Help! I think something is wrong with my MPG :(

StarBrite310 · 12-31-2007, 08:11 PM

So I have had my Prius for almost 2 years now. Anyway I drive all the time and I try to get the best MPG by gliding and all that stuff. For awhile my MPG would dip and go back up depending on where and how much I drove around. For the past I would say 5 or so months, it has stayed at 37.1 MPG. I don't understand what is wrong. I drive to and from work every weekday on the freeway with very little traffic....about 10 miles each way. I am in Southern California so the weather is never THAT cold or THAT hot. Am I doing something wrong? Is my car broken? I took it in for it's 10k service not too long ago and they said everything looked great. I should have asked about the MPG then but it didn't occur to me until recently why it hasn't budged!!!

Any ideas??

**efusco** · 12-31-2007, 08:33 PM

Do you physically push the "reset" button on the MFD's Consumption screen when you fill up? I'm betting not. If you don't it will display a lifetime average MPG which will vary less and less the more miles you put on the car. If you want to see individual tank mpg (on any '06+ Prius) you have to push the reset button after each fill.

StarBrite310 · 12-31-2007, 08:37 PM

^Haha funny you mention that because no I haven't pushed that reset button since around the time I got the car. I forgot allll about that. So I just went downstairs and pushed it now so it's at 0 and ready for when I drive next

That should help huh?

Springtime · 12-31-2007, 08:48 PM

Two years and only 10K - so you don't do a lot of driving. Have you checked your tires lately for a slow leak? An under inflated tire was the problem with my drop in MPG.

I had the car in for service and had them check a tire that was only holding 28 lbs of pressure. They could not find a problem and filled it back up to thier standard of 33 lbs. A week later it was down to 28 lbs and I took it back. This time they finally found what looked like a tack minus its head. It was very small and a very slow leak.

A week later I was back again. I had checked the pressure and it said 28 lbs. They could not find a leak and figured that they had forgotten to add air after they removed the nail the previous week.

These tires don't look low until you get down to around 20 lbs. so just looking at the tire you might not realize you have a slow leak. Get out your tire gauge and check the pressure on all of your tires at least once a month. (And don't assume when you brought your car in for service that they checked the tire pressure of your tires.)

Springtime

wfor1pilot · 01-01-2008, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarBrite310

^Haha funny you mention that because no I haven't pushed that reset button since around the time I got the car. I forgot allll about that. So I just went downstairs and pushed it now so it's at 0 and ready for when I drive next

That should help huh?

We're all on the edge of our seats here. Did the mileage improve???

N3FOL · 01-01-2008, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by efusco

Do you physically push the "reset" button on the MFD's Consumption screen when you fill up? I'm betting not. If you don't it will display a lifetime average MPG which will vary less and less the more miles you put on the car. If you want to see individual tank mpg (on any '06+ Prius) you have to push the reset button after each fill.

+100.

N3FOL · 01-01-2008, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Springtime

(And don't assume when you brought your car in for service that they checked the tire pressure of your tires.)

Springtime

I never trusted any service center for checking my tire pressure on any of my cars. Most shops will underinflate or overinflate. Majority of the time, their tire gauge is off so you end up getting a different reading. I don't skimp on ture pressure gauges either and I try to buy the best one in the store. I check the pressure every two weeks...so overall this may help in mpg for the Prius.

StarBrite310 · 01-02-2008, 08:32 PM

Ok since I restarted I'm up to 45MPG. Yay

12-31-2007, 08:11 PM	#1
StarBrite310 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 112 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #8 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Help! I think something is wrong with my MPG :( So I have had my Prius for almost 2 years now. Anyway I drive all the time and I try to get the best MPG by gliding and all that stuff. For awhile my MPG would dip and go back up depending on where and how much I drove around. For the past I would say 5 or so months, it has stayed at 37.1 MPG. I don't understand what is wrong. I drive to and from work every weekday on the freeway with very little traffic....about 10 miles each way. I am in Southern California so the weather is never THAT cold or THAT hot. Am I doing something wrong? Is my car broken? I took it in for it's 10k service not too long ago and they said everything looked great. I should have asked about the MPG then but it didn't occur to me until recently why it hasn't budged!!! Any ideas?? __________________ Proud owner of a 2006 Black Toyota Prius Package #8 w/ Dark Gray Leather. (Took delivery on 1/21/06)

12-31-2007, 08:33 PM	#2
efusco Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO Posts: 13,382 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 1 Time in 1 Post TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 23	Re: Help! I think something is wrong with my MPG :( Do you physically push the "reset" button on the MFD's Consumption screen when you fill up? I'm betting not. If you don't it will display a lifetime average MPG which will vary less and less the more miles you put on the car. If you want to see individual tank mpg (on any '06+ Prius) you have to push the reset button after each fill.

12-31-2007, 08:37 PM	#3
StarBrite310 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 112 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #8 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Help! I think something is wrong with my MPG :( ^Haha funny you mention that because no I haven't pushed that reset button since around the time I got the car. I forgot allll about that. So I just went downstairs and pushed it now so it's at 0 and ready for when I drive next That should help huh?

12-31-2007, 08:48 PM	#4
Springtime Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Eastern PA Posts: 144 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Help! I think something is wrong with my MPG :( Two years and only 10K - so you don't do a lot of driving. Have you checked your tires lately for a slow leak? An under inflated tire was the problem with my drop in MPG. I had the car in for service and had them check a tire that was only holding 28 lbs of pressure. They could not find a problem and filled it back up to thier standard of 33 lbs. A week later it was down to 28 lbs and I took it back. This time they finally found what looked like a tack minus its head. It was very small and a very slow leak. A week later I was back again. I had checked the pressure and it said 28 lbs. They could not find a leak and figured that they had forgotten to add air after they removed the nail the previous week. These tires don't look low until you get down to around 20 lbs. so just looking at the tire you might not realize you have a slow leak. Get out your tire gauge and check the pressure on all of your tires at least once a month. (And don't assume when you brought your car in for service that they checked the tire pressure of your tires.) Springtime __________________ Springtime Eastern PA 2005 Silver pkg #6

01-02-2008, 08:32 PM	#8
StarBrite310 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 112 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #8 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Help! I think something is wrong with my MPG :( Ok since I restarted I'm up to 45MPG. Yay