duneslider
Full Access Members
So, I have done a fair amount of towing this year and a few weeks ago on a return trip I forgot to spin the knob to the trailer mode after filling up. Didn't notice until about 200 miles later but what I did notice is that my gas mileage was better than normal. I thought it might have been a fluke. We went the exact same location this last weekend and I decided to no use the trailer mode again just to see. Sure enough, I got better mileage on the way down and the way back than I normally get. I have towed this same stretch multiple times this year and last year and always am right around 9mpg. Just leaving the transmission in the normal mode I am seeing more like 10.5mpg.
Not a huge data set here but I am finding it interesting that all 3 times I didn't change the mode my mileage has been higher than when I use the tow mode. I do know the tow mode does a better job of holding things back on down hills but this particular trip doesn't hit mountains too much and is mostly a net wash in elevation ups and downs, nothing over about 7000'. My house is about 5800' and the destination is about 6200', so no long downs that I need engine braking.
Not a huge data set here but I am finding it interesting that all 3 times I didn't change the mode my mileage has been higher than when I use the tow mode. I do know the tow mode does a better job of holding things back on down hills but this particular trip doesn't hit mountains too much and is mostly a net wash in elevation ups and downs, nothing over about 7000'. My house is about 5800' and the destination is about 6200', so no long downs that I need engine braking.