[30 Ounce]

About a month ago we had the transmission replaced for an output shaft bearing whine under warranty. I changed my oil for the first time after that and find out they cut my engine shield all to pieces at that time. We had refused to have it done numerous times at that dealership and had them put a note on our file that we never want that done. They finally snuck in and did it and now my mileage has gone from an average of 42.5 to 36. My wife recently went to Kansas and back, a trip we do often to see relatives, and when she got back her mileage was 34.6! We usually get 40 to 42 MPG on that trip. I'm pissed! We called the dealer and need to call them back ion Monday.

 

[Jim Frye]

Feel for you. Hopefully, you have documentation on the refusal for the shield butchering. I'm expecting push back from the service manager on them replacing the shield, but **** has frozen over before. Keep us posted.

 

[spacedout]

Your mileage didn't drop that much from that shield being cut. I suspect you were dealing with a head wind, cooler temperatures, lower tire PSI, higher speeds or winter gas. Less stable at highway speeds? sure, its less than 1-2mpg loss at most based on thousands of miles of driving before and after the recall has been preformed. I drive 70% highway so my monthly mileage logs are pretty consistent.

Look at the bright side, now if your engine develops an oil leak you won't have to worry about the car catching fire. No its not just sloppy oil changes that are a fire risk with the shield intact.

 

[obermd]

My MPG didn't perceptibly drop when my shield was cut. However, if the cut is uneven they definitely do owe you a replacement of either the original style shield or a new style two piece shield. The biggest change in my ECO MT's handling was it becoming a little less resistant to being shoved around by the wind. Even with that decrease in wind stability it is still one of the most stable cars I've driven on the open road.

Something else is causing your MPGs to drop.

 

[ChevyGuy]

now my mileage has gone from an average of 42.5 to 36.

Something else is at play. Perhaps the new transmission isn't locking up.

 

[30 Ounce]

Tires are inflated to 45 psi. Winter gas and cold weather usually drops it down to 39-40. She's been back for a week and it's still only 36.2. That's 3 mpg lower than our bad weather and winter gas average.

 

[30 Ounce]

Something else is at play. Perhaps the new transmission isn't locking up.

Locking up? It had better not or I'll take directly back!

 

[ChevyGuy]

Locking up? It had better not or I'll take directly back!

Torque converter lockup. It was added decades ago for a better MPG rating. Without it, you'll have slippage.

 

[30 Ounce]

I have noticed it is much less stable on the highway around big rigs. They now push it around where as before they did absolutely nothing.

 

[30 Ounce]

Torque converter lockup. It was added decades ago for a better MPG rating. Without it, you'll have slippage.

Its a manual transmission.

 

[ChevyGuy]

Still, I have to wonder if the transmission is right. If we're going to point fingers at what the dealer did, that would be the thing I'd be most worried about.

You might check to make sure your brakes are fully releasing.

 

[Patman]

You might check to make sure your brakes are fully releasing.

It was some time after I bought my Eco and had lack luster MPG that I realized that my front brakes weren't releasing. It was like I was driving with 2 feet and always had the brakes on. Very subtle but a MPG killer I will tell you!

 

[brian v]

BS there is no possible way to lose 6mpg from the loss of a splash shield made out of plastic that is coated with a reflective steight to reflect high temps ... all the dealer has to do is quote the law and the GM Recall ....

Shoot I got butchered in 2012 when the coil pack gave out and the double talk and lets dent this cruzen for good measure along with a new coil pack and other bull shirrt to really pi ss this guy off because we want to see this guy again next week bit ching about the newly formed Dents in his brand new POS Cruzen ...YADA yada yada ...welcome to the club ....

 

[30 Ounce]

Thanks Brian, how about you quote "the law"? There is no law that says I have to remove that shield because some jakass at NHTSA thinks it could start a fire. Several car manufacturers have engine shields and they haven't been required to remove them. It's complete BS. The dealer has been ok about not removing it until this last visit.

6 mpg is what I'm losing! It may be a combination of cold weather and winter fuel but even at that I'm still down 2-3 mpg.

 

[Tomko]

Is it possible that someone is siphoning your fuel?

 

[obermd]

What RPM are you turning at 65 MPH? I wonder if the dealer put the wrong transmission in. You should be turning 2000 RPM at 65 MPH in 6th gear. Now that I know you're driving a manual the MPG difference you're describing is the difference between the ECO MT and the LT MT.

 

[30 Ounce]

Is it possible that someone is siphoning your fuel?

I don't think so. They would have to be pretty hard up to steal gas when it's so cheap and its 20 degrees here at night.

Thinking about this my work van is down 2 mpg also. Usually averages 18.6 but it's down to 16.2...I think the gas here may be watered down more than usual.

 

[spacedout]

I make a trip to the upper peninsula of Michigan from SW Wisconsin about 3 times a year and typically average over 40mpg even with my automatic. One trip last winter about this time I only averaged 31MPG!!! I have no idea why there was such a dramatic drop as the route, speed weather and temperature were all about the same as previous trips.

If there was a 6mpg loss from the shield being cut, we would see a difference in all 2013+ cruze EPA test ratings. I have a feeling no matter what your dealer really can't do anything about this, legally they could not give you an uncut shield again. Did I want my shield cut? nope but I took mine in the first month to get it done so I don't have this headache later on. Also if the car did ever catch fire I'm sure my insurance company would ask why there is a 4 year old recall not preformed on the car and try to wiggle out of paying.

 

[spacedout]

What RPM are you turning at 65 MPH? I wonder if the dealer put the wrong transmission in. You should be turning 2000 RPM at 65 MPH in 6th gear. Now that I know you're driving a manual the MPG difference you're describing is the difference between the ECO MT and the LT MT.

That could certainly account for most of a 6mpg difference! 38mpg LT, 42mpg ECO.

 

[brian v]

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration . The law ..cut that shield off . Dealer Tech OK .