More issues with the new to me 03 Mounty :sigh:

[shadowless127]

So I''ve had my 03 mounty for half a week and i'm really not happy with some of the issues i'm having.

Aside from the driver heated seat not functioning correctly, it seems as if the latch sensor for the driver door is messed up because intermitently it will tell me door ajar and/or the audible alert for the open door sounds even when all doors are shut and RE Shut. I'm going to have the dealer fix this when i take it in for the heated seat issue.

My fuel economy is just awful. I'm getting about 10-11mpg. If I baby the pedal i get 13.5. I'm going to see about changing out the fuel filter and the spark plugs/wires; i'm also going to be doing a new intake and a magnaflow cat back over the next few months.

Besides not being a complete lead foot (which is really hard to do with the V8 ) what else can I do to improve fuel economy? I'd be very happy if i could get 16mpg mixed.

Thanks!

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

do you have 4x4? if you do your mileage with the v8 would be acceptable.

My '02 has the v6, 2x4 and i get 16-17 in the city.

 

[steventadams]

do you have 4x4? if you do your mileage with the v8 would be acceptable.

My '02 has the v6, 2x4 and i get 16-17 in the city.

He has AWD, but even so 10/11 mpg is not acceptable. Should be getting somewhere in the high teens mixed. I would start off with a tune-up like you're doing. Is it running rough at all or throwing any codes?

 

[shadowless127]

He has AWD, but even so 10/11 mpg is not acceptable. Should be getting somewhere in the high teens mixed. I would start off with a tune-up like you're doing. Is it running rough at all or throwing any codes?

That's the thing, it runs like a champ. No rough idle, no codes, no hard shifts. We did ~60 miles of highway traveling yesterday mixed with a bunch of city and got 14.5 averaging 70-90 on the highway. I'm thinking memorial day traffic on the city roads around me mix with my lead foot haven't help. The dealer was supposed to do some stupid 360pt check before i took delivery, but i'm pretty sure all they did was change the oil. I'm going to look at the air filter in a little while and change it if need be till i get my new intake, and next week i'm going to take it in for spark plugs and have them check the fuel filter.

 

[02mountaineerv8]

I had my 02 Mountaineer now for 3 years. Its a V-8 AWD..... The computer tells me I average 20.5mpg mostly all highway driving though sine I travel 120 miles a day though, but 20.5mpg for a midsize suv is great!

as for ur door ajar light. Thats not big deal fix. Spray all door latches with WD-40, open and shut each door about 5 times after sparying the latches. You got a sticky latch which tells the computer ur door is open and its really not. I have had that happen to mine plus hundreads of other people on here with Explores and Mountaineers. The fix is WD-40

 

[shadowless127]

I had my 02 Mountaineer now for 3 years. Its a V-8 AWD..... The computer tells me I average 20.5mpg mostly all highway driving though sine I travel 120 miles a day though, but 20.5mpg for a midsize suv is great!

as for ur door ajar light. Thats not big deal fix. Spray all door latches with WD-40, open and shut each door about 5 times after sparying the latches. You got a sticky latch which tells the computer ur door is open and its really not. I have had that happen to mine plus hundreads of other people on here with Explores and Mountaineers. The fix is WD-40

Awesome! I'll go out tomorrow and pick up some WD-40. I've already isolated the issue to the driver's door but i'll spray each to prevent future issue.

As for gas mileage, i've adjusted my driving style a bit and i'm getting slightly better gas mileage. But with memorial day traffic and my constant city driving I'm sure that hasn't helped. I'm still going to do the intake, exhaust, fuel filter, and plugs/wires because I believe a healthy car yeilds a happy owner.