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Gas Mileage Went Down 11 MPG

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Fuel Economy' started by Coast Cruiser, Dec 2, 2016.

  1. first_superior_prius

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    Something is definitely not right. I am guessing either you took a screenshot of a different trip, or you are not quite grasping what the car readout is telling you.

    We are not counting anything... your car is the one keeping track. The average MPH is easily found by taking the time of the trip (which your car logged and is visible in the top row of your screenshot) divided by the number of miles you traveled (second row of your screenshot). That number comes to approximately an average speed of 30 miles per hour.

    I am guessing you had a fair amount of time stopped at traffic lights on a divided highway with traffic lights. This brings your average speed down, because you have several minutes with a speed of zero.


    It would be nearly impossible to achieve 77 MPG by driving at a steady 65 MPH as you claimed, unless it was all down a mountain or something. It makes a lot more sense that you got that great gas mileage with an average speed of 30 mph, which included several long coasts to red lights, followed by slow acceleration back up to 65 mph.
     
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  2. Dragon Rider

    Dragon Rider Active Member

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    Thanks for the reply. I going to test the car only in the freeway.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #62 Dragon Rider, Dec 5, 2016
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2016
  3. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    Auto mode sucks! You can have it! :ROFLMAO: I like the vent selector to be on high/low - "face & feet." But the auto mode keeps kicking it back up to the upper vents only. And if I change the fan speed the auto mode goes off! I don't know why I keep frustrating myself with this stuff… Just stop using it! I can do my own settings, I ain't that freakin lazy. :D

    I'm still driving around in the early morning when it's about 46°. But the magic of the PWR mode is working again...
    For the last 150 miles I have been in the power mode, and my gas mileage went up from 51 to 56 MPG.
    The White Night just loves that PWR mode! (y)
     
  4. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    No snow yet. Home weather station said 25F but car said 27 F when starting to work.
     

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  5. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Previous for same trip.
     

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  6. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    Nice photos, pp.
    The weather change is a good learning experience for me, since this is my first Prius. So now I know the MPG can vary by 10 or so. But the coldest it's been here was only 46°. I'm still curious to see how the owners do in the really cold states, where it gets down into the teens.
     
  7. DonDNH

    DonDNH Senior Member

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    It's been down to -20 degrees in several instances over the years since I've had Prii. No problem with starting or driving for the car. I, on the other hand, were shivering like crazy till the blower started some warmed air flowing. Bun warmers are a God-send and faster to warm than the heater.
     
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  8. Mr Gadget

    Mr Gadget New Member

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    Well here's another bit of INFO I've Noticed (Even on my Tundra TRUCK) when you put it on Defrost mode ! the AC turns on (THUS you would lower your MPG~ does with the truck I know that . .lol So in the Prius in Auto mode the AC also comes on (for heat) so I just tap the AC button to off. Any ideas there. Another note on my Prius, if I put it in recirculate mode it seem to help with the MPG? ? ? Rather than pulling from the outside air.
    How's the one person her post it . . .COMPLICATED . . lol
     
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  9. Mr Gadget

    Mr Gadget New Member

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    I'm in the Great Smoky Mountains and will be glad to give feed back about Colder weather (although it won't be Minnesota like conditions) but with Cold weather and Hills it makes a difference. We also travel to Ohio where they will be colder. We had our 2013 Prius 2 now almost 6 months and I was on the other thread about how I lost MPG with Defender tires I just put on. So the combination (Tires/Cold weather) at the same time threw me. Glad to have found this forum.
     
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  10. Mr Gadget

    Mr Gadget New Member

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    Oddly, and strangely I still get the best gas mileage when I'm in the PWR mode. I no longer try and figure it out, I just enjoy the ride. :)[/QUOTE]

    Can you tell me or direct me to a thread or youtube that would explain the PWR Mode and ECO Mode. I know the EV Mode means "Run on the battery" I don't push any buttons, I just get in and drive. But it has become a "GAME To Play" as I leave the display on the vehicle showing what mode your in and how much power is being used, keeping it out of the POWER Mode area and in the ECO range. I was up to 62 MPG avg until I put the Michelin Defenders on AND COLD weather hit at the same time. Thanks
     
  11. Mr Gadget

    Mr Gadget New Member

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    Reply to Mendel: The gas engine starts up immediately in the morning. I don't have the heater on. Or the defroster. And "auto" is not on. I don't see any EV until I've driven about 5 miles... That's in temps of 46 to 55 degrees or so.[/QUOTE]

    OK I can add, my 2013 Prius 2 is in the attached garage. (Summer time up until we hit the 40's here in the mountains) I would back out of the garage and the motor would not turn on. Now the motor starts almost immediately. Garage is at about 50'-55'.
     
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  12. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Your 2013 Prius is a Gen 3 car. Toyota made many changes for the Gen 4. I understand that the Air Conditioning light coming on in Auto mode on the Gen 4 just says you are allowing the car to automatically use AC if needed. I believe that is one option that can be changed by the dealer.
    I do not know if this applies to your car, but it applies to the user in this Gen 4 Prius thread.
     
  13. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    OK I can add, my 2013 Prius 2 is in the attached garage. (Summer time up until we hit the 40's here in the mountains) I would back out of the garage and the motor would not turn on. Now the motor starts almost immediately. Garage is at about 50'-55'.[/QUOTE]
    know the manual for the Gen 4 Prius states that you cannot use EV only mode wen the car has sat for a while with temperatures below 68F. Something similar may apply to your car. I know my Gen 4 engine starts up at those temperatures now too.
     
  14. Mr Gadget

    Mr Gadget New Member

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    know the manual for the Gen 4 Prius states that you cannot use EV only mode wen the car has sat for a while with temperatures below 68F. Something similar may apply to your car. I know my Gen 4 engine starts up at those temperatures now too.[/QUOTE]

    I'm Sorry, I must have fallen into this thread somehow snooping around. (just found this forum today) I apologize I now see in the little print this is the GEN 4 . . . Sorry... (I wanted the NEW 2017, wife said uhhhh look in your wallet! . . ohhh OK so I ended up with a 2013... Still love it. While I'm here can anyone tell me if there is a "CHAT for Toyota TUNDRA's ~ I have a 2005 Stepside with 150,000 and Love it. 22 MPG with it. I'm NOT Compalining . . . lol
     
  15. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    I'm Sorry, I must have fallen into this thread somehow snooping around. (just found this forum today) I apologize I now see in the little print this is the GEN 4 . . . Sorry... (I wanted the NEW 2017, wife said uhhhh look in your wallet! . . ohhh OK so I ended up with a 2013... Still love it. While I'm here can anyone tell me if there is a "CHAT for Toyota TUNDRA's ~ I have a 2005 Stepside with 150,000 and Love it. 22 MPG with it. I'm NOT Compalining . . . lol[/QUOTE]
    Not sure. I still enjoy my 2000 Tundra. I think Toyotanation.com is pretty good.
     
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  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    did we ever figure out where cc's 11 mpg ran off to?
     
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  17. Mr Gadget

    Mr Gadget New Member

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    Thanks will check it out
     
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  18. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    I lost 10 pounds, and it suddenly reappeared! :ROFLMAO: The mpg came back up a bit, now holding steady at 56.2 on the display (last time I looked.)

    But I now have a cleaner & simpler dashboard, as shown in the picture on the left. I'm keeping it uncluttered and not distracting. I found that my eyes were leaving the road too often; I kept watching all the gauges and hybrid eco-indicator. Unnecessarily, I might add. As Mr Gadget said, I just get in it and drive it... The Prius system knows what to do much better than me. I don't need to keep looking at it or analyzing it.

    And God forbid, I'm not even tracking or concerned about the mpg anymore! Now I just fill up the tank when it reaches the 1/2 point. Driving is simple again. :D Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to all!
     
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  19. thunderstruck

    thunderstruck Active Member

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    Does the Gen 4 have any kind of system for warming the battery? I noticed something interesting this morning. Temp was very low single digits when I went to work. ICE stayed on almost the whole way, but what I saw when I was getting a few miles from work, with decent coolant temps, was the ICE was still running, but it was using very little fuel. One thing I watch on my SG is GPH, and car was switching battery propulsion on and off, but ICE was using .1X-.2 GPH which means it was not providing propulsion. So why would it be on except to heat coolant and possibly warm battery? Coolant was about 160-170.
     
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Might depend on your cabin temp setting. If you make higher heat demand and ambient temp is low, it'll tend to keep the engine on more. Just guessing though.
     
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