Did reprogram affect your mileage?

[Azor]

I am new to this chat arena and I am hoping I can find someone that has experienced what I have recently experienced.

I have a 2004 prius and have been very happy with it. I am extremely careful with my driving to maximize mileage and minimize emissions. I have tracked nearly every tank of gas since I bought the car and have recorded mileage from 46 - 53 mpg. One time I got 45 mpg when it was pretty cold (I realize my mileage is above average). There were about 4 times that I did not calculate mileage in 2 years, but for the most part, the mode was 49/50 mpg.

In December I went to the dealership to get some minor things done to it before I lost my warranty (I now have over 40 K miles). They informed me that there was a recall involving an upgrade to the program that took care of some safety issues. I gave them permission to perform the upgrade.

I WISH I HADN'T DONE THE REPROGRAM!!

Afterwards, as soon as I drove my car on the highway, I noticed that the engine was behaving differently. It was much harder for me to coast on electric motor or battery. I am very much in tune with my display and when the electric motor is on/off, etc. To make matters worse, my first tank full after I got the reprogram ended up at 37 mpg! I was so upset. The dealer told me it was very cold and to go ahead and give it more time. Well, 2 months later (and with plenty of diverse driving and temps (went to Florida)) I have yet to get mileage over 46 mpg! My mode now is 43 mpg! Toyota refuses to give me my old program back saying that it doesn't exist anymore.

Did anyone have a similar experience? Any advice? I don't think it is right that no one warned me that the new program would reduce my mileage. I would have refused it otherwise...

I just want my old mileage back.

Does anyone still have the old 2004 program (I bought mine in Feb 2004)?

[V8Cobrakid]

From what i remember hearing " back in the day " ('04) is that the computer system adjust to the way you drive.. maybe you just need to drive it more and the system will re calibrate itself. In the mean time i suggest http://www.toyota.com/html/hybridsynergyvi.../fall/mpgs.html taking a look at that page.. you sound like you're getting good gas mileage but there are a few tips on that page. I'm about to have my reprogram done today.. i wonder what it will do to my mpg....

[mikepaul]

I've seen more trips get 50+MPG after the 50P than before. Last weekend, I averaged 50MPG over maybe 230 miles until I felt like hitting the highway at 70MPH and lost a couple.

Perhaps tire wear holds the car back less, but the rain traction is still great...

[hdrygas]

Originally posted by Azor@Feb 27 2006, 10:48 AM
I am new to this chat arena and I am hoping I can find someone that has experienced what I have recently experienced.

I have a 2004 prius and have been very happy with it.  I am extremely careful with my driving to maximize mileage and minimize emissions.  I have tracked nearly every tank of gas since I bought the car and have recorded mileage from 46 - 53 mpg.  One time I got 45 mpg when it was pretty cold (I realize my mileage is above average).  There were about 4 times that I did not calculate mileage in 2 years, but for the most part, the mode was 49/50 mpg.

In December I went to the dealership to get some minor things done to it before I lost my warranty (I now have over 40 K miles).  They informed me that there was a recall involving an upgrade to the program that took care of some safety issues.  I gave them permission to perform the upgrade.

I WISH I HADN'T DONE THE REPROGRAM!!

Afterwards, as soon as I drove my car on the highway, I noticed that the engine was behaving differently.  It was much harder for me to coast on electric motor or battery.  I am very much in tune with my display and when the electric motor is on/off, etc.  To make matters worse, my first tank full after I got the reprogram ended up at 37 mpg!  I was so upset.  The dealer told me it was very cold and to go ahead and give it more time.  Well, 2 months later (and with plenty of diverse driving and temps (went to Florida)) I have yet to get mileage over 46 mpg!  My mode now is 43 mpg!  Toyota refuses to give me my old program back saying that it doesn't exist anymore.

Did anyone have a similar experience?  Any advice? I don't think it is right that no one warned me that the new program would reduce my mileage.  I would have refused it otherwise...

I just want my old mileage back.

Does anyone still have the old 2004 program (I bought mine in Feb 2004)?

[snapback]217466[/snapback]

My experience is quite the opposite. It is easier for me to get into stealth and/or glide and I took a slight bump up. I am able to get in and stay in stealth even up hill when the ICE would generally cut in.

[Ken Cooper]

Originally posted by Azor@Feb 27 2006, 11:48 AM
I am new to this chat arena and I am hoping I can find someone that has experienced what I have recently experienced.

I have a 2004 prius and have been very happy with it.  I am extremely careful with my driving to maximize mileage and minimize emissions.  I have tracked nearly every tank of gas since I bought the car and have recorded mileage from 46 - 53 mpg.  One time I got 45 mpg when it was pretty cold (I realize my mileage is above average).  There were about 4 times that I did not calculate mileage in 2 years, but for the most part, the mode was 49/50 mpg.

In December I went to the dealership to get some minor things done to it before I lost my warranty (I now have over 40 K miles).  They informed me that there was a recall involving an upgrade to the program that took care of some safety issues.  I gave them permission to perform the upgrade.

I WISH I HADN'T DONE THE REPROGRAM!!

Afterwards, as soon as I drove my car on the highway, I noticed that the engine was behaving differently.  It was much harder for me to coast on electric motor or battery.  I am very much in tune with my display and when the electric motor is on/off, etc.  To make matters worse, my first tank full after I got the reprogram ended up at 37 mpg!  I was so upset.  The dealer told me it was very cold and to go ahead and give it more time.  Well, 2 months later (and with plenty of diverse driving and temps (went to Florida)) I have yet to get mileage over 46 mpg!  My mode now is 43 mpg!  Toyota refuses to give me my old program back saying that it doesn't exist anymore.

Did anyone have a similar experience?  Any advice? I don't think it is right that no one warned me that the new program would reduce my mileage.  I would have refused it otherwise...

I just want my old mileage back.

Does anyone still have the old 2004 program (I bought mine in Feb 2004)?

[snapback]217466[/snapback]

Yes! Same here. Very disappointing. Last winter I averaged ~48 mpg, Since my recall reprogramming this past fall I've been averaging no better than 44 mpg.

This is the recall that addressed the problem of the gas engine stopping and not restarting during travel, forcing folks to use electric only to get off the road safely (I read that this happened to ~32 cars here in the U.S.).

Glad to have the improved safety and reliability, but it seems that this is a pretty steep price to pay to be protected from an event with a very low probability of occurrance.

[Tempus]

If anything it has improved mileage and driveability for me.

[Tideland Prius]

mileage has improved although this winter has also been a bit milder.

Give it 1000 miles (break-in).

[KTPhil]

I've plotted every tank in the 25K miles on my '05. Lately, I had been averaging 47, and it dropped to 44-45 after the reprogram (same routes, same weather). It has crept back up, but not quite to 47. I expect it will "relearn" in another tank or two, and return to normal.

[Azor]

Originally posted by V8Cobrakid@Feb 27 2006, 02:00 PM
From what i remember hearing " back in the day "  ('04) is that the  computer system adjust to the way you drive.. maybe you just need to drive it more and the system will re calibrate itself. In the mean time i suggest http://www.toyota.com/html/hybridsynergyvi.../fall/mpgs.html taking a look at that page.. you sound like you're getting good gas mileage but there are a few tips on that page. I'm about to have my reprogram done today.. i wonder what it will do to my mpg....

[snapback]217475[/snapback]

It has been almost 3 months now...and still nothing over 46 mpg. To make matters worse, my display is acting all wacko and turning off for no reason. This started happening little by little...a week after the reprogram I would notice the mileage read out not reporting correctly...then the display would freeze...not it turns on and off and there are times I have no control over my temp.

I really wonder if the reprogramming is worth it. My dealer told me the safety issue arose because people were driving on the highway with little gas and then would run out of gas - the car would then cut off because it wouldn't allow the driver to run down the battery. If this is the case, why get the reprogram unless you plan on driving it without gas?

[Tadashi]

I have not noticed a drop or increase that may have been attributed to the reprogramming. I think my drop has been mostly due to the drop in temp and the use of oxygenated gas here. Although my last two tanks according to the MFD have been at 59.5 MPG so it is probably around 56 MPG.

I got mine reprogrammed because I had a few times where it would not turn on or two instances where it would not turn off. I had to hold the power button for a min for it to finally do something. Although not sure if it was due to Mexico. They are not regulated by our regulations so every now and then they will pick frequencies that disrupt everything here (car alarms, garage doors, etc).