Fuel economy complaints/queries? Please copy, paste & answer these questions, esp. if you're new

In the interests of being able to more efficiently answer common requests for fuel economy help (e.g. "help, I'm getting only 35 mpg", "I'm very disappointed w/the mileage of my Prius", etc.), please copy and paste the questions below then do your best to answer most of the questions below in your post.

This is required of users w/less than 50 posts. Many Priuschat members are eager to help give suggestions, tell you that your mileage is normal/abnormal, etc, but often, we don't have enough information and are left guessing, wasting time posting guesses or the same questions/responses, etc.

Please do your best. "Don't know" is ok. We might tell you to go back and check on some of them.


- Have you read This Thead Yet?

- What fuel economy are you getting and how are you determining fuel economy? (trip computer or manual calculations)

- What fuel economy are you expecting and why?

- What are the approximate outside air temps?

- How long are your trips?

- How much of it is city vs. highway? Roughly what's the average speed in overall and and of each segment? Is there a lot of stop and go driving?

- What region/state are you in? (if you haven't set your location in your profile)

- What's the terrain like of your drives? (e.g. flat, gentle hills, steep hills, etc.)

- Is your oil overfilled? (i.e. above the full mark on the dipstick)

How old is your 12v battery? What is the voltage reading of your 12v battery after sitting over night? (Method Here)

Have you had your alignment checked? Any pulling or abnormal tire wear?

- Are you using the factory tires and wheels? If not, please indicate tire make, model and size (e.g. Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max 185/65R15).

- What are your tire pressures?

- Make, model, year, engine and transmission of previous car? (e.g. 08 Honda Civic Si 2.0L 4 cylinder, manual transmission) What did you actually get on the same trips/commute? (Please give us actual numbers, not EPA ratings.)

- How are you trying to drive (e.g. trying to stay in electric only?) and how hard are you braking?

- Are you "warming up" the ICE (internal combustion engine) by letting it idle after powering on?

- Are you driving using D or B mode?

- HVAC settings? Are you using the heater, AC, auto mode, etc.? If using auto, what temp is it set to?

- If reporting a mileage drop, did anything significant change on your car (e.g. accident, hit a curb or big pothole throwing off alignment, oil change/other maintenance/repairs, changed tires or wheels, etc.) or your commute?

I welcome feedback about these questions and the length of the questionnaire. Please post your comments (NOT questions about your fuel economy situation) at http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-fuel-economy/76035-proposal-mandatory-copy-paste-fuel-economy-questionnaire.html