Any chance "steering feel" affects overall driving?

[Arsenalslr95]

Here me out here.

Since I have got my car, I have been disappointed in the MPG I have been getting. I drive about 75% city, 25% hwy and cannot get the car above 16.5mpg average combined driving normal (not spirited). I also have made a thread or two about how the car feels "pulled back" when I let off the gas while cruising at various speeds, as if I was driving in sport mode using the paddles and let off the gas at a high RPM in a gear. All of this was in "Normal" steering feel mode. I tried "sport" steering feel mode for a day and the "pull back" feeling was even worse as well as MPG when monitoring real time on the dash. The green bars when coasting would not get all the way to the top when completely letting off the gas, like it does in the other two steering feel modes.

Fast forward to the point........

The past couple days I have been driving in "comfort" steering feel mode. The "pull back" feeling when letting off the gas has been reduced to practically none, and the gas MPG is better. When monitoring it real time on the dash, it hits the full green bars a lot quicker and a lot easier at various speeds / driving conditions. I am driving the same route, same traffic jams, excact same way. There is 100% nothing different about the way I am driving the car. Its not a brain game thing where in "sport" mode I drive it harder, etc. My last car (charger) shut down the engine from the HEMI's 8 cylinders to 4 (aka fuel saver mode) when babying the pedal at cruising speeds. I have 8 years experience / muscle memory of doing that, and I am applying the same light foot to this car when cruising.

I know steering feel should not affect anything else, but afterall, its all electronics and things happen. Thoughts?

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[SVTFreak]

I'm not sure what you're doing by what you typed, but if you are using the paddle and downshifting and letting engine brake you, you are hurting your economy some.

 

[BmacIL]

Here me out here.

Since I have got my car, I have been disappointed in the MPG I have been getting. I drive about 75% city, 25% hwy and cannot get the car above 16.5mpg average combined driving normal (not spirited). I also have made a thread or two about how the car feels "pulled back" when I let off the gas while cruising at various speeds, as if I was driving in sport mode using the paddles and let off the gas at a high RPM in a gear. All of this was in "Normal" steering feel mode. I tried "sport" steering feel mode for a day and the "pull back" feeling was even worse as well as MPG when monitoring real time on the dash. The green bars when coasting would not get all the way to the top when completely letting off the gas, like it does in the other two steering feel modes.

Fast forward to the point........

The past couple days I have been driving in "comfort" steering feel mode. The "pull back" feeling when letting off the gas has been reduced to practically none, and the gas MPG is better. When monitoring it real time on the dash, it hits the full green bars a lot quicker and a lot easier at various speeds / driving conditions. I am driving the same route, same traffic jams, excact same way. There is 100% nothing different about the way I am driving the car. Its not a brain game thing where in "sport" mode I drive it harder, etc. My last car (charger) shut down the engine from the HEMI's 8 cylinders to 4 (aka fuel saver mode) when babying the pedal at cruising speeds. I have 8 years experience / muscle memory of doing that, and I am applying the same light foot to this car when cruising.

I know steering feel should not affect anything else, but afterall, its all electronics and things happen. Thoughts?

How many miles do you have on your car? Mileage will definitely improve as the engine breaks-in, the transmission and driveline wear-in. It'll take 5000+ miles to get to where you'll have consistency there.

I am thinking you are trying to correlate something that is unrelated. If you switch back to sport steering and notice the issue again, I would take the car in. The steering mode should have zero to do with anything powertrain related.

 

[Arsenalslr95]

How many miles do you have on your car? Mileage will definitely improve as the engine breaks-in, the transmission and driveline wear-in. It'll take 5000+ miles to get to where you'll have consistency there.

I am thinking you are trying to correlate something that is unrelated. If you switch back to sport steering and notice the issue again, I would take the car in. The steering mode should have zero to do with anything powertrain related.

I have 1100 miles on the car. I know it sounds out there, but if I switch back to sport the symptoms i described can be noticed instantly. Did it this morning on the hwy on the way to work to see if making this post was worth it.

 

[EcoSwag1990]

There is definitely no correlation

 

[MSMStannyl]

I have 1100 miles on the car. I know it sounds out there, but if I switch back to sport the symptoms i described can be noticed instantly. Did it this morning on the hwy on the way to work to see if making this post was worth it.

I think what you're talking about is the Drive Mode (which affects steering mode), not just steering mode. I assume you have a GT PRemium with the toggles. It sounds like you also have an Automatic, right? I have a manual myself but I believe with the automatics, if you're changing drive modes you're also changing the steering feel, throttle response, and the aggressiveness of the shifting in the auto. As such, I'm guessing it's holding higher rev's in sport mode, thereby engine braking. If you're in comfort, everything is much more relaxed and at lower revs thereby reducing the engine braking.

My recommendation if you're looking for fuel savings is to drive it in Comfort mode (and just change the steering feel to whatever you want) and leave the tranny in Auto mode. That should give you the best result.

 

[EcoSwag1990]

I think what you're talking about is the Drive Mode (which affects steering mode), not just steering mode. I assume you have a GT PRemium with the toggles. It sounds like you also have an Automatic, right? I have a manual myself but I believe with the automatics, if you're changing drive modes you're also changing the steering feel, throttle response, and the aggressiveness of the shifting in the auto. As such, I'm guessing it's holding higher rev's in sport mode, thereby engine braking. If you're in comfort, everything is much more relaxed and at lower revs thereby reducing the engine braking.

My recommendation if you're looking for fuel savings is to drive it in Comfort mode (and just change the steering feel to whatever you want) and leave the tranny in Auto mode. That should give you the best result.

You can see he has a base by his avatar

Also in the bolded part above I assume you meant to say Normal mode. Comfort is a steering feel mode

 

[Arsenalslr95]

Yea no drive modes, its a v6. Im going to have to have the dealer look at it, something is deff going on

 

[MSMStannyl]

You can see he has a base by his avatar

Also in the bolded part above I assume you meant to say Normal mode. Comfort is a steering feel mode

Yes, you're right. I meant Normal mode (for the drive mode). Then again, I thought it was a Premium so if it's not, I'm not exactly sure what modes are available. Bottom line is leaving it "normal" and in Auto (for the tranny) would be your best bet for fuel efficiency.

My premium also has a Rain/Snow mode which really cuts the throttle response. This could possibly help even more but it's kind of annoying with a stick shift because it changes the throttle response so much that you have to change your method of clutch engagement.

 

[six_shooter]

I would wait until 2k miles before taking it in. You're just out of break in.

The heavier wheels with wider rubber will affect MPG. When I went from stock 235s to 255/275 I lost about 2 MPG. I drive 90% highway. I used to be able to get 28 on stock rubber but its more like 26 now if I am cruising at 80.

My overall MPG plummets around town. With 2 days of highway and the weekend trips to the supermarket etc it sometimes comes to like 23 MPG. So that number your getting is low but not far off. This car gets good highway mileage and abysmal around town mileage.

Gas is cheap now though

 

[six_shooter]

Also to add quickly, like others have said "D" is the mode you should use unless you're in for some spirited driving.

 

[Arsenalslr95]

Yea I keep it in D.....i was just using the sport mode setting as an example to describe the feel i was talking about. I guess I will wait it out, because so far in comfort setting everything is well

 

[Ugly John]

Maybe try this:

Get driving on a smooth, flat surface. Cruise control, no hills. Go to trip 1 screen, and reset. You'll see what you instantaneous mileage is. Change steering modes, repeat.

You won't see what it is doing during deceleration, but you'll know exactly what your engine is doing at speed. You can try it at different speeds too.

I can't think of a single reason why the steering feel would change anything. But, weird things happen!

Also- what are your tires at?

 

[Ugly John]

Oh, and I just noticed you're in Orlando - no wonder your mileage sucks! You can't go 2 feet without stopping!

I hate driving..... scratch that - I hate SITTING STILL IN TRAFFIC down that way...

 

[Arsenalslr95]

Maybe try this:

Get driving on a smooth, flat surface. Cruise control, no hills. Go to trip 1 screen, and reset. You'll see what you instantaneous mileage is. Change steering modes, repeat.

You won't see what it is doing during deceleration, but you'll know exactly what your engine is doing at speed. You can try it at different speeds too.

I can't think of a single reason why the steering feel would change anything. But, weird things happen!

Also- what are your tires at?

Good suggestion.....tires seem to be 34 cold and range up to 38 on a 100 degree day

Oh, and I just noticed you're in Orlando - no wonder your mileage sucks! You can't go 2 feet without stopping!

I hate driving..... scratch that - I hate SITTING STILL IN TRAFFIC down that way...

lol

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