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Attempting to read consumption chart on ghetto Prius?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Nelflez, May 20, 2023.

  1. Nelflez

    Nelflez New Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2023
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    Location:
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    [​IMG]

    My car doesn't have a functional instrument cluster, like the dash piece that shows the odometer, speedometer.. your gas level... and anyway, the MPG is calculated by those three readings so that's why it's missing in my picture, but what I don't know understand is that the consumption chart still functions and shows different and believable info after every trip. But fwik, each of those blocks represent 25mpg, and it's showing four stacked on all but one 5min reading, and well I did a lot of cruising on my ride home but I still had to get onto a level highway and go through city roads where it shouldn't get that good of an MPG.

    So my question is, do I believe what it's telling me?
     
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    11,082
    4,509
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    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Fixing your car is the first step... There's an under powered capacitor on your instrument cluster that needs to be replaced, which is more commonly called the "combination meter." You just pull it out of your dash and solder a new capacitor on and your car will run normally again.

    Driving without the combination meter is not only dangerous, but it can prevent you from turning off your car when the shut down sequence fails for not having a connection to that meter.
     
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    9,004
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    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    I assume your dash was working not too long ago when your dash was working and your consumption gauge worked what was the miles per gallon you were getting in your car generally 45 43 etc . Pretty much a Prius will get 40 miles to the gallon running like crap and if that was pretty normal for your car and what's been doing or a little better than that you just fill it up and go 400 mi and be looking for gas You have a phone in your pocket so you can easily know how many miles you've been if you want to know I had my dash out for 2 years and this is how I always calculated my mileage My car is always gotten 47.1 no lower than 43