QuestionMy '95 Cirrus LXi is getting very low gas mileage.
About 13 to 14M/g. I have had the fuel injectors clean and tune-up. Yet the Gas Mileage remain quite low. Is there anything I can check to improve the gas mileage.
AnswerHi Carmelo,
Fortunately the engine controller which runs all the sensors and actuators has the ability to recognize malfunctions and store the problems as fault codes, two-digit numbers, in its memory. There may thus be a clue as to why you have bad mileage stored in the memory. The most useful thing to do would be to try to get the fault codes that may stored in the engine controller memory to readout. Try using the ignition key: turn it "on-off-on-off-on" and leave it "on" (doing this quickly, no longer than 5 seconds). By "on" I mean just the normal position when the engine is running, not the cranking position. The 'check engine'light will remain on when you leave the key in the "on" position with the engine still not running. But then watch the 'check engine' light to begin flashing, then pause, flashing, pause, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause and keep track of the numbers. Repeat the readout and verify the counts are correct. Then group them in pairs in the order that they came out, thus forming two digit numbers. You may notice that the pause is shorter between the digits of a given number, and longer between the numbers themselves. Then send me a 'follow-up' question telling me the results of your readout. By the way, 55 will be the last number (two groups of 5 flashes each) and that is the code for "end of readout".
I have the troubleshooting manual for several engines and we can look up the possibilities of what is wrong based upon what fault codes you show. When you write back tell me what engine is in the Chrysler you are driving.
There is also an essay on fault codes at the site:
http://www.allpar.com/fix/codes.html
which gives the meaning of the code numbers.
So try that and get back to me with the results.
Roland
