I drive a lot on my F150. From house errands to picking and dropping things in different places to moving stuff from one place to another, I do it all with my truck.
However, recently, I have been noticing that I spend a lot on gas. So the thinking of making my four-wheeler efficient came to the back of my mind.
Basically, I wanted to know how to get better gas mileage in a Ford F150.
You can increase the MPG if you take out the extra cargo, stop stomping on the gas pedal, plan the routes properly, and carry out proper maintenance.
However, there are other methods as well which I am going to discuss in this article. So, if you want to improve the gas efficiency to the maximum level, stick to the very end!
What Is the Gas Mileage on a Ford F150?
Before anything else, you need to know what exactly gas mileage refers to. In a general sense, it is the number of miles the F150 can travel by using a particular amount of gas.
It is the thing that will dictate the annual gas fee. And it will usually be stated as MPG, which is the short form of Miles Per Gallon.
The higher the MPG, the higher the number of miles you will be able to tread with a single gallon of gas. And the MPG of the F150 will range from 13 to 25. It will depend on the engine and a couple of other factors.
Which Ford F150 Gets the Best Gas Mileage?
As you know by now, there are plenty of different versions available for F150. All of them do not rely on the same engine and other parts, which makes the MPG vary a lot from one to another.
Like I mentioned, the MPG of the F150s starts from 13 and can go all the way up to 25.
Now, the real question is, which one has the most, right? That would be the Ford F150 Pickup 2WD. It has a 3.5L six-cycle engine. And the 10 steps transmission is automatic.
Why Is My Ford F150 Getting Bad Gas Mileage?
There are a couple of reasons behind an F150 offering a bad mileage. Let me go through the common ones, shall I?
1. Clogged Fuel Filter
You might already know by now that the fuel filter will screen out all of the contaminants from the fuel.
Over time, after screening out a lot of contaminants, the filter can get clogged. When that happens, the engine does not get pure fuel, which can drastically lower the MPG of the vehicle.
2. Defective Fuel Pump
Fuel delivery issues can play a significant role in terms of efficiency. And the pump is the thing that actually pulls the fuel from the tank. It makes the fluid flow through the injectors.
Like the filter, it can get clogged too. It can even malfunction from time to time, making the injector get less fuel.
When the pump gives up, the engine will have a rough running time. And it will not be getting a sufficient amount of fuel. That will lead to a declination of MPG.
If you do not address the issue at the right time, you will notice stalling, sputtering, idle issues, and roughness.
3. Misaligned Tires
Did you know that the alignment of the tires can have an effect on the MPG? Even when the tires are out of alignment or low than the other ones, the fuel efficiency will degrade substantially.
That is why it is essential to check the tire pressure and alignment from time to time.
4. Dirty Fuel Injectors
The fuel injectors spray the fuel inside the cylinders. Then it gets mixed with air before getting ignited. When the fuel injectors get dirty or clogged, there will be a drop in fuel efficiency.
You will also notice slow acceleration as the car will not have enough power to operate optimally.
5. Bad Spark Plugs
Spark plugs are an essential part of the car. They ignite the fuel and start the combustion process. And these can get dirty over time too.
They will also start to work incorrectly. When that happens, the engine will misfire, which will lead to poor engine performance.
6. Dirty Oxygen Sensor
The primary work of the oxygen sensor is to measure how lean or rich the exhaust gases are.
This sensor does all of the measurements when the gas leaves the chamber. And the data it collects will make the car’s processor adjust the amount of fuel entering the system.
If the data it collects is faulty, the computer will make wrong adjustments. And that can also lead to a poor MPG. The issue can also lead to rough idling and failed emission tests.
Why Does My F150 EcoBoost Get Bad Gas Mileage?
There may be a couple of reasons behind the Ford F150 EcoBoost getting bad gas mileage. I have already covered a couple of the common causes in brief in the previous segment.
The reasons might be one of those. But there are a couple of uncommon reasons too. They are:
1. Mass Airflow Sensor Malfunctioning
One of the reasons behind the bad MPG might be the mass airflow sensor. This sensor detects the amount of incoming air.
It keeps the data stored and delivers the information to the vehicle’s computing system. The system then crunches all of the data and ensures that the correct amount of fuel is getting mixed with the air.
However, when the sensor reads a wrong amount of air coming inside the fuel injector system, the computer will not make enough fuel get inside the system. And that will lower the MPG.
2. Stuck Brake Caliper
A stuck shoe on a drum brake or stuck caliper on the disc brake can lead to severe degradation of MPG. Additionally, it will lower the car’s braking performance, which is not a good thing at all.
How to Get Better Gas Mileage in a 5.0 Ford F150?
Getting better fuel economy is not impossible at all. All you need to do is a factor in a couple of things. Wondering what am I actually talking about here? Well, you will soon find out!
1. Remove the Extra Cargo Weight
Are you carrying the same old chunky toolbox on the bed? Well, chances are, you did not use half of the tools that are inside it.
Maybe getting some of them off and opting for a lightweight toolbox will offer the same functionality as carrying that old chunky toolbox. It will allow you to get rid of excess cargo weight too.
The fact is not applicable for the old chunky box only. It applies to all of the unnecessary objects you might have been carrying on the back for all this time.
Get those unnecessary things off the bed. That will lower the load, and you will notice a good improvement on the MPG.
2. Avoid Stomping Hard on the Gas Pedal
You might not know this, but the system will use more gas when you stomp on the pedal. Sometimes an unnecessary amount of gas will be transmitted into the engine.
Put pressure on the gas pedal as if there is an egg in between. That will allow you to save on the gas a bit.
3. Regularly Maintain Your Truck
It goes without saying that the things that go through proper maintenance will last longer and perform better throughout the lifespan.
That being said, you should keep the air filter clean, ensure that the fuel filter is not clogged, and check whether each of the sensors is working optimally or not.
Additionally, you should change the oil after every 3000 miles. That will ensure that the engine is getting clean fuel and the combustion process is working correctly.
4. Plan Your Routes and Maintain a Proper Speed
If you plan your routes accordingly, it will be possible to save a good amount of gas. Take the routes that are usually downhill. That will put less load on the engine. Also, ensure that your speed is at 55 Mph or at the speed limit. The faster you go, the more gas you will burn.
Furthermore, it would be a wise idea not to put the car on idle for more than a few seconds. Also, do not warm up the car for more than two minutes in the cold weather. Those can contribute a lot in terms of saving gas and increasing the MPG.
How to Get Better MPG on F150 EcoBoost?
Not getting a respectable MPG on the F150 EcoBoost? Well, here are some tips that you should consider:
1. Keep the Speed Under 70
It is a fact that if you drive slower, the gas mileage gets better. But the case is not really as simple as it looks. The city vehicles do drive under 70, but their MPG is not that high up. That being said, the golden speed range is within 55 to 65 MPH. In that range, the fuel economy maximizes.
2. Keep Track of the RPMs
To get about a 15 percent increase in terms of the MPG, you need to keep an eye on the RPM levels. Keep them low when you are accelerating through the city roads. Also, ensure that you are not going all-in on the gas pedal. That will make the gas flow out more, which is not good for the gas mileage.
3. Cut Down on Air Conditioning
You probably know by now that the air conditioning system of your car gets power from gas. If you are driving below, try to keep the windows open instead of ramping up the AC. Also, the same goes for the heating system. Do not keep it turned on for more than 2 minutes.
Do Tonneau Covers Improve Gas Mileage?
Among all of the modifications, installing tonneau covers is one of them. Even though it might seem like that the mod would be making a significant impact in terms of increasing the efficiency, the result actually varies a lot.
Sometimes the mod offers a significant improvement, while sometimes, the increase is minuscule. I wrote an in-depth article on tonneau cover and gas mileage.
Do Truck Caps Improve Gas Mileage?
Although the modification might seem worth it, it actually is not. Truck caps will add more weight to the vehicle, which will lower the MPG.
So, I would personally recommend against it. Instead of doing this modification, dig on to the ones that do not add extra weight to the vehicle.
Do Larger Tires Improve Gas Mileage?
Just like tonneau, large tires can also offer an improvement in terms of gas mileage. In fact, I have personally noticed that when I inflate the tires at the appropriate amount, the MPG increases to up to 3 percent.
On the contrary, the MPG drops to about 5 to 7 percent when the tires are not properly inflated.
Do Iridium Spark Plugs Improve Gas Mileage?
Yes, iridium spark plugs are better at starting the ignition. That means there will be fewer chances of engine misfires, and the combustion process will start efficiently.
Eventually, there will be an improvement in terms of the MPG. Considering that, I would say that they can surely improve the gas mileage.
Do Tuners Improve Gas Mileage?
If you opt for the trusted tuners that match the calibrations of the F150, you will surely see a rise in terms of gas mileage. However, your driving style will also have an impact in this case.
So, getting tuners might not always offer you improved MPG.
Will Removing Catalytic Converter Improve Gas Mileage?
Removing the converter will not offer any significant improvement at all. However, if the converter is clogged and you replace it with a new one, you will see improvement in the MPG.
2016 Ford F150 3.5 turbo. I recently had a series of rusted bolts replaced, had an exhaust leak and right side turbo replaced. Gas mileage was 20plus now it’s 15 and less. I’d like to know why, because if I can’t get back this will be the LAST Ford I will ever own!
I had the right side turbo replaced on my 2016 F150 3.5 turbo too! And then instead of getting 17 mpg city/21 highway, I now get 15 mpg city/17 highway. Just got an error that the turbo bypass valve has a problem, so that is being replaced right now. Hopefully that returns me to the better mpg…
I have never had MPG better than 17.2 with my 2016 F-150 FX4 3.5 EcoBoost. Whether I drive highway miles on a road trip or just between home and town where I drive slower. Not sure how you achieved 20+ MPG in the first place.
looking to buy a one owner corporate f 150 with 135000 miles with the 5.0 No real maintaince records but is super clean, checks out on Carfax accident and title wise. Tires are mud type and not smooth, drifts left, king ranchtires or alighnmet ? thanks
Bought at an auction, how much do roadside dealers mark up? 2018 f 150King Ranch