Doing less MPG than before and I sometime feel heavy slow during driving

I have Honda pilot 014 milage 115000,now doing less milage than before,i sometime feel heavy and slow during driving and also a bad smell.

My car has 115000 miles.
My car's transmission is unknown to me.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
This may be related to what is called a mass air flow sensor. This is a unit that monitors the air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the motor. This unit sends a signal to the computer which then directs the fuel injection to add more or less fuel to make the correct air/fuel ratio. When this is not working correctly, you will notice a decrease in fuel mileage as well as a sluggish feeling when driving. The car may struggle to accelerate and will usually emit a smell of fuel. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at the car to properly diagnose your vehicle’s odor and mileage issues.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

Dirty Oxygen Sensor: An oxygen sensor measures exactly how rich or lean the exhaust gases are when they leave the combustion chamber. The data is used by the vehicle computer to adjust the amount of fuel entering the engine. If the sensor is dirty or failing it can lead to a drop in miles per gallon.
Clogged or Damaged Fuel Injectors

One of the most common culprits for a drop in fuel efficiency is dirty fuel injectors. Fuel injectors are the nozzles that spray fuel into each engine cylinder. A fuel injector`s spray pattern must be very precise to properly mix with air and combust inside the engine.

All trim levels of the 2014 Pilot get 20 MPG, with 17 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway.
If you`re wondering why your car is using fuel so quickly there are several causes to consider. Low tyre pressure, dirty air filters, overloading, and poor driving habits are just a few of the many reasons why your car`s fuel economy can suffer.
Delay or sluggish acceleration can be caused by a dirty or failing mass air flow sensor, fuel filter, or spark plugs. It could also indicate a problem with the ignition system, fuel injectors, or fuel pump.
Fuel injector nozzles can become clogged over time, which can lead to a sputtering engine, slow acceleration and the car not having enough power. Fuel injectors can be cleaned if the problem is caught early, but as the conditions worsens, the injectors may have to be replaced.
A Honda Pilot can last upwards of 200,000 miles if properly cared for by Lexington drivers. However, there are many factors that can affect the lifespan of a Honda Pilot from climate to regular maintenance.
Air conditioning uses fuel

An air-conditioning (a/c) system can increase fuel consumption by up to 20% because of the extra load on the engine. The actual load depends on the vehicle`s interior size, the outdoor temperature and other conditions.

When an engine misfires, it leads to poor engine performance, which in turn also affects the car`s fuel economy. Thus, bad spark plugs can decrease engine efficiency and force it to consume more fuel, thus increasing the car`s fuel consumption.
Common causes of why a car feels sluggish when accelerating include dirty mass air flow sensor (MAF), faulty spark plugs, defective throttle position sensor, clogged catalytic converter, faulty oxygen sensor, clogged air filter, and fuel system malfunctioning.
Some other notable issues that may cause your car to feel sluggish include excess brake dragging, an aging car battery, an incorrect octane gas rating, and a worn timing belt. You should inspect acceleration problems as they can lead to more damages.
Trouble accelerating can come from a few different engine issues. These include, but are not limited to, dirty fuel injectors, low fuel pressure, and restricted airflow. A problem with the mass airflow sensor, throttle position sensor, or engine speed sensor can also cause a car to have difficulty picking up speed.
There are a range of reasons why your car is juddering when you accelerate. Your vehicle could have dirty fuel injectors, a damaged fuel pump, a blocked catalytic converter, a faulty mass airflow sensor, broken spark plugs, or even an accumulation of moisture.
Problems With Your Throttle Pedal, Cable, or Position Sensor

If you are experiencing jerks in your car when accelerating, it might be due to a few reasons. The first reason is that the throttle pedal is not positioned correctly. The second is a result of the throttle cable being too tight or too loose.

Damaged O2 Sensor

This could also cause the exhaust to smell like sulfur or rotten eggs, so the presence of this smell alone isn`t enough to determine what the underlying problem is. However, it could also cause the exhaust to smell like gasoline.

Over time, your engine`s throttle body collects debris that can make your engine idle rough and decrease fuel economy.
The Energy Saving Trust says that the most efficient speed you can travel in a car in terms of achieving the best fuel economy is 55-65mph. Any faster, though, and the fuel efficiency decreases rapidly.
According to the consumer site CarComplaints, 2003 is the most problematic model year for the Honda Pilot, notably because of transmission issues. Owners of the 2003 Honda Pilot have experienced serious transmission problems like difficulty shifting gears, slipping, transmission jerks, and premature failure.
Here are some the main causes for a sudden drop in gas mileage: Bad oxygen sensor and air filters-in all forms will affect the fuel mixture and your fuel efficiency. Bad or misfiring spark plugs-will result in poor performance and subsequent lack of power will cost you fuel efficiency.
To improve your fuel efficiency, drive at a steady speed, avoid rapid acceleration and braking, and use cruise control when appropriate. Maintain your vehicle: Regular maintenance such as tire inflation, oil changes and tune-ups can help improve fuel efficiency.
The Pilot has a driving range of over 520 miles on one tank of fuel.
To improve your fuel efficiency, drive at a steady speed, avoid rapid acceleration and braking, and use cruise control when appropriate. Maintain your vehicle: Regular maintenance such as tire inflation, oil changes and tune-ups can help improve fuel efficiency.
You`ll find the Honda ECON button on the left-hand side of the Pilot`s steering wheel. Pressing it once turns on the ECON mode, which helps improve fuel economy by adjusting the performance of the engine, air conditioning, and cruise control.
To improve your fuel efficiency, drive at a steady speed, avoid rapid acceleration and braking, and use cruise control when appropriate. Maintain your vehicle: Regular maintenance such as tire inflation, oil changes and tune-ups can help improve fuel efficiency.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Doing less MPG than before and I sometime feel heavy slow during driving
ANSWER : This may be related to what is called a mass air flow sensor. This is a unit that monitors the air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the motor. This unit sends a signal to the computer which then directs the fuel injection to add more or less fuel to make the correct air/fuel ratio. When this is not working correctly, you will notice a decrease in fuel mileage as well as a sluggish feeling when driving. The car may struggle to accelerate and will usually emit a smell of fuel. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at the car to properly diagnose your vehicle’s odor and mileage issues.

my corrola, while driving suddenly slows down, specially while driving at a 120 kms speed suddenly the speeds slow down and the pu
ANSWER : If you are driving at 120 mph, it is possible that your vehicle is hitting the speed governer. This speed governer will prevent the vehicle from going past a certain speed by limiting engine power and reducing rpms. Not all vehicles are set to the same speed. The speed is usually determined by the speed rating of the tires that the vehicle came with from the factory. This is to prevent vehicles from driving at speeds faster than the tires allow even if they have enough power to do so.

Can front wheel drive car engine power rear wheel drive
ANSWER : Anything is possible with enough engineering. The changes you are looking at would take major structural changes and would definitely not be an easy job. You could possibly consult a manufacturing engineer to get more details on how this could actually be carried out and whether it would be feasible.

Hi, while driving I feel heaviness on my steering. Recently changed all tyres and alignment. Not sure what is the problem
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. Considering that you just had an alignment done, you will want to have it checked again. You will also want to make sure the tires were balanced, the brakes are not sticking, and that the right tires for your vehicle were installed (which can be verified with your owner’s manual). Depending on the location you had it done, you may either want to speak with a service manager there, or get a second opinion from a different technician. These symptoms are typical of a bad alignment, sticking brakes, the wrong tire size, debris stuck between the brake rotor and the caliper, and several other issues. For more help finding and resolving the cause, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.

Steering wheel feels lighter and seems to provide less road feedback.
ANSWER : Your vehicle is equipped with electric power steering (EPS). A steering angle sensor other various sensors, are used to provide input to the EPS control module. The module uses this information to determine control of an electric motor, which is used to turn the power steering rack. A problem in this system can affect steering feel. It might be something as simple as software update for the control module. A professional, such as one from YourMechanic, can diagnose and repair your steering issue.

My 04 Nissan Altima sometimes when putting in drive will roll backwards instead of moving forward when I give it gas .. sometimes
ANSWER : What you are describing may be a result of a faulty speed sensor, potentially low transmission fluid or a even a faulty transmission control solenoid. As your vehicle travels down the road, the computer analyzes data being sent by vehicle speed sensors and engine speed sensors. Based on this information, the Engine Control Unit (ECU), or the Transmission Control Unit (TCM), executes the appropriate upshifts and downshifts by sending a signal to one of several shift solenoids. These transmission solenoids have spring-loaded plungers inside them, which are wrapped with wire. When this coil of wire receives an electrical charge from the TCM / ECU, it causes these plungers to open, allowing transmission fluid to flow into the valve body and pressurize the desired clutches and bands. When this happens, the transmission changes gears and you continue down the road. The computer controls the transmission solenoid in several ways. If the vehicle is equipped with a dedicated Transmission Control Unit, it can open or close the hydraulic circuit using a direct 12v signal. In some cases, the Engine Control Unit (ECU) can control the solenoid’s plunger by turning the ground circuit on and off. When this is not working properly, this can cause a jerking reaction, a delay in shifting or in some cases may cause the transmission to hesitate in shifting gears. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your transmission.

idle is low and engine light flashes when I drive.
ANSWER : Hello, and thank you for writing in. The vehicle may be having many types of problems. With a lack of power and a ticking sound, we must look at the level of the oil and the drive belt. Both can cause similar symptoms and noises. If your oil is low, then you have a leak and you need to turn your attention to finding it. If the belt is broken, frayed, loose, or a pulley is bad, then you will need to replace the belt and take any further corrective action. If these components check out, then you should turn your attention to the charging system and make sure the battery and alternator are working correctly. If necessary you can then resort to testing for proper fuel pressure, spark power, and look into the air intake system. For more diagnostic help, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.

It feels like my car is about to break down, like I am very carefully carrying the engine home so it doesn’t fall out.
ANSWER : Hi there. I would typically start by checking to see if the check engine light is on and then I would scan the computer for codes. This can give some insight as to what is going on. If there are no codes then I’d monitor the signal from the sensors to make sure that they are all working fine. If those are also fine then the issue sounds like it may be a catalytic converter or a transmission problem. This vehicle has a history of transmission failures that could cause this. Also, if the catalytic converter fails it will cause the same symptoms. I usually test the converter for any signs of failure and do a back pressure test of the exhaust before getting into the transmission. If you’d like assistance in diagnosing this issue, a certified YourMechanic technician can inspect these issues with your engine hesitating and help diagnose your vehicle.

Your issues with the air conditioning unit are likely unrelated to the issues with your engine, and you will likely need your AC unit inspected in order to diagnose that issue.