Latest Software Update Safety Recall Resulting in 8mpg less...

The task of defining the root of any reported car problem(s) begins with the manufacturer's representatives (Dealership Service Departments), not the consumer. While it is helpful to provide "Technicians" with pertinent information and answer questions as it applies, the technology exists, both direct and remote, towards that resolve. This forum is a place to exchange conversation and ideas related to the topic(s) at hand. While your posted ideas have some merit and might contribute, they can not, and should not be used as a threshold to engage in such exchanges as they relate...even for complainers.

As mentioned earlier, I held off having my software updated early as history reflects issues have occurred in the past which were irreversible. While you and I have seen no ill effects, that does not mean everyone's experience is the same.

 

Is Mr. Wilson on the Toyota Payroll? Sounds like the service rep at the dealer I no longer trust for recommending unneeded services.
The issue is real and making excuses about record keeping and bragging is not going to get us any closer to finding the cause.

 

True. I did giggle at the notion of doing all kinds of stuff to document a problem so others could reproduce it. Okay, I have a GPS that I could download track info from, but you'd need a lab or identical terrain to reproduce my driving route (where I live) and I'd not spend hundreds on equipment to monitor what the Prius is doing just to produce data to look at. Such a cost should be Toyota's job. Plug in a "black box" to monitor my car for a week.

 

Ok,

Take the GPS recorded data, usually an XML file and put it in zip container. Then post the zip file as an attachment. If you want, send it as a 'conversation'. The only GPS records needed will have:

• Date and time stamp
• Longitude
• Latitude
• Altitude

I will convert them to metric or standard units and applying some basic physics and Prius control laws to model the MPG for each trip. Then we'll compare it to your trip meter MPG to see if there is a significant variance.

Bob Wilson

ps. This effort is the engineering form of a crossword puzzle or playing solitare . . . only much more fun.

 

he's right ..... want to solve the issue
data of some sort needed...

 

People come here asking for help and I think Bob is just trying to offer suggestions as to what kind of data might help find the problem if they don't want to wait for the dealer to figure it out. If someone doesn't want to or can't take the time to try the suggestions that's fine, but I for one appreciate the ideas and offer to help troubleshoot. I never thought to use my Gamin to log trip data that could be used for comparisons, so I'm thankful for the tip.

 

When you mount the Garmin, look for a file "Current.gpx" and looks like:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no" ?><gpx xmlns="GPX 1.1 Schema Documentation" xmlns:gpxx="http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensions/v3" xmlns:gpxtpx="http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/TrackPointExtension/v2" creator="nüvi 265W" version="1.1" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="GPX 1.1 Schema Documentation http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensions/v3 http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensionsv3.xsd"><metadata><link href="Garmin | United States | Home"><text>Garmin International</text></link><time>2013-12-12T00:04:02Z</time></metadata><wpt lat="34.056086" lon="-86.529759"><ele>246.70</ele><name>Daryl 2054293088</name><sym>Waypoint</sym></wpt><wpt lat="25.061784" lon="121.640268"><ele>38.10</ele><name>Garmin Asia</name><link href="Garmin/JPEG/Garmin_Asia.jpg"></link><sym>Waypoint</sym><extensions><gpxx:WaypointExtension><gpxx:Address><gpxx:StreetAddress>No 68, Jangshu 2nd Road</gpxx:StreetAddress><gpxx:City>Shijr, Taipei County</gpxx:City><gpxx:Country>Taiwan</gpxx:Country></gpxx:Address></gpxx:WaypointExtension></extensions></wpt><wpt lat="50.901701" lon="-1.489350"><ele>35.93</ele><name>Garmin Europe</name><link href="Garmin/JPEG/Garmin_Europe.jpg"></link><sym>Waypoint</sym><extensions><gpxx:WaypointExtension><gpxx:Address><gpxx:StreetAddress>Liberty House

. . .​

So I use a Perl program to extract the data but this can also be done in excel (a little slower!) to generate the data to load into excel:

-1 Daryl 2054293088 34.056086 -86.529759 246.700000
-1 Garmin Asia 25.061784 121.640268 38.100000
-1 Garmin Europe 50.901701 -1.489350 35.930000
-1 Garmin USA 38.855550 -94.799018 325.050000
-1 Home 34.652971 -86.571694 220.750000
-1 Work 34.726171 -86.664490 206.090000
0 2013-12-11 20:59:17 34.580464 -86.620485 189.000000
0 2013-12-11 21:00:12 34.580672 -86.620309 181.300000
0 2013-12-11 21:00:26 34.580700 -86.620240 177.000000
0 2013-12-11 21:00:27 34.580692 -86.620235 176.000000
0 2013-12-11 21:00:28 34.580682 -86.620231 175.100000​

Garmin uses some form of time, sampling, where as a GPS mouse provides 1 second updates. So the five records show:

• 5 second dt
• 14 second dt
• 1 second dt
• 1 second dt

The initial GPS data takes a minute or so to settle. So the starting data is imprecise but within two minutes it is fairly solid with the 'variability' the GPS network injects. Regardless, it is accurate enough to characterize the route and driving style:

I've over-layed a Google map screen capture over the excel generated track. The spreadsheet requires understanding high school trigonometry. Add some high school physics and a fairly accurate, vehicle energy profile can be made.

Bob Wilson

 

Interesting. I'll have to play with this when I get some time and data to work with. Thanks.

 

I read through some of your conversation and it has been a few months. I was wondering if you ever got this issue resolved? I have a 2011 prius and had the recall software update done 2 months ago and my MPG has dropped 10mpg. I used to get 460 per tank in the summer, but now I am getting around 320 miles. I called my service advisor and she keeps telling me its due to the recall update but she has no resolve to the issue. I really irritated about the whole thing. I was wondering what happened with your car and if you got a fix to the issue. Thanks

 

what kine of mpg's have you been getting?

 

The 2010 ATP is going back to the dealer on the 18th. I have requested the MPG be checked and said it changed when the recall work was done.
Filled the tank this morning, 36.39 MPG using trip and gallons to fill tank. One third of this was highway at 65 MPH. I dont believe we need a GPS to tell us there is something that has changed in this vehicle. The person who made the appointment said the recall work did not affect the MPG. I disagree and asked for it to be checked. Will post update after appointment.

 

thanks, i hope they find a code or reflash it, all the best!

 

I had the same experience after the most recent software update - The mileage dropped from 48-50 to around 38-42 MPG. After two months of blaming myself (low tire pressure, different driving habits, etc.), I took it back to the dealer thinking it might be the 12 volt or traction batteries. The technician claimed that it was neither and the service rep claimed the mileage was within Toyota's "acceptable range." I have driven it 200 miles since then and am now getting 53 - 55 MPG. I can only surmise that they corrected a software issue which got messed up during the earlier update. I suggest you revisit the dealer.

 

I have the same problem and it has been months and lots of gas tanks. I live in San Diego, so weather is not an issue. I have not changes driving habits or anything else. It happened the day I got my recall. My wife also has a Prius and had the recall, without any noticeable change. Her's works fine. Todays tank only got 35 MPG with the computer saying 40 MPG, and I haven't gotten any better than 38 MPG since the recall I used to get 43-35MPG, with the computer calculated Mileage at 48-51 MPG. I took it to the dealer and they couldn't find anything and said the car was working fine. They even tried to charge me $50 because they spent longer then they said they should have, and it must be that I radically changed my habits that day. I have all of my millage logs and they didn't care. Any ideas... this sucks. I am thinking of taking it to the dealer again, reset the trip-set, and have the manager show me that it is my fault by his getting better millage.

 

For those of you still having issues, have you gone back to Toyota and asked for a "hard reset" of the system? IIRC, someone here did that and it seemed to fix the problem.

 

any update?

 

Count me as one of the affected ones......our fuel economy has suffered since having the recall/ecu update, and for the life of me i couldn't figure out why until stumbling upon this thread. We consistently earned at least 34-35mpg in town (with A/C) and now are recording mileage in the 24-26mpg range, truly abysmal if you ask me.

Calling the local dealer now. Thanks Prius Chat!

 

ouch, all the best!

 

Am I the only one that GAINED MPG from the update?

 

Had the update, already posted, no difference, no bad vibes, if Toyota decides to update, it's their ball game.
During the summer I had a four week period during which my mpg's dropped from always 57's to 53's it was weird, the overall was around 2000, did a reset and went back to 57's for the last four tanks, thinking someone was testing e85, and using this thread as general info, I suspect e85 is being "tested" elsewhere.