Epidemic

How much is the ODO off from the Toyota site? Is there only one mileage value, or a long list? I could believe a single value being in error, but a list of events that suggest fraud is probably correct.

As for mileage, track several tankfuls before you sound the alarm. The car doesn't get exactly one mileage all the time. It gets relatively poor mileage driving short distances during cold weather and fantastic mileage driven 50 mph on a long downhill with a tailwind. Its the average that counts, and you're probably getting high 40s with usual use.

 

It could also be that the combination meter was replaced with one from fleeBay to fix a dead combo. As not every one can program the replacement, you would try and get a replacement that was close to what you had on the car. If you have no morals you wouldn't care about putting in one with many fewer miles recorded.

The good news is, if you want to correct it, you can send it to Matt @Texas Hybrid Batteries, who can fix it for you.

 

Could the OP have a combo that maxes out at 299,999 ?

 

2011 is Gen3 so we are on the wrong thread?
Gen2 does have meter problem as stated. What model year?
If the car is sitting a long time you can get funny behaviors.

 

It was probably turned back. Look at the history and dates, it'll show the mileage progression

 

OK well the Combo meter problem on Gen2's had a 9 year special warranty.
So if it went bad before that, the owner might have gone to Toyota.
After that, he might have gone the Ebay route.

 

Combination meter is pretty common failure item in gen 2 Prius. So Toyota gave it 9 year unlimited miles warranty.

-If combination meter of your Prius failed within that 9 years owner probably just went to Toyota dealership and got a new one with the exactly the same mileage.
-If it failed after that time owner might have just bought used combination meter from somewhere and installed it as is so then the Prius has the mileage of the Prius that the meter is taken out of.

 

Probably no help at all....

But, try googling your VIN. See what may (or may not), pop-up. Could be anything from an auction house, to a junkyard, to a craigslist ad.

 

Best approach stay cool and see how the facts come out.
An older 2005 Prius at 150k miles is a couple years over 10-yr warranty, so the implications are limited. Lots of times, we see original owners selling before the 10-yr mark to keep under warranty. So I'd wonder if this owner even was the orig owner.