1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

MPG OverEstimate on the MFD?

Discussion in 'Prius c Fuel Economy' started by HeavyUser, Mar 31, 2015.

  1. HeavyUser

    HeavyUser Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    30
    6
    0
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    Hey Guys,

    I'm on my second fill up since I purchased this awesome piece of gas saving technology. My first tank said I was getting 48mpg on the MFD but fuelly calculated 46.32, my second tank said I got 50mpg on the MFD but fuelly calculated 47.97. Is this normal for there to be such a big difference in mpg between the two, do you guys have the same results with the MFD overestimating mpg?

    On a side note, a day ago I noticed my MPG was stuck at 100mpg on the energy monitor even though the car was at a complete stop. I had to restart the system to get it functioning again, do you think this could be a bug in the system? I called the dealership about it and they want me to take it in.

    A link to my fuelly:
    SippnOnsomeGassurp (Toyota Prius C) | Fuelly
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,699
    48,945
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    yup. on the first question. not sure about the second. my gauge goes to zero when i stop.
     
  3. HeavyUser

    HeavyUser Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    30
    6
    0
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    Oh hey Bisco, by the way that fan noise I was hearing turned out to be a bad bearing in the fan motor. The dealership replaced the radiator fan assembly.

    I did some research on the MPG getting stuck at 100mpg, found this:

    Prior reports on various Prius boards have noted other Classic Prius' Newarkitis symptoms: no charge on the battery icon, no arrow flows on the Energy Monitor, a "stuck" Consumption screen showing many consecutive 100MPG (or 0 l/100km) segments even with the engine running at idle... It will occur randomly at first, but will get progressively worse. It's only covered for the basic 3 year/36,000 mile warranty, so be careful if you're going past on mileage as it could be very expensive... Car is fully driveable, but it's mostly an annoyance. A reboot may temporarily fix the problem. Problem has been reported on US, Canadian, and Australian Prius so far that I've noted, I don't recall one way or the other on the European/UK lists.

    Just my luck, lol.
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,699
    48,945
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    wow, that's crazy. two defects on a fairly new car? and odd ones at that!
     
  5. HeavyUser

    HeavyUser Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    30
    6
    0
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    Bought it brand new, 34miles on it.
     
  6. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,105
    10,039
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    While I can't speak to the 'c' specifically, this overestimate is normal for GenIII Liftbacks. I know of no reason why the 'c' would necessarily be different.

    The GenIIs were generally closer to reality.
     
  7. HeavyUser

    HeavyUser Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    30
    6
    0
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    Have you guys noticed that even when using gas/electric(energy monitor will show gas and electric being used) the energy monitor will show 100mpg at times or could this be unique to my situation?
     
  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,105
    10,039
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    No, not in my Liftback.

    But we don't drive a 'c'. This part of the display is sufficiently different from the Liftback that I wouldn't draw definitive conclusions across model lines.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,673
    38,211
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I'd read the c's and v's mpg display was at least CLOSER to reality, only about 3~4% off (guess which way :rolleyes:). Our 3rd gen hatchback's off by 7.5%, over 50,000 kms calculated.
     
  10. minkus

    minkus Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2013
    369
    125
    0
    Location:
    Cleveland, OH
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    An mpg overestimate of 1.5-2.5 mpg (~4% at 50 mpg) seems about normal. That's what I get, and many have reported similar. SO's '12 Hyundai Accent hatchback overestimates by about 2-4 mpg (7.5% at 40 mpg).
     
  11. HeavyUser

    HeavyUser Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    30
    6
    0
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    Good to know, thanks gents.
     
  12. Sean Nelson

    Sean Nelson Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2014
    421
    182
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Doesn't it show 100mpg when you start off in electric mode and the gas engine hasn't come on yet? Technically in that situation it's "infinite miles per gallon", but I believe they limit the display to a maximum of 100.

    I'm in Canada, and when I start out it shows "0.0 l/100km" (litres per 100km, the way fuel economy is measured here) until the gas engine comes on and some fuel is actually consumed.
     
  13. HeavyUser

    HeavyUser Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    30
    6
    0
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    In this picture I'm on a pretty flat road using the GAS engine and the ELECTRIC yet somehow it says 100mpg, it stays like this for some time unless give it more gas
    20150403_082943.jpg
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,699
    48,945
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    it's probably spinning the ice without using gas. keep in mind, there's a 3 second delay between reality, and what you see on the screen.
     
  15. HeavyUser

    HeavyUser Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    30
    6
    0
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    I figured there was a delay yet when I switch the energy monitor over after a few minutes of the 100mpg it still show the gas/electric being used. I'll take a video later on in the week.
     
  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,699
    48,945
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    you need an obd reader for instantaneous mpg.
     
  17. HeavyUser

    HeavyUser Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    30
    6
    0
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    Would something like this work?

    Edit: NVM it wont let me link something to amazon. It's a bluetooth OBD reader
     
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,699
    48,945
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i don't know. maybe someone else will. i know scan gauge works, and some phone apps. i don't have one.
     
  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,673
    38,211
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    ScanGauge will also report no gas usage, with engine turning over. The engine HAS to run, above some speed. On 3rd gen hatch it's around 74 kmh it kicks in.
     
  20. spyderx

    spyderx Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2010
    151
    31
    0
    Location:
    MD, DC
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    52.7 MPG actual vs. 55 MPG MDF.., I was hoping it would match