Has this happened to anyone elses?

[skbrimer]

Hi,

I had some issues with my '00 Beetle about 2 months ago and I do not know what to do about it. One day my gas milage dropped from 400 miles per tank to 180miles per tank. I took it to the dealer right a way to be fixed. They replaced the Mass Air Flow Sensor, gave the car a tune up , and flushed the injection system. Two days after they gave it back to me I took it back because the 02 sensor went out and they fixed it as well.

Now here is my problem. Since I have had my car back it is less powerful and the gas milage is at 300 miles per tank. Is there still something still machanicaly wrong with my car or did they use the onboard computer to "downtune" my car. I have heard for this happeening in Dodge vehicals a lot and I was wondering if any one has had this problem as well.

[from Margaritaville...]

Is your car a Diesel, turbo, or 2.0? Automatic or stick?

2.0 forum answers my first question...(dummy me!)

[from Margaritaville...]

I get about 300 miles per tank (but I drive it firmly 'cuz I enjoy the hell out of it!)

[skbrimer]

it is a gas, 2.0L stick shift. I love driving it as well

[Lnzbug]

I don't know, does the 2.0 go into safe mode like the 1.8t's? I would bring it back to the dealer & ask them why it got weaker after they had it.

[skbrimer]

I don't know either. What do you mean by safe mode? I am planning on taking it back to them but I would still like to have some sort of Idea to give them to look for.

[Lnzbug]

For me, safe mode is like letting up on the gas when you are aproaching 3000 rpm's only you are actually almost flooring it no matter what gear you're in.

[Breez]

Originally Posted by Lnzbug

For me, safe mode is like letting up on the gas when you are aproaching 3000 rpm's only you are actually almost flooring it no matter what gear you're in.

How would you get out of "safe" mode?

[Lnzbug]

I think the dealer has to do it. Or someone with a vagcom.

[lunchindabox]

o2 sensors don't always throw a CEL. Mileage has alot to do with 02 sensors, when they are not functioning correctly, you can get good or bad mileage.

and flushed the injection system

This is probably what pushed your o2 sensors over the edge. They probably knew it would too. I think they should have just changed it anyways instead it popping up and you having to go back. They probably didn't because it is hard to talk most people into fixing something that is not broken. o2 sensors should be considered maintenance items.

With the proper 02 sensors now installed, your car is running the correct amount of air/fuel mixture which equates to a little less power.

Disclaimer; I may not really know what I am talking about.

Good luck.

[skbrimer]

Would this also account for the 25% drop in gas milage? If anything I would had thought I would have had better gas milage now that the air/fuel mixture is normalized and not running rich anymore.

The loss in power is not huge like you side, noticible but not huge. However I got the car for the amazing gas milage it had. I would really like to have it back.

[skbrimer]

Would this also account for the 25% drop in gas milage? If anything I would had thought I would have had better gas milage now that the air/fuel mixture is normalized and not running rich anymore.

The loss in power is not huge like you side, noticible but not huge. However I got the car for the amazing gas milage it had. I would really like to have it back.

[bugasm99]

your car could have been running lean originally which accounts for the great gas mileage. Once the maf or o2 failed, the car would stop doing real time fuel trimming and run extremely rich as a safety precaution. Now that they have fixed the items in need, you car might actually be running where it should, thus the 300 miles per tank.

There is a thread around here somewhere with miles per tank in it and most of the 2.0 people were getting between 300 and 350 per tank.

[bugasm99]

your car could have been running lean originally which accounts for the great gas mileage. Once the maf or o2 failed, the car would stop doing real time fuel trimming and run extremely rich as a safety precaution. Now that they have fixed the items in need, you car might actually be running where it should, thus the 300 miles per tank.

There is a thread around here somewhere with miles per tank in it and most of the 2.0 people were getting between 300 and 350 per tank.