Hi Everyone - I just purchased a 2015 Toyota Prius 3 (replacing a 2008 Toyota Prius with 150K miles). Just got it and love it thus far. One question is bothering me and maybe someone can help. The distance to empty mileage calculation is wrong. I just completed a 26.6 mile trip to work (the trip summary is correct) and the mileage to empty calculated 39 miles (when I started it showed 505 miles to empty and when I arrived to work it displayed 466 miles to empty). Is there a setting I am missing? I am most concerned that something is wrong with the fuel consumption is some way. Has anyone heard of this issue? Thanks. David
1. The distance to empty calculation depends upon the ECU's assessment of how much fuel is in the tank. As you probably know, the fuel level is not precisely measured. 2. If you are concerned about the accuracy of the mpg readings, reset the trip odometers upon refueling. Then the next time you refuel, compare the amount of gasoline actually added to the gasoline that the trip odometers indicate have been consumed (by dividing miles driven by mpg). See how much error exists over time. 3. Upon refueling, it appears to me that the distance to empty starts at 595 miles which is based upon 50 mpg x 11.9 gallons. The problem with that calculation is that the fuel tank may actually have more or less than 11.9 gallons and the actual fuel economy may vary from 50 mpg. So do not take the distance to empty reading too seriously. 4. You will probably get a better response to your question if you post in a G3 forum instead of G2.
Thanks Patrick. I will do everything you stated (and also started a thread in the Prius III forum). My oversight. It just feels like something is not right when I get into the car and it says 505 miles to empty and I drive 26 miles and it now shows 466 miles.
I guess I am just confused by the term then distance to empty. On every other car I have driven with this feature you use that as a gauge on how much you can drive until the gas tank is empty. That is how it is in my Sienna and my old Prius. I was just more concerned that something was wrong with the car.....
I gave up on computer fuel gauges, my gen 2 will still read full after 160 miles, than half tank at 220...I just use the trip miles and fill up every 350 miles or so..
I've never owned a car with a distance-to-empty calculator, but those I've seen tend to change pretty drastically as you go, and for good reason. Think about it--there's no way that a car can know, at full tank, how many miles it will last. What if the first half-tank is on gentle two lane roads and the second half is on high-speed freeways? What if Jeff Gordon borrows the car at 1/3 tank? The calculated figure has to constantly change with actual fuel economy, in order to have a chance of being reasonably accurate toward the end.
