Hello, After reading multiple threads on here, I don't think my MPG is good. I got my 2010 Prius IV almost a year ago. It had 65,000 miles on it. It now has around 70,000 miles on it. My average MPG was around 45. In the winter, it dropped below 40. But it's summer and hot again, and it's still only around 45. I regularly do the pulse & glide. I just bought brand new tires called Toyo Proxes 4 Plus for $750 to replace all four last month. MPG has not improved since then. I do not use the AC, and I do not use the heater. If it is hot, I roll down the front windows. My trips to work is about 10 minutes and <3 miles each way going 30 MPH. I don't drive on the freeway/highway almost never. It was my understanding that local city driving is supposed to get better MPG. I go out to the coast every quarter and I get the best MPG when I drive on the freeway for 2 hours going 50 MPH. I had my battery tested at a Toyota dealer and there's nothing wrong with it. My oil does not leak. The only thing needing to be replaced soon is my breaks. Please advise me. Thank you!
Are you mostly just commuting to work? If you are taking short trips like 10 minutes / 3 miles, that will lower MPG. The ICE has to warm up every time you start a trip, which lowers fuel economy on short trips. Also I don't know if those Toyo Proxes are low rolling resistance (LRR) tires. You have to have LRR tires to get the best gas mileage.
Hello, I usually just commute to work and it's a short commute. I just gassed up my car (and I reset the trip number each time I gas up) and I drove 60 miles and 2 hours round trip, not using the freeway. Average MPG was still 44. I agreed to the tires that the dealer recommended, I do not know much to anything about cars, but I have been reading a lot on this website for a long time.
welcome! agree with solrunner^^^, city/rural driving is good, but short trips are bad. the good news is that it is still much better than a non hybrid. check your tire pressure and keep them a few psi above spec. make sure your oil is between min and max marks. check your air and cabin filters. and have your 12 volt battery tested at an auto parts store for free. be careful, you shouldn't need brakes this early. if they want to replace them, get a second opinion. all the best!
any trip about 4 miles for me will barely net 50mpg when driving super hypermiling style. anyt trip shorter results 30mpg or lower on my prius. after 15 minutes of driving 55mph, my engine temp finally reaches normal operating temp of 190-194 degrees on techstream. just make sure your commute will take advantage this type of vehicle first for everyone else wanting one.
"My trips to work is about 10 minutes and <3 miles each way going 30 MPH." I am certainly no mechanical expert or hybrid expert. But here's my two cents. Doing a drive of less than 3 miles is bad for ANY car, not just a hybrid car. The engine never gets a chance to heat up properly; not even the tires. I had the same issue, I lived 2.5 miles from work and my Camry got terrible gas mileage. The tires wore out faster. I was concerned for the health of the engine. So I finally started leaving earlier for work, and taking a longer route of about 10 miles. I should've just rode a bike to work! You will probably just have to accept your current mpg, and like bisco said it is still a lot better than a regular car. 45 MPG is great. Nothing wrong with that! I would say just drive it. Don't be afraid or hesitant to use your AC when it's hot. Your hybrid battery will appreciate it too.
Thank you for your reply! I go with what the dealer recommends, because I do not know much about cars besides what guys at work tell me lol. When you say get a second opinion, what do you mean? My car is 8 years old and some people need to have them changed every 4-5 years. I thought going to the dealer is better because will be more honest and warranty their work. Please advise, thank you. I will go to the auto parts store for testing.
i mean take it to another dealer to make sure the brakes need replacing. although not unheard of, most prius brakes last well over 100,000 miles. ask them exactly what they plan to do, and how much it will cost, and post the information here for advice before proceeding. are your brakes giving you any trouble? it sounds to me like your car is in good condition, and does not need anything but regular maintenance as prescribed in the toyota maintenance schedule that came with your car. some dealers are honest and some are not. maybe you should try to get referrals from your friends, aaa, angies list and yelp. finding a good mechanic is not always easy.
Yap, This will lower your MPG. BTW, 45mpg overall is not so bad. My lifetime mpg on my previous Prius Gen3 was only 52 mpg.
One of my coworkers at work is a former Toyota service person. He is very knowledgeable about cars but did not work on Prius's very often. I asked my people at work about tire pressure, they said not to exceed what Toyota recommends because the tires will explode. It seems that everyone here is doing at least 40/38 and not having issues. Most roads have bumps or those manhole sewer covers, but overall not large potholes. My brakes squeak sometimes. I have to press them down at a particular level to make them squeak. The person who owned the car before me did not go to Toyota, but they paid the premium extended warranty. They went to Jiffy Lube for all of their oil changes. I will go to Les Schwab and have them do the break check. Thank you.
The tire maker molds a higher pressure number into the sidewall label (typically 44 or 51 on Prius-type tires), and they will not explode at anything near that number. More important, don't let your pressures go lower than the car maker's label recommendation. That can cause tire overheating and a blow-out at highway speed, which is a form of explosion. The 'best' pressure comes down to personal preference, depending on how you value the various tradeoffs. If you don't understand all the issues, then just stick with exactly the numbers on Toyota's label.
