Why is my Jazz now doing 6 mpg less since servicing?

[guest561]

Why is my Honda Jazz now doing about 6mpg less since it had a service (8 new NGK spark plugs, brake pads and discs front and rear, and new air filter) ? It is a 54 plate 1.4 SE.

[culzean]

Are any of the brakes rubbing, go for a drive and try to avoid using brakes then as soon as you stop go around and feel all the brake discs and callipers to see if they are hot, or if any are hotter than the others.

The new air filter may hold a clue, was the old one blocked? The engine managment would have responded to the smaller amout of air coming in by reducing the amount of fuel injected (not like the older systems where if the air filter was blocked the mixture just got richer).

Now you have more air going in there may be more petrol being added, you may have to adjust your driving style to get back to you old mpg figure.

[guest1630]

I found that some local garages dont know how to adjust the handbrake properly.  When you speak to garages they adjust the handbrake from the calipers, but the adjustment should be done from the handbrake.

If you go back the garage that serviced it, ask them how they adjusted the handbrake, if they say calipers, thats where the probelm is.

[guest1844]

You shouldn't need to adjust the handbrake at all. When new pads are fitted the caliper pistons need to be pushed all the way back in, and they also need to be turned at the same time to reset the auto handbrake adjuster mechanism internal to the caliper.
When you first apply the handbrake it will be slack, but should self adjust after a few operations. If the pistons were not rotated, the adjustment will be in too far, resulting in binding brakes.
The only reason to adjust the handbrake at the handbrake lever end is when new cables are fitted, or they have stretched a bit.

[Peter]

I too would be interested in a good reason for this phenomenon as I have just had my '05 plate Sport CVT serviced at the Honda dealership from where I bought it and now the MPG indicator is showing a far greater fuel consumption than I would normally expect  given that I have only driven the same sort of journeys that I usually do. Like 'Lambchop' I have had eight new plugs and new brake pads [but not discs] all round. I only picked the car up on Friday afternoon so it may be a bit early to tell but I shall keep an eye on the fuel during the coming weeks and report back later.

It was interesting that they changed the transmission fluid this service although I had not asked them to. Is this a normal thing on a six year old car given that they did it about eighteen months ago when I had the dreaded CVT problems?

[Berisford]

It was interesting that they changed the transmission fluid this service although I had not asked them to. Is this a normal thing on a six year old car given that they did it about eighteen months ago when I had the dreaded CVT problems?

Did they charge for the fluid change?

[Peter]

Hello Berisford

Yes, they did charge me for the CVT fluid, £31.53 plus VAT and labour to be exact. As my car is now six years old it was due a 72,000 mile service [costing over £500.00] but, as it has only actually done 32,500, the dealer asked me whether I would like an 'intermediate' service at a basic cost of just over £300.00. They then decided to add a couple of extra items to that service and one of the extras was the transmission fluid. I should say that this dealer MOT's the vehicle for 'free' providing I have it serviced by them, I know it's not really free but if you are comparing costs you have to factor in the cost of the MOT.

I must say I was a bit surprised at the addition of the fluid change but if I had had the 'proper' six years service it would have been done anyway and in any case it was too late to argue the case when I went to pick the car up. Actually in a way I'm quite glad they changed the transmission fluid as it means I shouldn't have to worry about the dreaded CVT judder again for a long time.

[Berisford]

Just curious as I had 2 fluid changes in 2 years due to the 'judder'.

I was charged (£80 I think) for the first flush, despite my protestations, and had the second done at another dealer FOC!

They told me the first job should have been FOC too, however, the first dealer went bust a few weeks after they had done the job.

[guest1583]

did the fluid change solve the judder issue?

[Peter]

The dealer changed the fluid for me free of charge when I had the 'judder' problem a couple of years back despite at first saying they had never heard of the fault before. But, yes, it did do the trick. I believe if you look at the long thread on this site about CVT judder you will see that some cars around 2004/5 build were supplied from Honda with the wrong transmission fluid leading to the infamous judder problem. Honda are aware of this problem and I think I am right in saying that GD models withe the CVT transmission actually carry an, unpublished, seven year Honda warranty on the transmission. It does seem however that not all Honda dealers are aware of this!

[guest1583]

Honda admit then the issue