune on his car and he said his mileage was up 4-5 MPG to 36-37.3 @ 68 MPH. I do not know how accurate those figures are and would like a follow up on it to know how it is doing now.

My goal here is to increase the gas mileage about 5 -7 MPG before doing any hypermiling (or eating glass)
I am currently researching and deciding what I want to do here. My thinking right now is
1. CGS axle back exhaust.
2. Intake (deciding between K &N filter or the CGS intake with a cold air mod)
3. Trifecta tune
4. lowering car about 2" all the way around.

No matter what the car is pushing a lot of weight and wind so you are limited on how much mileage it will get. I do believe some improvements can be made.

Your car seems to be right where it should be and can not expect much more with out making mechanical mods or hypermiling driving techniques.

You did not mention if your 06 HHR was an automatic or a standard transmission. If your averaging 33 mpg with an automatic trans, your doing well. I have averaged 35 mpg with my 2.2 HHR with a standard trans, mostly highway driving. However 33 mpg is what I am averaging right now. I shift at 3000 rpm, use 87 octane fuel and drive no more than 5 mph over the posted limit on the highway.

Here is a variable that no one has considered..when you are on the road, take notice of traffic.. I found that if you experiment a bit with distance between you and the car in front your milage changes, that is are you catching the air from the vehicle in front?I'm not talking tailgating, that only works with big vehicles,, try it behind a motorhome one time, I did and pulled 33 DIC pulling a trailered bike with an SS. But I have noticed a mile or two just by varying the distance, this also depends on the type vehicle in front. Seems these cars are sensitive to airflow. Just like Nascar, clean air is good,,turbulant air slows ya down!
I see auto verses 5 spd all the time, the only real difference there is the final drive ratio, once the torq converter is locked up its one to one just like a clutch.Though in town its dependant on speed when it locks up.

Mine is a 2.2 auto, my mileage has dropped when it's below zero, only get about 28-29,.

Mine is a 2.2 auto, my mileage has dropped when it's below zero, only get about 28-29,.

That's excellent! When it's below 0, it's expected to have reduced mileage. It takes longer for the engine to get to operating temperature and it has to work harder to maintain it.

I just wish the "sweet spot" was a little closer to my Lumina. Not sure exactly what it was, but it was near 50-60 I do believe. Not that you guys care, but I got 40mpg in my Lumina going 60mph from Frankenmuth to Petoskey, which is about 200 miles. Pretty good for a 10 year old car!

mileage sucks here in the winter also. i have contributed it to the colder weather and driving less and only driving short distances. i hate the winter now. its waay too long this year

Ok, so today I was driving on the expressway with the cruise set at 60, and my mileage was only 33.

Shouldn't it be a little better than that at 60? It wasn't windy, really cold, or anything...

Ok, so I went on a little trip today on the expressway. Went down to Novi...

Anyways, I reset my MPG going down, and coming back, and I measured it ONLY when I was on the expressway...no on ramps, off ramps, or city driving.

Also, each way was 64 miles, for a total of obviously 128 miles.

Going down, I averaged 29.3 mpg, with the cruise set at 70 the whole 64 miles.

Coming back, I averaged 33.8mpg with the cruise set at 70 also, the whole 64 miles.

This averages out to 31.55mpg over 128 miles going a steady 70mph.

Not too bad I guess. I know some people claim to do better, but oh well. I'm sure in the summer when it's warmer it will be a little better. Not sure either why it was better coming home than going down...perhaps a headwind or something...who knows. At least it is a little better than the Lumina..even though it's only a few mpgs... I didn't buy the HHR for that anyways.

There may be several reasons why return trip was better. Just a little bit of an incline that you can not even notice makes a big difference in mileage. Much easier to push a car downhill than uphill. I use an altimeter on my mileage tests and it gives you some interesting information. You wuld be surprised to see what you think is a flat level road is really a slight incline. You can also see an immediate change in MPG on even small inclines. That road may have looked perfectly flat but had a 900 foot incline over the 68 miles?
Another reason is as the oil, transmission, bearings, and everything gets warmer they have less friction. When the car is cold it is automatically richened to run good but that hurts mileage. All things being equal the car will always get better mileage as it warms up like on your return trip.

Tire pressure can go up 4 degrees or so in that hundred miles and that is significant to mileage. As the tires get hotter the air pressure goes up which lowers rolling resistance.

Wind also makes a big difference in mileage. I have seen 10 MPG difference from headwind to tailwind. And a crosswind hurts significantly to. I watch closely flags along the highway to see if the wind is picking up and what direction.

Traffic makes a big difference in if they are "Blocking" the wind or if you have to slow down and accelerate again.

There are other variables that I just do not know what they are because I can do a test back to back same day, same direction and not get the same results????

Like on my race car we measure the Barametric pressure, wind, temperature, altimeter, tire pressure and I can tell you how fast that car will run. It is not so simple with these cars and it does not make much sense. When you know all of the variables and monitor them you should be able to reliably predict the results.
I know some of the variables but obviously not all.

Yeah, who knows what exactly was causing it, but I'm sure there were many things!

Like I said, I'm glad my average of the two was still better than the EPA estimate! I was just hoping that it would be at least 30....

I know there was more traffic on the way home, but they were all going at least 70 so I was able to use my cruise... Perhaps I was even drafting a little bit and didn't realize it...

you will see better when it gets warmer. when your engine is cold it uses more fuel to "choke" the system and your engine oil is thicker. ive reset my mpg cruising at 60 in the summer and seen it as high as 40. it went down as soon as some hills went up but i was impressed.

Yeah, I know winter is a female dog to gas mileage....

you will see better when it gets warmer. when your engine is cold it uses more fuel to "choke" the system and your engine oil is thicker. ive reset my mpg cruising at 60 in the summer and seen it as high as 40. it went down as soon as some hills went up but i was impressed.

The computer on these cars is amazing! You can crank it up in 15* weather and it automatically adds the fuel to where it starts right up and runs clean like it was 75* outside. Problem with that it the fuel mileage is not as good as when it is completly warmed up. I had a motorcycle that simply would not run until it had been warmed up for about 10 minutes or more. I do not know how long and how much fuel our cars are adding but it adds enough that the car runs nice and smooth no matter how cold it is outside.

Yeah, and I suppose I'd rather have it run smoother and take a little more gas...

Driving my truck in the winter was a PITA!!!

it is so nice to just push a tiny button , and hear my hhr crank up , while i'm inside , in the heat.:thumb::thumb: i just wish the heated seats would also come on.;) i remember i once had an old 69 torino fastback . i only paid $100 for it . i miss the car . but i do not miss going out early in the am , having to open the hood and adjust the carb , just to get it to run , and then have to readjust it to get it to go.:roll:

it is so nice to just push a tiny button , and hear my hhr crank up , while i'm inside , in the heat.:thumb::thumb: i just wish the heated seats would also come on.;) i remember i once had an old 69 torino fastback . i only paid $100 for it . i miss the car . but i do not miss going out early in the am , having to open the hood and adjust the carb , just to get it to run , and then have to readjust it to get it to go.:roll:

Oooh, that would suck.... I was glad at least my truck had an electric choke!

This is obviously my first car with a remote start, and boy do I love it!!!

Why do I only get like 20-23 MPG on my 2.2 2007?? The Gas Milage Stinks. Any thoughts? or could it be the way i drive?

It's how you drive and where you drive. For me, mostly to and from work 4 miles with several stop lights, I get 22 mpg. My average speed is always 21 mph on the DIC. If I hit the freeway, I can get 32-34 mpg. Combo that (which I never do) and I'd get upper 20's.

I'm not complaining at all. My pickup was getting me 12 mpg at best.

Yeah, if that's mostly city driving that's about right...

Best I can get is about 31-33 on the expressway at 70. Waiting to see what it is at 60 steady on the expressway...

Wifeys 2.2 07 has been hovering about 31.5..DIC hasn't been reset for well over 8 months
She does about 35 miles round trip per day..but then,she drives like a girl! Except for those occasions where Johnny Law gave some looks and once a warning....

I know you can't gauge well on a short 15 mile e-way trip, but my DIC said it was at 36 mpg at 70....

Wonder if that's right....

I just got back from a road trip from Queens to Atlantic City, NJ and averaged 26 mpg done the old fashioned way, with pencil and paper. The DIC shows all kind of high numbers when moving, but the real average takes stopping for tolls, driving through Manhattan to get to the tunnel, waiting for lights, etc. I was pleased-averaged about 70 mph most of the highway time. That said, when I just drive in the city, I get about 12 mpg.

Ok, so I went to Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo over the weekend...and took notes, using the DIC.

Going to Grand Rapids, I drove 125 miles, at 60mph, and got 32.7mpg.
On may way home from Grand Rapids, I drove 115 miles at 60mph, and got 32.6mpg.

I didn't calculate my mileage going to Kalamazoo or anything, since I was going to be driving in the city...I just wanted a steady 60mph reading.

I had the cruise set the whole time. Don't you think I should be getting a little better than that at 60mph?

being stock that sounds about right. my trip to columbus was 145 miles, averaged 62mph but i was going 68 when curising and i got 36.0 average. thats after a few intake modifications. before the intake mod, i was right around where you are now.

being stock that sounds about right. my trip to columbus was 145 miles, averaged 62mph but i was going 68 when curising and i got 36.0 average. thats after a few intake modifications. before the intake mod, i was right around where you are now.

Hmm..so if I were to do some mods to my intake, I could get it up? What exactly did you do?

(And yes, I expect to see this in the dungeon....:lol:)

ill take some pics tomorrow for ya. pretty simple. although when i finish my other intake this will go. but i cannot say for sure if you would have the same increase as every car is different.

Took a trip to Cary, NC and back (Elmira, NY) - 1400 miles - set the DCI when I left (got 31.8 mpg going) and and checked it when I got back (30.5 mpg). On the highway I cruised at 75 mph. I was ver pleased with the results. I did use Shell high test though. The traffic on I-81 and I-95 was crazy.

On my 4000 mile road trip I averaged (by calculations) two mpg more than what the DIC registered. I did managed to get over 500 miles on one tank of gas and the fill up was 15.5 gallons. I finally saw the LOW FUEL DIC warning. I averaged 33.6 while DIC showed 31.1. 95% highway with cruise.

I followed up with what was suggested, to reflash the ecu. My dealer told me I have the latest update, I am currently getting 20 city and 26 highway. Dealer told me to purchase first teir gas such as Chevron or Shell. I am burning premium fuel. does anyone know if first tier gas will make a difference. I now have 2800 miles on the odo. Thanks...

I followed up with what was suggested, to reflash the ecu. My dealer told me I have the latest update, I am currently getting 20 city and 26 highway. Dealer told me to purchase first teir gas such as Chevron or Shell. I am burning premium fuel. does anyone know if first tier gas will make a difference. I now have 2800 miles on the odo. Thanks...

It might not be broken in yet. My mom's G6 took about 9-10k miles until it started getting better mileage. Each car is different though.

wow the best i can get is 25mpg even on the highway going 70.....i had a cobalt with a 2.2 and 5spd and i got 43mpg at one time......i think its the auto tranny that gets bad mpg....i mean then again the hhr is a brick too.

at 70 the rpm's are at 3k and in my cobalt they were 2400 about

Wify's hasn't reset the DIC in her LS for many many months now and its reading 33.7...I check it when I check her oil percentage. Last time I peeked she had 312 miles and was above the half mark on gas.Asked her how far she gets and got the usual..I don't know.

To give you an update. I now have 3200 miles on the odo and took a trip today, freeway driving and averaged 34.2 Yahoo!!!!. I do think the flexfuel sensor has something to do with the poorer mileage, because a blend of ethanol is in most fuels now. Does anyone know how to remove the sensor or what to recommend as far as a gas additive goes? Half of my tank was Chevron Premium without the ethanol, and dropped lower when I put the blend in it. Thanks...