Wanting to hit the panic button!

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...-answer-these-questions-esp-if-youre-new.html

Go to this link, copy the questionnaire and post it on this thread. You'll get a TON of advice and help (hopefully the snarky comments will be kept to a minimum).

What is your displayed MPG showing for your car? Please realize you are new to this car and there are many, many things to learn about it and how to drive it to maximize fuel economy.

 

I guess I've dsyfunctionally hung around here too long.

From time to time, we always get the first tank, new owner that is disgruntled over the results of the first tank of gas.

You can, and will get and find lots of advice about how to maximize your MPG's.

But IMO, right off the bat? I wouldn't sweat the first tank. Run a couple full tanks...and put a little more mileage on the vehicle.

If there really is a problem? It will become very evident.

In the meantime? You can try all the tricks..investigate all the methods.

But if this is your first perhaps "Dealer Provided" tank of gas? I wouldn't sweat it.

 

I'll add this. It takes about 80 miles before the first 'pip' on my fuel gauge disappears.

If the first tank wasn't completely full by a couple of gallons, then the fuel gauge might indicate a full tank but the first pip might drop almost immediately.

I think you should just check what the mileage reading is when you fill the tank yourself.

Also please note that when you are down to one last remaining pip on the fuel gauge there is still about a gallon or two remaining - just be careful not to run out of fuel checking this!

 

I doubt the dealer filled the tank completely. Yes, give it a couple of tanks and fill out the questionnaire.

Also, you have nearly 2 gallons in the tank when you are "empty" (zero DTE).

 

Have you seen this video?

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...max-mpg-driving-techniques-youtube-video.html

Before I got my Prius (3/31/12) I watched this and started a good foundation for learning about my Prius and how to drive it optimally. I was getting 57-65mpg my 1st/2nd week with the car that I would have had no idea about without this forum/that video.

Something else you will want to take into account when you see your fuel display is that there's a 2 gallon reserve, meaning the Prius tells you you're "empty" when there's about 2 gallons still in your car. I first encountered this when I went to fill my first tank of gas. My display said that I had 7 miles left to drive on my fuel tank, I went to the gas station expecting to fill almost 11 gallons of gas, but the gas pump clicked at 9.7 gallons. So your "cruising range" that is displayed is actually lower than what you can really get out of your car, but again you shouldn't test it because you won't be able to really know how empty your car is since it will just keep telling you it's running on "empty."

But like everyone else says, there's a lot to learn about the car and the better you drive it, the more you'll get out of it. I'm still learning! You'll probably learn something new everyday.. I just learned that my Nav screen pops open if I press the "cd close" button... yesterday... I had been wondering where the cd drive was... I was AMAZED when the screen was tilting out of the way.. haha.

 

Did you reset it to erase the effects of the prior drivers? If not, do so now.

You are not allowed to skip this question. Get a pressure gauge and have it checked.

Don't do this. The car is fairly smart at choosing between electric and gas modes, and it is extremely easy for newbies to lose efficiency by trying to outsmart it. Drive it 'normally' until you have more experience with this particular design.

Skip this if possible.

What temperature? This is often a significant drag on efficiency.

 

why do you measure fuel economy by miles/tank?

 

LOL Fuzzy1,

Bytemi,

That initial 22 miles at 16.7 mpg is A.W.F.U.L!!! That is definitely impacting your overall displayed mileage. Your displayed mileage is likely 6% optimistic to boot, so if it reads 42.9, actual would be 40.3.

BUT, let's correct for the initial awfulness.

333 miles at 42.9 mpg = 7.76 gallons used.
22 miles at 16.7 mpg = 1.32 gallons used.

Remove initial awfulness leaves

311 miles using 6.44 gallons = 48.3 mpg displayed (there, that's got to make you feel better).
48.3 * 0.94 (for optimistic display) = 45.4 mpg calculated.

The car is new, you are learning to drive it, the mileage will improve. Was your fusion mileage you quoted calcuated by hand or from the displayed value? If the latter, then it will be harder to compare the Prius value to the Fusion value, unless you make assumptions (i.e. Fusion displayed was 100% accurate or Fusion display has a similar bias like the Prius display).

Do check your air pressures.
The 12volt battery question is that sometimes the dealership lets the 12V battery get discharged (people leaving interior lights on without the car being in READY mode, etc). The 12volt is small and can't take discharges like a normal sized battery. I recently replaced mine (it didn't last 2 years) but I SHOULD have replaced it after 6 months. This was due to dealer abuse, not mine.....but I couldn't prove it, and I replaced with a superior Optima battery. Battery issues manifest themselves in weird ways (there are threads on this) and impact MPG as the car is spending energy trying to keep the charge up on the 12 volt.

The HVAC settings will impact MPG's (temperature and A/C use), which is why Fuzzy1 says you can't skip it.

Oil overfill impacts MPG as it requires more "work" for the engine to turn through the oil in the pan.

Tire air pressure should not need an explanation

 

One of the first things I will do after leaving the dealership is to top off tank. Then I will have a better sense of what I should get. And that first tank afterwards will come at only 2 bars remaining. Then another full tank going to the flashing pip. I've learned not to trust the car info after a visit to the dealership.

 

You are over-thinking this.

 

I've had my 2012, 4, since the last day of January. (my 2nd Prius -- I had a 2001 until I sold it in 2008) I have about 3700 miles on it. The mileage has gradually improved since I got it. Part of that is the weather (it is getting warmer) and part is break-in. After filling the tank on Saturday, we put 90 miles on it at mostly 75 mph on the turnpike and then another 175 at 55 mph and in town, and the trip odometer display is showing 48.8 mpg. I'm thrilled. When I drive I routinely get 56-57 mpg (car display numbers, not manually figured so it about 2 mpg high) mpg on my 15 mile trip to work (12 miles county road at 57 mph and 3 on the interstate bypass at 70). It is like driving a video game.

I LOVE MY CAR.

Be patient and use your calculator on several tanks of gas you pumped. Don't buy premium. Check your tire pressure. Check to be sure the oil isn't overfilled. Then come back in a few weeks and let us know how the car is doing. Good luck.

Sharol

 

My first tank, when I drove off the lot, I was way too busy enjoying the new car and all the gizmos to be bothered with worrying about mpg (final total was low 40's mpg for that tank).

Second tank pretty much the same until the last cpl hundred miles then I started looking at the mpg graphs more closely (43.5 mpg). Hmm it's easy to keep that line above 50mpg.

So this third tank, which I filled last night, I'm going to see if I can get the overall average above 50. Doesn't seem too hard to do so. Even the cruise control has no problem keeping the car running efficiently and maintaining a 50+ mpg on the highway.

 

Keep in mind also that the 16.7mpg could be the results of HOURS of idling with the system on and no matter how good you drive you won't overcome that.

Reset it and see what YOU are doing, subtract 2-3mpg from the display and smile.

 

Wanting to hit the panic button!

OR

Waiting to hit the panic button?

I'm not saying your symptoms are normal. I am saying you have a very small sample size of results.

Since you are dealing with a new vehicle with a long warranty, you have nothing to lose by NOT hitting the panic button.

Apply what you know...remain calm, give it more time, is my advice.

It's likely after such a short time, that if you took it to the dealer with no codes reading, you'd get the usual, "Everything is Fine" feedback.

You almost NEED to wait, to either discover everything is fine...or gain more evidence that there is a problem.

 

This improved figure deserves highlighting. If OP never reset the trip gauge, it will take a long time to smoosh out the pre-purchase fuel wastage. This waste probably represents numerous cold starts with extremely short trips, and some extended idling while people sit around and talk about the car.

While learning to drive this car, I suggest resetting one of the Trip meters every morning! This will provide rapid and extremely useful feedback about how you are doing today. This also highlights the fuel cost of engine warmup, as the day's mpg starts out horribly low, then rapidly increases as the miles roll up.

 

Bytemi - where are you in Virginia?

FattyMooCow and I are both in Richmond area. I have seen so many Prius around Richmond lately I am amazed I did not see them before getting my Prius last week.

We may need a Virginia Prius Owners group.