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1 Week Prius Owner - Mileage Obsessed, What Mode to Use???

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by pokepsw, Jun 8, 2010.

  1. pokepsw

    pokepsw New Member

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    Hi PriusChat! I've been reading as much as I can, and have learned a lot. Finally got the always up on my 2010 Prius III nav working, that was annoying...

    Anyway, I'm really into hypermiling and getting the best MPG possible (seems like everyone here is) and for the week that I've had the Prius, I've been obsessing over getting the best mileage.

    I'm at 200 miles and at 1 bar over halfway on the gauge, but what I can't figure out is the modes. I keep the display on the one where it shows the charge in small bar, the long bar that is separated in half, and the power small bar. First question:

    1) I have ECO Mode on, and whenever I accelerate, in order to get up to speed, I'm ALWAYS pushing over the Power Bar into Red. Is ECO the mode I should normally be in? How can I stay out of the Red?

    2) I noticed that if I click off ECO, I can be in a mode where none of the 3 options are on. Is this the normal one?

    3) For EV Mode, I tried it once at approx 16MPH and immediately got the beep and deactivation. Whats up with that?


    Other questions:

    4) Is it possible to one-click the remote to open all doors? I've read that some had luck while others haven't.

    5) On the Nav, with an iPod connected, is there a way to browse through songs without having the song switch?

    Thanks and looking forward to participating at PriusChat!

    -Justin
     
  2. Surfdolfin

    Surfdolfin Surfin the Blizzard Pearl

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    Normal is not in eco, ev, or power. They are all the same, excepting the amount of pedal pressure is greater in normal & eco. I use normal as don't like having to push down so far in eco. The lighter you press accelerator in any mode will keep it out of the red (but be nice to those folks behind you). Also, eco slows your ac & heater at slow or stops to preserve battery (they run on elec power). If you use EV, your gas engine will have to recharge more as your 2 elec engines are both power and generators. EV only works with slow movement, max 25mph, warm engine & charged battery. Again, you gas engine (ice) will have to work harder if you use EV too much. Double click for all doors - 1 click for driver's (pretty standard?).
    Sorry, my nav is a nuvi.
    Enjoy, Bart:cool:
     
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    ^ He's got most of it.


    If you're a Prius newbie, I suggest trying ECO Mode first. If you were a previous owner that upgraded, then maybe start in normal. I'm guessing you're the former. Once you get the feel of it, you can try normal mode for a more responsive feel. ECO mode helps in the winter because it can reduce heater output (so wear more layers!) which means the engine can shut off earlier thus saving fuel (a block heater helps too).

    You can change the settings on the smart key or the remote. The old procedure is pressing LOCK and the panic button at the same time and holding it until you hear some beeps. I think the new Prius uses the same procedure. It will cycle through two options (since you only have a III)


    1. One press = driver's, two = global unlock (Default). SKS = driver's door only

    2. One press = global unlock. SKS = global unlock.



    5. Not that I know of. it's kind of annoying. I don't think it does that with a USB flash drive but I would double check with a member that uses a USB flash drive.
     
  4. toyolover

    toyolover Member

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    My personal option is the opposite to Tideland Prius's suggestion for newbies using ECO mode first. I'd suggest to use the Normal mode (ie. not EV, ECO, nor PWR). The reason is if one is used to the gasoline engine before, the slow response of the ECO mode will drive people crazy. Use Normal mode to get use to the hybrid system first. Then gradually try other modes while there is no other car tailgating behind.
     
  5. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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  6. G3priusV

    G3priusV Member

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    Definetely PWR for me as it seems to accerate faster and allows you to coast longer after that which improves the mpg faster. I always drive on PWR and I'm now averaging around 55-58mpg and I drive 75-80 mph on freeways and 40-50 mph on local roads!


    iPhone ?
     
  7. rctech

    rctech Junior Member

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    I would recommend to just start with the normal mode for a full tank. Just learn how the car feels and reacts for a month or so. Then you can play with he different modes once you've established your own baseline. Some things may turn out suprising. Like for my scenario, I get better mpg in PWR mode.

    If you're constantly flipping modes, you won't be able easily to tell how your mpg is really going. Maybe one mode seemed poor, but it could've just been bcause of a headwind, cool, rainy, rush-hour day.

    You can spend a lot of time reading cool facts and experiences here, but until you actually re-learn how to drive (for economy), you won't immediatly get the best results.
    EV mode will kick out if you accelerate too fast. Also, if the engine is not warmed up, it will disengage around 11mph. I get better results feathering my go pedal, with the terrain, and traffic, and can effectivly "be" in EV mode over 30mph.

    1) being in Red is not always bad. Especially when you are coming up to normal traffic speeds, after you have warmed up. You can get better mileage by coming up to speed a little faster, and coasting from there.

    I've just hit 10k in 10 months, and i'm still learning interesting stuff. Like if you have your foot on the brake, pressing the gas will not rev the engine.

    Have fun, and leave some extra room.

    rich
     
  8. iOCDad

    iOCDad New Member

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    I myself am still trying to figure out how to optimize MPG, and am looking forward to driving in PWR tomorrow thanks to the tips from the others.

    Gave up on the iPod interface. Took forever to get to the songs/playlists that I wanted, and, yeah, I too hated having the song change on me. Much much faster and easier for me to go straight off my iPhone via the audio bluetooth feature, which was a killer discovery.
     
  9. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    should answer the OP's question regarding unlocking.
     
  10. putty

    putty Member

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    I'm in power mode 90% of the time, still getting 53-56 MPG (dash read) and that's with all the lights on route 9
     
  11. Codyroo

    Codyroo Senior Member

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  12. pokepsw

    pokepsw New Member

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    WOW thanks for all the great responses!
     
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Actually, that's probably better idea. Just drive it first.. then figure it all out later.
     
  14. hsiaolc

    hsiaolc New Member

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    Just drive in Normal mode. Use the very quck accerlation and then cruise technique.

    But if you really want the MPG you can with normal mode too but you will be driving very very slow.

    I have achieved average 100mpg over a 3 mile trip home from the petrol station and I was going very slow and make sure you are very light off the gas pedal. Ofcourse I did this in the middle of the night about 2am so not to piss other people off.
     
  15. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    My experience after 10 months of Gen3 is as follows:
    - Eco Mode: in winter to avoid the engine to run more than normal to heat the interior - it will also reduce fan speed to avoid sending cooler air that will feel even more cool; in town I use it all the time as I manage to give just enough gas to keep the speed and, for me, reduces the urge to rush to the next traffic light (which is practically always useless anyway - there is a traffic jam anywhere beyond the next traffic light anyway... :( )
    - Normal mode, to drive outside of town, but not on highways (at least not in Germany)
    - PRW mode on the (German) highway for faster response, normal mode is OK too depending on traffic conditions.

    In ECO mode, it is my impression, if pressing the accelerator progressively and steadily (up to the point of just before the ECO light goes off, if necessary), often results in good accelerations (depending on battery charge) - pressing to a certain level and keeping it there will (somehow...) not provide the same acceleration response, IMO.
    Where I live I do get the occasional impatient driver that will overtake me only to end up 50m in front of me in the jam that I see in front of me already, otherwise I do accelerate fast enough in ECO without effort and sometimes even faster than others. I am always prized with excellent FE (considering I am in town with a "big", to EU standards, 1.8L car, BTW!).

    But most of all, to achieve good MPGs, IMHO, simply forget about all the indications in the display, and even the modes, and instead watch the traffic, anticipate its behaviour and learn to keep the drive as smooth as possible. Strong braking and strong accelerations decrease FE. Braking slowly increases re-charging as there is lower chance to have the hydraulic brakes engage to provide the extra brake force, not necessary if you can brake less over longer distances.
    Accelerating like a granny is also not necessary, but flooring it will surely reduce FE. Accelerating progressively, as long as the "ECO" light is on, will do.
    It also helps to accelerate to the desired speed, then releasing completely (or almost completely) the gas pedal and reapplying smoothly up to the point that you can keep the desired speed, depending on traffic conditions. In this case, depending on speed, load, road type (flat or not) and battery charge, the HSD will either push the car only electrically or the ICE will manage to push the wheels directly, while charging the battery (what I call the "happy mode" for the ICE). At this speed the engine spins at the same speed of the motor, without any assist from it. Usually possible at 50-90km/h while keeping FE at <5L/100km.


    Anticipating what the traffic will do, does save fuel.
    And on the Prius even more. I have improved fuel consumption as soon as I stopped looking at the display, and focused on the traffic, how to anticipate it, not to rush to the traffic lights and keeping it smooth.

    I have to still try 1 day driving "normally" and see how the FE will be hit, but I am pretty sure I will not get 3.9L/100km as it happened to me today (OK, temp was 24C rather than 15C) in town.

    It also helps to reduce fuel consumption if you keep the A/C temperature to a "moderate" level - i.e. I keep 20C when outside is 18C or less. I keep 22-23C when outside temp is 20C-26C, 23C if 26 or above. Keeping 18C in summer and 25C in winter will not at all improve FE.
    I keep position lights on always (safer), but keep headlights on only in tunnels or where else prescribed by law only. Headlights do hit on the battery (and therefore affect FE). Unfortunately the Prius does not have LED daytime running lights, so I cannot do much different as described.

    Oh, yes - and check tire pressure at least once a month - nominal pressure is fine, I don't think that going beyond what prescribed is necessary - there are threads on PC about this topic. I keep tire pressure nominal.
     
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  16. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Aside from some paragraph issues, well written pakitt!

    Hmm... can you swap the forward facing parking light with LEDs and run the car like that? (i.e. first click on the headlight stalk). I don't know if it'll be bright enough.
     
  17. Exponent

    Exponent New Member

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    After experimenting a little with eco mode recently, I think I've found that I don't drive based on foot position, but on supplied engine power. The result was that eco mode didn't feel any different from normal mode, which I've had four months to get used to. If I need a certain amount of power to accelerate at a particular rate, I just press the pedal hard enough to achieve that goal; it never felt sluggish to me due to having to press it harder. I suspect power mode would be similar, i.e., it wouldn't feel like I have more power available to me (after all, technically, I don't).

    So I'd repeat hobbit's suggestion: Read the HSI. The different modes don't really matter at all (aside from the few side-system things that eco messes with). What matters is how much power you're requesting from the car, and the pattern in which you change that power request over time and in relation to the environment.
     
  18. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    Thanks! Just for my understanding and to improve - what do you mean by "paragraph issues"? too long sentences? wrong formatting?

    I understand what you mean, but if I do something like that by myself, in the EU I will void the warranty. I haven't checked on the EU user's manual, but I would have to most likely unmount the headlight mount and do stuff inside the engine area. If this is the case and something not documented in the user's manual, and I do something wrong --> voided warranty.
    Moreover, there is another thread you have likely seen, that LED lights installed after buying the car, increase the FM noises that the Prius shows already at delivery. The thread is still pretty long and no sign of a fix from Toyota.
    The only solution is that maybe Toyota does an aftermarket day-time running light option (if ever...) for the EU market, at a reasonable price, with LEDs. But I don't see that coming in my lifetime... :)
     
  19. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Well why do some have one line breaks and others have none. Also, something like this

    Don't think you need a line break after "fuel".

    Paragraphs would have a line break in between them.

    Umm, nono I don't mean installing any sort of module. Basically do what you're doing now but swap the bulbs to LEDs instead. Turn the stalk to the first click so it turns on the parking lights and taillights but not the headlight.