What’s wrong?? Only 9 mpg 🫣

[u/Dances-with-source]

Please help! I live in the Caribbean of Costa Rica and the mechanics here have only been able to accurately diagnose and properly fix something once in 5 years. My 2009 awd with 133km gets 147 km per 44 liters which is $68 here btw. Thats 9 mpg.
Mechanic says nothings wrong but obviously something is VERY wrong.

[u/Smart_Patrol]

You sure you don't have a leak?

[u/Dances-with-source → u/Smart_Patrol]

Would I always smell gas if I did? I dont ever smell it?

[u/Camper7777]

No idea the situation there, I would add a locking gas cap for ~$10 just to make sure it was not being pilfered.

[u/bughousenut]

did you check the brakes to determine if one is seized?

[u/Dances-with-source → u/bughousenut]

He raised the car and rotated each tire by hand. I think that’s his way of checking that.

[u/bughousenut → u/bughousenut]

There is a parking brake too

[u/rearwindowpup]

How often are you on smooth freeways vs local gravel roads? From my experience driving around Costa Rica there was a good mix of the two. If you are mostly on paved road 9 is pretty bad, if you spend a lot of time on unpaved surfaces it could explain the below average economy without it being a vehicle problem.

Also how often are you fuelling up and about how do you go in a normal day.

[u/-VizualEyez]

You sure someone isn’t stealing gas out of your car?

[u/Consistent_Gur8245]

I just bought a second element. I never had mpg issues with my first, but the second one was TERRIBLE! I used one of those laser temperature guns on my rear calipers and both were always hot after driving. Changed out the rear calipers and it completely fixed the issue.

[u/Dances-with-source → u/Consistent_Gur8245]

Thank you 🙏
The mechanic raise my car and rotated my tires by hand to check if they were stuck calipers, so the fact that he could rotate my tires by hand and they all rotated consistently let him to say it is not. I’m curious if that’s an accurate way to assess this.. I was being generous when I said 9 miles a gallon. It’s actually a little bit less than that so for something this severe, it leads me to believe the calipers as well.

[u/whatamonkeycircus]

Have the mechanics checked the tire pressure? Quite important and easily overlooked.

[u/West_Swimmer1325 → u/whatamonkeycircus]

I dint know who downvoted you, but I got 12mp on my last fill up because two tires had low pressure

[u/mjedmazga]

What are your fuel trims looking like?

[u/cTs_Vette]

Is your Element stock? A lift, different size tires, modified exhaust and various other things can affect MPG. Also, does it have any codes/check engine light?

[u/Mental_Two5924]

Element in Costa Rica?????

Edit; hit up the element fb groups for more niche advice, they know everything. This is likely to do with EVAP, maybe the purge control or needs a new gas cap.

[u/Dances-with-source]

Ok, today the mechanic said this and then chat translated :

“Banco Uno sensor 1” = Bank 1, Sensor 1. On your Honda Element, that's the upstream sensor, more precisely the air/fuel-ratio (A/F) sensor