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2011 barely getting 41mpg

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by koukilights, May 5, 2021.

  1. koukilights

    koukilights Junior Member

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    I have a 2011 with 240k miles on the clock, owned the car since 217k miles. My entire ownership, I've gotten around 40mpg. Costco gas, shell gas, random gas station gas, regular octane, it's all the same mpg. I just got back from a trip around California and most of the time my MPG was 40-42ish. 1 short session it got up to 50mpg driving around LA highways at around 50mph. But that was the best I saw.

    I have TorquePro so I can monitor that the car indeed is getting up to operating temperature (188-190F). No Check Engine Light codes present. New spark plugs around 225k miles. Air filter fairly new, maybe 6 or 7k on it. Tires are 195/65R15 Michelin premiere all seasons, front tires around 6/32 depth, rears at around 3/32 aired up to 40psi on all 4.

    I'm ok with 40mpg, it's a lot better than most cars get which is why I haven't done any serious work to improve the mileage. But my mom recently got a 2014 with 150k miles and right away she's getting 53mpg average for the tank with no special driving what so ever.

    I saw a post here on prius chat about how someone replaced their fuel injectors and went from 30mpg to 50mpg. Are poorly spraying injectors a known issue with older prii?
     
    #1 koukilights, May 5, 2021
  2. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    what I was told when I last posted my mpg average for comparison on here- it’s stupid to compared mpgs between 2 vehicles. Yes the word stupid was included.
     
    #2 Grit, May 5, 2021
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  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    What is your average speed? What is you mother's average speed?

    This old thread had a wonderful mpg vs speed chart, unfortunately the image got lost in a recent website change. Other copies exist somewhere, but require a better search:
    Updated MPG vs MPH chart | PriusChat
     
    #3 fuzzy1, May 5, 2021
  4. koukilights

    koukilights Junior Member

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    On the highway I usually drive around 65-70. The average speed for the tank the last couple of times has been anywhere from 35-60 on my road trip. But no change in mpg. My mom's average speed is usually around 70 on the highway, I think her average speed for her current tank is like 30mph.
     
    #4 koukilights, May 5, 2021
  5. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Are those LLR tires? That could be effecting your MPG.
    Also your driving habits. How fast you excellerate, etc...
    If you drive like a tourist in Florida, I'd bet your mpg would improve. :)

     
    #5 ASRDogman, May 5, 2021
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  6. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Yeah, those Michelins are not LRR, so they are costing you about 5 mpg plus or minus.

    Another big factor, even bigger than acceleration is deceleration. When you see that you're going to have to stop, do you take your foot off the gas or do you maintain speed till you have to brake, thus burning extra gas getting to the stop and throwing away an opportunity to regenerate power into the battery?
     
    #6 jerrymildred, May 5, 2021
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  7. privilege

    privilege Active Member

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    different cars, different drivers, different conditions, different terrain..

    yesterday we saw everything from 35mpg (constant for 50 miles) to 46 mpg (constant for 100 miles) to 51 mpg (constant for 50 miles).

    it really just comes down to conditions.

    when I'm pulling a dirt bike on a trailer I usually see 35-42 mpg... but add another bike and it will obviously drop again

    mpg is extremely variable
     
    #7 privilege, May 5, 2021
  8. boywander

    boywander Junior Member

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    The question is, did you do a reset when you bought yours at 200k + miles?

    I ask this because I owned a ct200 that got better mpg than my Prius after the battery drained from not driving. And that it the previous history was wiped.
     
    #8 boywander, May 5, 2021
  9. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    o_O
     
    #9 Grit, May 5, 2021
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  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    a qurter million mile prius has a lot of wear and tear on it. tough to compare to any other vehicle.

    you'll be happy with 41 when it slips to 35
     
    #10 bisco, May 5, 2021
  11. Oldfatdude

    Oldfatdude Junior Member

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    My 2010 prius has 391000 miles on it. I still average 40 mpg.
     
    #11 Oldfatdude, May 7, 2021
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  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    and you'll be happy with 40
     
    #12 bisco, May 7, 2021
  13. Dusty rug

    Dusty rug Member

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    install an oil catch can, my 2014 prius v gets 48 mpg useing costco gas after i installed one, before i did it i was getting 42 mpg. my miles are 150k
     
    #13 Dusty rug, May 7, 2021
  14. MelonPrius

    MelonPrius Senior Member

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    Wow, that's great.
    I hope you don't me asking....

    Is your car used as a taxi/uber? Can you tell me what your mpg was when the car was newer? What repairs- outside of routine maintenance, have you done? Did you ever clean the EGR? Are you still on the original hybrid battery?
     
    #14 MelonPrius, May 7, 2021
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  15. Solar Blue

    Solar Blue Member

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    To the OP, maybe trade cars with your mom for a couple of weeks (a tank of gas or two). That would determine if it's the car or the driver.
     
    #15 Solar Blue, May 8, 2021
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  16. boywander

    boywander Junior Member

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    That’s exactly my thought. My ct200 was getting around 39-40 before the battery died that reset. Now 48-50mpg
    and it’s obvious the previous owner has a heavy foot.
     
    #16 boywander, May 9, 2021
  17. r3dDaWn

    r3dDaWn Junior Member

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    our 2007 averaged 44mpg but each car will be different, how you drive, speeds, tires, maintenance, etc
     
    #17 r3dDaWn, May 10, 2021
  18. MelonPrius

    MelonPrius Senior Member

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    When I purchased my '14, I saw that the tripometer averaged around 44 mpg over 4k miles for the original owner. My first tank on the Prius gave me around 52 mpg (calculated). Driving 70 mph on the freeway instead of 80 mph made a big difference.
     
    #18 MelonPrius, May 10, 2021
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