My 2004 Dakota is getting 11 in town and 15 on the road.

I do better with mid grade gas, but not much.

4.7 V8. Quad Cab, 4wd. 90,000 miles.
Plugs are 2 years old.

I think I have read:

clean throttle body
Check/clean oxygen sensors
change air filter


Anything else?

Whatever you suggest, someone else may have to do it.


It was so bad, I was driving my kids 2005 Ford 500. Unless it snowed.

 

What kind of plugs you running?

 

um um

Yes, bad truck owner.

Truthfully, the mechanic put them in and I don't know.

I am pretty sure they are champion.

It was not good before the plugs, getting new plugs did not seem to make it better.

 

How many miles are on the plugs? The OEM plugs are a 30k change item.

You can't really "clean" an O2 sensor.

Do you have any codes?

 

Could be dang near anything

Bad map sensor
Dirty air filter
Plugs
Improperly inflated tires
Brakes dragging
Tranny going south
Cold temps

 

Plugs have about 20,000 2 years
Tires are new
Brakes have about 20,000 on them. 1.5 years old

I am going to check codes this weekend

 

Just because things are new or not that old doesn't mean things can't go wrong with them. Check wheels for drag, check plugs for proper burn color,map sensor condition.

 

If it's any solace, my '01 has been getting 12-13 local and struggles to see 18 highway since new. My previous gen Dakota was pretty much the same with the same drivetrain. I've accepted it as being a Dodge thing. And I've only had the 3.9 in the trucks, not even the V8! Remember that YYMV and what Joe gets in his exact same truck may not be what you will get. We all have different ideas of acceleration and late braking, we all drive differing conditions from hills to stoplights to traffic patterns. My experience with Dodge trucks has always been poor economy, and not always traded off with good acceleration.

Or you could pull out your hair, spends thousands of dollars and possibly improve the mileage, or not~~

Learn to drive like there's a raw egg under the accelerator pedal, keep your speeds down on the open road, and learn to anticipate the next stop instead of doing four wheel slides. I guarantee you will see an improvement. I preach that, but don't necessarily practice it!

And don't forget that you are currently driving in winter conditions, longer choke periods and more than likely ethanol in the tank.

 

Makes you feel any better I used to get 12mpg in my dakota on a good day! Most 4wds that are v8's arent gonna get much more than 13mpg in town. 17-18mpg highway. Got a 4.7 in a jeep grand cherokee and its about 12 in town mostly and best highway mileage was 18.9mpg. Only way to own a truck and get good mpg is move to diesel but even then you just about break even when it comes to oil changes and maintenance items. I get 16mpg in town with my ram

 

update

no codes

but, had a puddle of pink fluid in the garage this morning.
and a clicking on the passenger front side of the engine (it was -5 this morning)

so the mechanic said the belt should be changed-no argument.
and it turns really hard- so I am thinking power steering pump.

If so, this would be #3. 2 under warranty by Dodge. This one by me. I hope the after market one is better.

Thanks all for the suggestions and your experiences.

Truthfully, I need two more years. Then I can sell it.