Black Bars in Consumption Screen

cheule · 09-19-2007, 11:38 PM

First off, I did a search for this topic, didn't find it. If it's been discussed I apologize, just point me in the direction of the thread, thanks!

Often times if I drive for a while and the ICE doesn't turn on (i.e. all coasting or electric drive only) the MFD won't register a 100 MPG bar like it should. Instead, it'll show a black bar in the Consumption screen. Also, from what I can tell, the MPG for that segment isn't added into the average. I'm not sure on that point, but after watching it for a month now, I think so.

Here is a picture of what I'm talking about, note that I was driving for all 30 minutes recorded on the Consumption screen. The black parts you see are when I was driving so efficiently that the ICE never turned on at all in that 5 minute period.

Anyone have any idea if this is normal behavior? Is there something I can do differently to stop the MFD from getting confused?

Spoid · 09-19-2007, 11:45 PM

I've seen that once. I was coming down Mt. Charleston and coasted most of the time. That's the only time I've seen it.

skruse · 09-20-2007, 12:39 AM

I have a black bar every once in a while. I wondered if it was an anomaly or defect. It was a long distance drive, the car appeared to be at an optimum operating level (good fuel economy, fully charged battery).

Arts137 · 09-20-2007, 03:33 AM

It's SOP. If the ICE does not go on for the period, a blank-bar results. It happens in jammed rush hour traffic in my experience. It has been discussed before, but I could not find the thread either.

patsparks · 09-20-2007, 05:37 AM

Only in non metric countries. In a metric country it would mean 0L/100km so no confusion.
I have seen this on another thread and the theory is that the original calculation is in metric converted to US measurements by software, there fore if the consumption is 0L/100km there is no consumption to report so a reading of 0mpg comes up.
There have been at least 3 previous threads on this.
http://priuschat.com/index.php?act=Search&...ite=missing+bar

mxvet · 09-20-2007, 09:38 AM

I saw it yesterday for the first time.. stuck in traffic due to an accident... went about 1/2 hour with no ice creeping along..thought i'd get a great mpg reading once i was back up to speed. No such luck !
i believe there must be a low end threshold of speed that you must hit to have it register.

David Beale · 09-20-2007, 10:51 AM

See it quite often. Especially in the mountains or in heavy traffic. The bar is left blank because it would have to display infinite mileage otherwise. Which would be ridiculous. So it trips the divide by zero catch in the software and calls for a blank. It's more meaningful when the display is l/100 km, as the blank is 0 l/100 km, which it is if you move and don't burn fuel.

I think it still uses the data in that 5 min interval in the overall mileage calculation though. If it was the only five minute interval (ie - reset just before it) then no, it would throw that calc. out temporarily and wait for more data.

qbee42 · 09-20-2007, 11:05 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Sep 20 2007, 05:37 AM) [snapback]515171[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Only in non metric countries. In a metric country it would mean 0L/100km so no confusion.
I have seen this on another thread and the theory is that the original calculation is in metric converted to US measurements by software, there fore if the consumption is 0L/100km there is no consumption to report so a reading of 0mpg comes up.
There have been at least 3 previous threads on this.
http://priuschat.com/index.php?act=Search&...ite=missing+bar
[/b]

Correct. With our miles/gallon calculation you get a divide by zero error if no fuel is used. Toyota chose to display infinite mileage as a black or empty bar.

Tom

Danny Hamilton · 09-20-2007, 11:16 AM

So the metric prii more accurately display what is going on if you travel a distance and don't use any fuel (0L/100km).

That leaves me with the question of what the metric prii display when fuel is used during a 5 minute interval but the car doesn't move. That should create a divide by 0 condition with the metric L/100km measurement. The non-metric Prii accurately display this as 0 mpg.

cheule · 09-20-2007, 02:10 PM

Thanks for the replies, and thanks Patsparks for the proper search wording. I was thinking "black bars" never tried "missing bars."

This divide by zero hypthesis sounds totally reasonable, because if I've used the ICE at all it doesn't happen. The part I'm less sure about, though, is if the average MPG is receiving no data for that 5 minute period.

I suspect this divide by zero error is causing the average to stay unchange because the last few tanks my MFD average has been 3-5 MPG below my calculated. If I recall from other threads, it's usually the other way around (MFD usually slightly overcalculates MPG compared to a paper tally). I've had quite a few black bars this tank so I'll see how far over the 55.6MPG I get that the MFD is reporting.

09-20-2007, 10:51 AM	#7
David Beale Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 1,551 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	See it quite often. Especially in the mountains or in heavy traffic. The bar is left blank because it would have to display infinite mileage otherwise. Which would be ridiculous. So it trips the divide by zero catch in the software and calls for a blank. It's more meaningful when the display is l/100 km, as the blank is 0 l/100 km, which it is if you move and don't burn fuel. I think it still uses the data in that 5 min interval in the overall mileage calculation though. If it was the only five minute interval (ie - reset just before it) then no, it would throw that calc. out temporarily and wait for more data. __________________ Edmonton Alberta "Pearl" is a 2007 Driftwood Pearl Prius.

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09-19-2007, 11:38 PM	#1
cheule Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 39 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	First off, I did a search for this topic, didn't find it. If it's been discussed I apologize, just point me in the direction of the thread, thanks! Often times if I drive for a while and the ICE doesn't turn on (i.e. all coasting or electric drive only) the MFD won't register a 100 MPG bar like it should. Instead, it'll show a black bar in the Consumption screen. Also, from what I can tell, the MPG for that segment isn't added into the average. I'm not sure on that point, but after watching it for a month now, I think so. Here is a picture of what I'm talking about, note that I was driving for all 30 minutes recorded on the Consumption screen. The black parts you see are when I was driving so efficiently that the ICE never turned on at all in that 5 minute period. Anyone have any idea if this is normal behavior? Is there something I can do differently to stop the MFD from getting confused?

09-19-2007, 11:45 PM	#2
Spoid Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 281 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I've seen that once. I was coming down Mt. Charleston and coasted most of the time. That's the only time I've seen it.

09-20-2007, 12:39 AM	#3
skruse Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Great Central Valley, Fresno, CA Posts: 1,132 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #6 Touring Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 2	I have a black bar every once in a while. I wondered if it was an anomaly or defect. It was a long distance drive, the car appeared to be at an optimum operating level (good fuel economy, fully charged battery).

09-20-2007, 03:33 AM	#4
Arts137 Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 17 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	It's SOP. If the ICE does not go on for the period, a blank-bar results. It happens in jammed rush hour traffic in my experience. It has been discussed before, but I could not find the thread either.

09-20-2007, 05:37 AM	#5
patsparks Uneducated bird-brain Aussie Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Adelaide South Australia Posts: 4,905 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: Base Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 17	Only in non metric countries. In a metric country it would mean 0L/100km so no confusion. I have seen this on another thread and the theory is that the original calculation is in metric converted to US measurements by software, there fore if the consumption is 0L/100km there is no consumption to report so a reading of 0mpg comes up. There have been at least 3 previous threads on this. http://priuschat.com/index.php?act=Search&...ite=missing+bar

09-20-2007, 09:38 AM	#6
mxvet humble Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: davenport, ia Posts: 26 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I saw it yesterday for the first time.. stuck in traffic due to an accident... went about 1/2 hour with no ice creeping along..thought i'd get a great mpg reading once i was back up to speed. No such luck ! i believe there must be a low end threshold of speed that you must hit to have it register.

09-20-2007, 11:16 AM	#9
Danny Hamilton M0D3RAT0R Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Greater Chicagoland Area Posts: 770 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	So the metric prii more accurately display what is going on if you travel a distance and don't use any fuel (0L/100km). That leaves me with the question of what the metric prii display when fuel is used during a 5 minute interval but the car doesn't move. That should create a divide by 0 condition with the metric L/100km measurement. The non-metric Prii accurately display this as 0 mpg.

09-20-2007, 02:10 PM	#10
cheule Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 39 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Thanks for the replies, and thanks Patsparks for the proper search wording. I was thinking "black bars" never tried "missing bars." This divide by zero hypthesis sounds totally reasonable, because if I've used the ICE at all it doesn't happen. The part I'm less sure about, though, is if the average MPG is receiving no data for that 5 minute period. I suspect this divide by zero error is causing the average to stay unchange because the last few tanks my MFD average has been 3-5 MPG below my calculated. If I recall from other threads, it's usually the other way around (MFD usually slightly overcalculates MPG compared to a paper tally). I've had quite a few black bars this tank so I'll see how far over the 55.6MPG I get that the MFD is reporting.