Real World MPG with DSG

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
Mine is very difficult to fill consistently, I have a certain pump/station that I use almost every time so I've gotten it down pretty good, but if I use a different pump with a different ground angle I will get different results. Crazy as it sounds if I have the nose of the car pointing up slightly I can get it just about full. Got 17 gallons on my last fill up which is the most I've ever been able to get in the tank, I did however run that tank lower than I have ever done before....it was LOW....poor calculation put me in a situation where I had to run the tank lower than I wanted.
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Doesn't the new Passat have an 18 gallon tank? Based on filling my JSW, I would guess that from bone dry, you could then get almost 20 gallons into the Passat tank and filler neck.
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
Doesn't the new Passat have an 18 gallon tank? Based on filling my JSW, I would guess that from bone dry, you could then get almost 20 gallons into the Passat tank and filler neck
Think it is closer to 18.5 gallons....
 

APT

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Location
Metro Detroit
TDI
2012 Passat SEL
The percentage should not vary and I think most of us have experienced that the MFI gives consistent results
Can one simply use the snow tire setting and adjust tire size to achieve more accurate MPG measurements by the computer? Are there any other side effects of adjusting snow tire size?
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
Snow tire setting in the MFI is actually just another speed warning that you can set when snow tires are installed. It does not apply a correction factor for different sized tires.
 

Manitoba TDI Passat

New member
Joined
May 10, 2012
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
TDI
2012 Passat TDI Highline
DSG it is

I have a Passat with DSG transmission, milage is very very good compared to most vehicles and with no tourque converter to lose your power to it drives a lot like a manual, can be manually shifted with stick or Paddle shifters (on sport Package) and for convenience you have a fully automatic mode. I love the way it down shifts when braking and the ease of use it provides. It is really a automatically shifted Manual, and for a family sedan I feel is the best most versatile choice!
 

WeeeZer14

Active member
Joined
May 25, 2012
Location
Knoxville, TN USA
TDI
2012 Passat TDI SE DSG
Drove from Nashville TN (wife's business trip) to Beltsville MD (my business trip) on one tank of fuel with a quick 36 hour layover at home in Knoxville. I-40 to I-81 to I-66 to the DC beltway. Mostly cruise set between 70 and 75. Maybe 20 minutes in stop and go traffic on I-81 due to construction closing a lane. Then average speed down to 50 to 60mph in the DC area.

Two adults plus 13 mo. old son plus luggage and toys filling trunk and back seat next to son.

Miles = 660.8
Gals = 14.26
MPG (MFD) = 47.8
MPG (paper) = 46.3

Next tank was a weeks worth of a 5 mile commute twice a day, plus again that much for dinner each day, and a 2 hr drive up I-95 and back (in traffic) once. Then down I-95 and I-64 in heavy rain and AWFUL traffic to visit people in Williamsburg VA. And then back across I-64 to visit people in Richmond VA (again with frequent traffic). Then across to I-81 and down to about Lexington VA. That tank:

Miles = 681.2
Gals = 16.54
MPG (MFD) = 45.0
MPG (paper) = 41.2

That second tank was filled up at a old, rural station that only had truck nozzles. I had 30 miles to go according to the MFD and had already stopped at two other stations that had broken pumps or no diesel, so I nursed the fuel in. Therefore I REALLY filled it up, so I put in more fuel than would have gone in if I relied on a pump automatically shutting off. So theoretically the paper MPG was probably higher.

Anyway, no matter what, I am VERY impressed with the milage (and the car in general).
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
What makes me wonder about the Passat is why the MFI shows 30 miles to empty but if you got 16.54 gallons in: there should have been another two gallons in the tank, and therefore a lot more than 30 miles to empty. It seems that people have a hard time using the full tank capacity that the Passat is supposed to have.

When I run my Golf to 0 miles to empty I can fill with close to 15 gallons (14.5 gallon stated tank capacity). Seems much closer.
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
Because VW doesn't want you to run out of fuel. So they tell you it's empty before it's actually empty.

Some postulate that VW wants a certain amount of fuel to remain in the tank to act as coolant for the HPFP. Others believe that it's just a safety margin so you don't run it dry.

Either way, you have about a gallon left when the gauge says empty.
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
I've put as much as 15.8 gallons in my JSW but have never put more than 15 in my daughter's 03 passat with a 16 gallon tank. It just doesn't make sense that VW is inconsistant across their models.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
I think it's a flaw in the tank/filler design in the Passat that prevents a complete fill. It jives with folks saying it's hard to get the gauge to read full. Kind of the opposite of the B4, where a vented fill-up wouldn't move the needle off full until you'd driven 400 miles.
 

darrelld

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2007
Location
North Texas
TDI
2014 Tesla Model S85, 2017 Chevy Bolt
Mine is very difficult to fill consistently, I have a certain pump/station that I use almost every time so I've gotten it down pretty good, but if I use a different pump with a different ground angle I will get different results. Crazy as it sounds if I have the nose of the car pointing up slightly I can get it just about full. Got 17 gallons on my last fill up which is the most I've ever been able to get in the tank, I did however run that tank lower than I have ever done before....it was LOW....poor calculation put me in a situation where I had to run the tank lower than I wanted.
With the front slightly inclined lower during fueling, you can get the tank to full.
 

gfr1

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2011
Location
N. TX
TDI
2012 Passat SEL TDI ordered
Fuel quantity reading error

Actually, the error is more than you are suggesting. Recall that the Aussie distance record setter couple ran their Passat to empty? They refueled to over 19 gals. I just read another article last week, and I may be wrong, but, I recall that it said 19.6. I can't find the article, now. That implies that the 18.5 gal. tank plus the filler pipe, etc. And, I'm assuming that you are filling up the the lip of the filler, or you wouldn't know it's full. And, since the extra fuel is above the full tank, it means that if you are only able to get 17 gallons in, there is actually 2.6 left in the tank when you show empty and not 1.5. Since these days, all parts are interchangeable, if their TDI could hold 19.6 (if that was the figure), then all of them should. I think somebody should give-it-a-go & get to the bottom of this! And, I don't have mine yet.
 

rotarykid

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 27, 2003
Location
Piedmont of N.C. & the plains of Colorado
TDI
1997 Passat TDI White,99.5 Blue Jetta TDI
I've put as much as 15.8 gallons in my JSW but have never put more than 15 in my daughter's 03 passat with a 16 gallon tank. It just doesn't make sense that VW is inconsistent across their models.

I can tell you that my friends 04 Passat TDI sedan holds at least 17.3 while still running around, it was still driving when we pulled into fuel station. I don't recall what the actual tank rating is on the 04-05.....

16+ in more than a few A4 TDIs ( VE & PD ) & A5s TDI-PDs over the years....

I have put 19+ in my 97 Passat TDI more times than I can recall....
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
Actually, the error is more than you are suggesting. Recall that the Aussie distance record setter couple ran their Passat to empty? They refueled to over 19 gals. I just read another article last week, and I may be wrong, but, I recall that it said 19.6. I can't find the article, now. That implies that the 18.5 gal. tank plus the filler pipe, etc. And, I'm assuming that you are filling up the the lip of the filler, or you wouldn't know it's full. And, since the extra fuel is above the full tank, it means that if you are only able to get 17 gallons in, there is actually 2.6 left in the tank when you show empty and not 1.5. Since these days, all parts are interchangeable, if their TDI could hold 19.6 (if that was the figure), then all of them should. I think somebody should give-it-a-go & get to the bottom of this! And, I don't have mine yet.
Have fun ruining your fuel system by running it dry just to see how far it will go! That's a terrible suggestion. :rolleyes:

By the way, Coffeemade has already run his out of fuel and the dealer ended up replacing his fuel tank because it wouldn't fill all the way - as have a couple of others (had tanks replaced due to filling issues).
 

Ace Deprave

Veteran Member
Joined
May 29, 2012
Location
Louisiana
TDI
Former owner of a 2012 Passat SE TDI (traded for a 2015 Golf R)
I still believe that they have changed something on the fuel tank/filler neck, because I have not had any of these issues with having a full tank. (My car's build date is May). Three days ago, I drove it until the needle was about 1/2 in the red zone, and the trip computer said I had 30 miles to empty. I filled until the nozzle clicked off, let the foam settle, and topped off, only adding about 1/4 gallon. The total gallons pumped was 17.5, which seems about right to me.
 

TDI_Ryan

Veteran Member
Joined
May 31, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium
I've just crossed 100 miles in my 2013 that I picked up yesterday, and I'd say 80 of the miles are in the city. The MFI says 42.4, so that's nice. And yes, I'm varying my rpms (but not over 3800rpm) and driving mostly normally. Seems from everything I've read on this forum, plus what I'm seeing in my car, that they drastically underrate the fuel economy on these cars.
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
TDI_Ryan, you're right about the underrated fuel economy - by about 15-20% in most cases, it seems.

Regarding not going over 3800 RPMs, that's good - there's pretty much no need to go over 3800 RPMs ever, even after the engine is broken in. Power drops significantly above 4000. Let the torque be with you. :D
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
3800 RPMs at 80? Try taking your DSG out of 4th gear. ;)
 

BlownBusa

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Location
Amarillo Texas
TDI
2012 Passat SE+ DSG
^ +1 LOL! I ran 77mph from home to Vegas at exactly 2400rpm :D
Yes! I (may) be a bit A.D.D. But not much...;)
Avg 42.4mpg with a head wind & 2,800 on the clock now :D
 
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APT

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Location
Metro Detroit
TDI
2012 Passat SEL
I picked up my Passat DSG from a dealer 300 miles away. On my test drive home, I hit 3500 in 6th gear once (gotta vary the engine speed ;) ) at something like 115mph. 80 is about 2500rpm. Higher than it needs to be IMO, but it cruises comfortably and efficiently.
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
115 should be the governor, so that's about all you'll get. :cool:
 

big_ole_truck

Veteran Member
Joined
May 23, 2010
Location
NW FL
TDI
2015 VW Passat TDI SEL
After 3800 miles, I'm finding wind to being the biggest impact to fuel mileage. If it's calm, I can get the high 40s (47 to 49). But on moderate head wind speeds, the fuel economy drops down to low 40s.

DSG is great. I don't miss rowing thru the gears at all, especially when stuck in congested traffic.
 
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