Early 06 milage issues

[BILLVO]

I have a friend who purchased a new 06 dually 4x4 quad cab with auto and he has about 2 k miles on it now and he is very extremely unhappy with the milage. He is only getting 10-12 with it empty and 9-10 pulling 24 foot stock trailer not even a good load for it. This is hand calculated not over head but both are real close he said usually within 1 mpg or less. He is wondering if there is anything he can do for it? I do not follow the 3rd gen board much but have heard the early 06 has a reflash that helps this. Is this true?I have heard the early o6 models were bad for having milage issues that went away around mid year. By the way he has 3. 73 gears also.



Any info I can pass on to him will be helpfull.



Bill

 

[DieselFiend]

yeah, i don't think this is just an early 06 issue. You can thank the EPA for crappy economy after 04. 5. It's funny how they totally screw with fuel economy while trying to get a cleaner burn. I'm lucky to see 15MPG empty and I usually see 11 or 12 towing my 8K travel trailer.

 

[KParsons]

06 mpg

my 06 single wheel quad empty is in town16mpg, at65mph 19-21mpg easy driving . hard 70to75mph 17-18mpg. light towing 14-15mpg. you must drive very easy to get this mpg. this inc. max air press!. kp

 

[kshimizu]

My truck has the 4. 10 rearend and I average 14-16 empty and 9-12 towing.

 

[Arkapigdiesel]

If I'm strictly highway with the cruise set at 75 w/the occasional burst to get around someone I average low to upper 17's. I pulled an 8K load at the 2500 mile mark on the odometer but didn't check the mileage as the engine wasn't broken in and I never did over 60 MPH.



I'm hoping once the engine gets broken in many miles later that I'll see the upper teens on the highway.

 

[BILLVO]

I just talked to him again today and he claims as low as 7-8 mpg with his 20 ft gooseneck stocktrailer with 10 heifers in it probably 12k lbs max. running 65 mph open roads. I talked to my local dealer about this and they claim that they have done a reflash on the early 06's and it has helped about 90%. Has anyone ever done this reflash?They claim after mid year 06 the bad milage complaints went down. He is not the only one I know that has milage issues with the 06. several have 05's and had no issues.

 

[DrDiesel]

Through the Grapevine and other owner statements,(not first hand knowledge) after a re-calibration has been done it has been an improvement.

 

[ohnoitsyu]

I have an early 06, and I had the reflash done, and it improved my mileage by about 2 mpg.

It also improved the AT shifting performance.



Check his build date to see if it needs it. I think it was vehicles with build dates up to about 11/05. I'd suggest doing it if possible.

 

[pwr2tow]

Look at it this way, what does he have to loose by getting a reflash done. Just take it down to the dealer and brag about how reliable and great pulling power his truck has but it sure would be nice to get fuel mileage like other dodge cummins trucks of the same year. Tell them what your getting and Then tell them you know guys with simular trucks and they are getting 10-11 MPG pulling simular loads and any where from 16-20 MPG non towing. If there any dealership at all they will be more than happy to try and help make him satisfied.

 

[MAshley]

06 4x4 3500 quad cab dully, with 6 spd manual, 3. 73 rear ends, empty lucky to get 15 mpg city-highway driving, loaded to 25K lbs. 10 mpg. I have 30K miles on the truck as of today I think he just needs to get used to it, the reflash helps, but city driving, and anything over 60 MPH hurts millage

 

[HSpiering]

Have relative with and 06 made in July. My truck was made in Jan 06. He is getting 17 mpg I'm getting 13. 6. About the same type of driving. Something just not right.

 

[TSkeen]

march build date

My truck was built in march and Im happy with it so far. Millage seems absoultly connected to the loud pedal. Not as good as my old 12 valve but OK @ 18. 5 highway Unloaded. Anywhere from 14. 8 to 9 towing a single axle cargo that still punches a big hole in the air, ( 8. 5 feet tall) The 9 mpg happens @ 80 Plus MPH Overall LOVE the truck.

 

[AWay]

Took delivery on my 06 in July, equipped as listed in my sig. Pulling 15K 5th wheel it averages 11 mpg running 65 mph. That's hand calculated. Unloaded running 65 - 70 it will avg. 18 mpg hand calc. This is with 6000 miles on it.

 

[BILLVO]

First hand milage report 8.78mpg

Update



I just put 296 miles on this pickup today for myself pulling a 24 foot gooseneck stock trailer. It was empty for half the miles and had 8 1300-1400# cows for the other half.



Filled tank at start of day and filled at the end 296 miles 33. 7 gallons of fuel. :{ 8. 78 mpg is extremely crappy. Total trailer weight roughly 14-15k lbs at 60-65 mph average. Rig has 3600 miles on it.



This thing would have a hard time holding 50mph on some hills to the boards in second on some hills. open highway against a 30mph head wind 60-65 mph was tops in the hills. This thing is a total turd. Stock converter doesn't help either. I was thinking of getting a newer one but this thing is less than impressive. My 02 will run circles around this thing even before having all the mods I have now.



Pulling the same load with my 02 when it was stock would still do 12-14 mpg. and still hold speed in the hills.



The 06 runs good but no power no milage.



Has anyone else run into this bad of an issue?



This was hand calculated. the overhead display showed 9. 5 at fillup.

 

[Cal Brewin]

I avg around 20 mpg highway(computer says 22-23mpg ), 17mpg combined highway and stop n go town driving. 14 mpg towing 6500 lb travel trailer in the mountains. Plenty of power, my problem is keeping within the speed limit(leadfoot!)

 

[Jrissler]

I'm totally with you guys about these new ones.



A while back I took a load down I-81 into VA maybe grossing 24,000 set the cruise on 62mph and just eased down there, checked my mileage by hand and had 7. 8mpg!!!!! That sucks!!!!!!!!



That was the worse I'v ever seen, but it sure aint anything to brag about.



Wish I still had my '03.

 

[ENafziger]

I ordered my '06 Ram, and it's build date was August '05. I pulled a 5,000 lb load with only a few thousand miles on the truck, and the overhead indicated 6 - 8 mpg!



I have a few mods on the truck now (see signature), but I have never had the truck reflashed or any TSBs performed. I just got back from a 2,300 mile roundtrip pulling 8,000 lbs and averaged 14. 5 mpg going 75 - 80 mpg. The truck has right at 33k on it now.



I'd say give it a little time, and let it break in. Mine has improved alot already even though I've done some mods that are hurting mileage (big mud tires, big laggy turbo, etc). --Eric