In winter, my mileage goes from 41 to 30. Down 25% Is that normal? This has happened for 7 years now since I have owned it from buying it new in 2007.
Unfortunately it is normal to get lower fuel economy (higher fuel consumption). Use google to search priuschat dot com to find out more specific information.
There is a thread on that, with many links to other articles: Why mileage gets worse in winter Your's drops 25%? Mine is closer to 15%:
Everyone gets worse mileage during the winter. How much worse depends on factors like how long your trips are, just how cold it is, and how much heat you're asking for. Given your already low mileage, I'm guessing you mainly do short trips that make for even worse mileage in the cold. Does the temperature change that much summer to winter in Hawaii?
Maybe just change your choice of descriptives? Instead of thinking winter "hurts" your mileage, accept that there's a lot of factors effecting fuel economy. Try tearing up a ski hill, for example, that can be really painful to mpg, lol. Frivolity aside, there's things you can do to mitigate mpg drop. Block heater is a good tactic, especially if you have a lot of short trips. Also look into grill block. And just try to avoid those winter short trips, winter warm up really kills mpg. Consolidate several short runs into one longer run, if possible.
There is a WEALTH of information stored in this forum but in order for that to do any good..........you have to LOOK for it. Please.
Hawaii had snow in November of 14' But it still sounds problematic, 12v good? Might be worth it to get the block heater, and definitely block the grill. Wondering how much winter blend they add to the petrol?
I live in Michigan, where it we flirted with -25f wind chills last week for days on end. Daily highs of zero degrees fareneheit. Good times!! When I purchased my Prius 2.5 years ago, I promptly installed an engine block heater. I plug it in, and run the EBH for 3 hours before I leave every morning. That was #1 for me to experience higher mpg's in the wintertime. #2 to save mpg's was to block my grill. I followed directions from Priuschat to do so. #3 was to find the "sweet spot" in my climate control to maximize engine efficiency. I determined that keeping the heat on AUTO, A/C off, and the temperature set at 70, this keeps the engine from running non-stop. It also provides sufficient heat to keep the cabin nice and toasty. I installed aftermarket heated seats in my Prius so on days where the temperatures arent miserably cold, I can use those. The final thing I do every week, is to check my tire pressures. The Prius seems to be super sensitive to low tire pressures relating to mpg's. And for every 10 degree drop in temperature, you lose 1-3lbs of air per tire. That adds up quick... All these things amount to my gas mileage dropping minimally during the frigid winter months. I go from 49mpg to maybe 42mpg at my lowest but usually can pull 44mpg all winter long. And Im an incorrigible leadfoot!
That's exactly what I was thinking bisco. Hawaii is latitude 20 degrees north, between the tropic of cancer and the equator, so technically they shouldn't experience winter at all. OP, please tell us your real location.
If your "good" mileage is 41, then winter isn't your problem. The bad news is that Gas there is probably still over $2 a gallon. The Good news is that you can't possibly be spending that much on gas, because you live on an itty-bitty rock. It's not like you have a 2000'/sq home to heat either. Still......if you're getting 30MPG in a Prius then something is wrong!! I have a work Prius. That means it's not MY Prius, and so one time I TRIED to get the worst possible tank average for MPG, and I was barely able to get out of the 40's and I drove it like I stole it for 400 miles! I measure my mileages by the tank, to keep the data consistent. If you're getting 30-mpg on a 1-mile grocery run, then you're not really gathering enough data to determine your real mileage. I don't think my Prius is capable of getting 30-MPG even if I used it to plow fields. So.... We have a problem. 1. Check your data. 2. Check your tire pressures, fluid levels (especially the oil level!) and brakes. Look for about 750 pounds of crap in the cargo bay. Your car is about the right age to start burning oil if you're one of the 99.44 percent of people who don't check their oil levels at least once every 1,000 miles - but you probably have a hard time putting 10,000 miles a year on the car unless you're doing laps around the Big Island every day. 3. Check your 12v battery. 4. See if there's somebody on your rock that fixes Priuses. If you have to......you can try the dealer, but be warned!!!! Sometimes when you say: "I think that there is something wrong with my car!" they hear: "I want to make your next house and boat payments for you!" Question any diagnosis that mentions the word "replace." One last thought. I keep forgetting that some parts of the Islands can get hilly (which is sort of the whole point, pun almost unintended.....) If you have a 5000' climb to work every day? 41 MPG might be your "normal." Still......something has changed if you're really seeing 30 now. Don't delay finding out what it is. Good Luck!
A 25% loss of fuel economy is possible, based on my experience in this climate. A lot depends on the type of driving you do. If you like to warm up the car before you drive short trips, then I can easily see a 25% loss. It also depends on the temperatures; there's a big difference between 40F and -40F (excluding wind-chill which is irrelevant). However, I don't know of any other car better designed to cope with cold weather than a Prius.
One thing that p*ssed me off about Hawaii is the gas stations: on Maui no problems, but on Oahu, if you have an out-of-state (or even better: out of Country) credit card, self-serve is completely broken: you have to go into the station, tell the guy what pump you're on, leave your card with him, go back out and pump the gas. And it's not like they get a lot of tourists...
Winter hurts everyone's mileage! It's hard to push a car through snow! You want heat, that's gonna cost some MPG So will "Winter Blend Fuel" , Low tire PSI, and driving uphill at 85! I live in Los Angeles, I get a 4 to 5 MPG ding every winter. C'est La Vie!!!
