Latest Software Update Safety Recall Resulting in 8mpg less...

I was going to get my tires rotated, but I'm going to wait for one tank of gas before doing this. I'm not going to report any mpg numbers until I fill up again as the reported mpg usually runs about 4 mpg high and should not be trusted in either case. Maybe I'll hook up my scan gauge II if I see suspicious numbers coming out in the middle. I will go home and inflate my own tires to what I'm comfortable running with (~39 psi)

 

The car did have a slightly different feel. Not sure if I just imagined it or not.
The radio presets were all present, no battery disconnect (why would they do that anyway?)
The battery level was in the mid range when I filled up, and was able to drive home 2 miles with an average mpg of 87, so nothing drastic was done to sabotage my mpg. I did do a vulcan mind meld with my Prius to get the 87 mpg, doing all I could to maximize my mpg.

The real test will be when I drive to school for a 26 mile round trip tomorrow. I'll have to try two different driving styles on two different days. Normally, the two ranges would get me in the mid 60s vs low 50s. Again, the computer may be off, so the real result will be when I tank up.
Stay tuned.

 

FWIW, when my "recall" was done, I was told they replaced a "module"...not just installed a software update. Is there a difference? I've had no issues since the work was done.

 

One definition of "Module"
COMPUTING:
any of a number of distinct but interrelated units from which a program may be built up or into which a complex activity may be analyzed.

It is basically part of the program

 

I could not coast down hill on ours to achieve 87 mpg after the recall. It seems the battery holds longer in EV mode and stays charged more often. I'm still hopeful this is temporary. I wonder if the original poster had a resolution. He never really came back to say if it stayed that way or it got resolved.

 

give him a chance.. he only wrote it yesterday..
he is on a mission.. he will be back

 

The real OP started the thread on April 13.

One thing that I did notice was that I wasn't in ECO mode. I fixed that this morning during a "short" drive. I'm at 62 mpg now after about 15 miles. I'm in phoenix and the temp is going to go to 110 today. So far, it seems OK.

If they replaced a module, then most likely they had to kill power as to not risk zapping the electronics on it. For the software update, they can leave everything connected as is.

 

My fuel economy is horrible! The car demonstrate a reluctance to ever go EV. On a typical drive that last summer with a/c on it was easy to get 58-63mpg i now get a whopping 41.1. Thats with no air cond ! If toyota does not fix this i will be selling mine! Sick and tired of their BS!

 

Thats the guy Im looking for...maybe it corrected itself over time...fingers crossed.

 

OK,
Zen driving style today. 36 miles total. mpg indicator at 69.1 mpg. So, my car is not ruined if I want to hyper mile.
Tomorrow we will have the AC on and drive normal.
I'm thinking there is no problem with the software update so far. But we will see.
People may have coincidentally had something else go bad that happened to coincide with the update.
I will see how the first tank pans out.

 

It shouldn't be easy to get 58-63 with the AC on, I mean you do have to work at it a bit.
Please provide more details as to what you've tried and how you drove to get the 58-63 with AC. Has anything else changed? Tire pressure, new tires, new route, etc.
Thanks

 

Alright, with the AC on, my mpg dropped from 69.1 to 67.1. Speed never got above 60 mph. Lots of rush hour slowing. Mostly driving around 40 mph. I'm concluding that slower speeds are not affected. This weekend I'll be going 80 mph for an hour or two and I'll see if I get my typical mpg on the highway. I'm assuming the mpg calculator is working, but at this point, I don't feel that anything is wrong.

 

After my update, the car seemed to not go into eco mode as soon as before. The trip that I drive 3 times a week when I drive 75, was getting 45 on display then 41 or 42 on display after update. NOW after driving 55 miles on fairly flat road the other day at 70 mph. with no stops or slow downs, it showed 51.5 mpg one way and 49.5 the other way. Now my regular drive to work since then I have been getting 46 on display. Maybe it just needed to reset my driving habits.

 

The big highway trip was as expected. Low to upper 40s. Not bad for 80 mph with some horrible head winds and a loaded car.
I've concluded that the update did no harm to my mpg.

 

Mine goes back to the dealer next week for a thorough checkup on the abysmal mpg. Till the ill drive my Yaris . I see a Tesla perhaps. Also does Toyota read our comments? If they do that would be good. Ive emailed their complaint line with no response.

 

You can BET that Toyota reads our comments!!

 

I have EXACTLY the same experience with my 2010. I had the firmware done about 3 weeks ago and I haven't gotten better than 36mpg since then. I have a call in to the dealer that did the update, haven't heard back yet. I'll post what happens.

 

The dealer will do a short "test drive" on a level street going 45 mph in Eco mode / no AC . If the car gets 40 mpg or better while hooked to the status monitor they will deem it within specs and give you a print out. Bottom line...they will do nothing and evidently cannot do anything. There is no way to undo the update or redo the update according to my local dealer. That being said ours has recovered some (41-44) and the computer must relearn your driving habits which may be why it drops so dramatically right after. Either way I still feel its not the same car as before the update when we consistently obtained (46- 48 ).
You are the 3rd or 4th who posted here who has noticed a drop of mpg since the update so there is definitely smoke flying and you know what they say...Where there's smoke...there's fire.

 

I just done my software upgrade today, and find out I need new set of tire

But anyway, the car feel much better, despite if losing mpg. The friction brake get more involve and sooner than before. The ratio input of gas pedal has been changed. I love the way how my prius drive right now . Eco model likes 80% of normal model of before the upgrade, more power.

 

Don't say you are getting a certain amount of mpgs based upon the computer. Wait for your fill up. All you can say now is that the computer is calculating lower mpg than before. Do a fill up and confirm if the computer is accurate (10% more than what you actually get).