Latest Software Update Safety Recall Resulting in 8mpg less...

I tried to get ahold of the GM at my dealership to do a test using their people and my car and any other car of their choice to run the exact same route with the exact same driver so I could show it was getting less millage. Instead of the GM, I got the service manage again.

They have agreed, but state that if my millage is a range and would not be the same on the same route with the same conditions/driver/etc. An example is that if I got 40 MPG in my car on the route and they got 50 MPG with the same type of car, route, driver, and conditions.... my car would pass, because it is in the acceptable range, and there would be nothing wrong with the car. They said that two identical Priuses could vary 10 MPG on the same year, millage, driver, route and conditions. It is measured in ranges.

Basically, the drop after the recall (or any service that people might get) is meaningless, as long as it is within the acceptable range (over 38 or 40 MPG... I have heard both numbers). So, since my car is currently getting about 41 MPG... performing the test (even if there is a big difference between the MPG on the two cars), it will not result in any change/action/fix, because my car is working fine. The test won't show anything and would just be a waste of my time.

 

they are full of carp.

 

As the issue isn't consistent, the problem could be something independent of the upgrade with the upgrade somehow triggering the issue...?

 

This thinking jives very well with the statement in the manual that 1 qt of oil consumption in 600 miles is OK as far as Toyota is concerned. It is clear neither Toyota nor the dealer wan't to accept in any way/mode/fashion that the (potentially partial) update was to blame for the MPG issues and the potential law-suits it might get them into. This is where we are very much left to our own devices and luckily we have this forum that can advise on how "we" can try and fix our problems ourselves.

Unless you have the time, patience and money to escalate this through "the system", I think you are pretty much left with the option of getting the update reapplied at a different dealer for a 100 bucks or so.

I have a similar issue with "unstable steering" that I had posted to the forum and I am planning to try getting the steering sensors recalibrated by the dealer at my expense because, its current behavior was deemed "fine" by the dealer when I first took it to them when I bought it used 3.5 years back. I am taking a look again at it now.

 

It is a little worse:

None of those reporting the problem are willing or able to run a controlled benchmark to compare it to what our 2010 did in May 2009:

Without running a benchmark, it remains a rumor. A benchmark is not that hard: level road, one above 45 mph and one below 40 mph using cruise control over a 10 mile loop or two, opposite direction passes. Instead, we get a litany of 'I complained . . . ' for which I have as much sympathy as the number of benchmarks run.

There was one credible report of a maximum acceleration sprint where the poster reports having done pre and post patch benchmarks. They report the effect is evident in a maximum acceleration which would stress both engine and traction battery. However, it is impossible to replicate this benchmark without more documentation to find an equivalent slope and distance acceleration ramp. If the original poster would give the longitude and latitude of the acceleration ramp, we could look around to find something close. A GPS trace of the acceleration ramp and their driving profile on that ramp would be perfect documentation. Then we might see if our car has the same or different performance.

The only one who has actually replicated the benchmark since this thread started is me. I found my post-patch, benchmarks replicated the 2009 data. So if I seem skeptical, it is because the time wasted complaining instead of running a benchmark suggests . . .

It is time for the complainers to report to the EPA and NHTSA . . . professionals who can actually do what the complainers remains unwilling or able to accomplish.

Bob Wilson

 

I can show a true loss using old gas receipts as well as showing a difference between my wife's 2011 and my 2012 Prius on exact same routes. The problem is that Toyota says those differences are normal on and between cars, and as long the overall millage on each car (regardless if it changed after they preformed work on it) is greater than 38 MPG (or I have also been told 40MPG), and there are no error codes... the cars are working fine. They measure off of a bottom line metric (38 MPG and no error codes). Changes in MPG don't matter unless they drop below the threshold. Anyone experiencing a drop, is screwed, unless it goes below the threshold, which is pretty low.

There are also no dealer procedures to reapply the upgrade (even at your own cost).

 

I could have swore somebody got the update re-applied, and posted here that it resolved the mpg drop. There are 4~5 threads here on the topic. And the recall happened, what, six months back?

Get Sara Lund (Forbrydelsen) on the case...

 

I went through about 15 pages of one of the main recall threads, looking for negative outcomes, and any possibly relevant info. Getting tired, but found some stuff. The last one in particular seems interesting. Someone with more motivation (owner with negative outcome from update) could maybe find more. The thread I was searching has 43 pages, is one of the first to get started.


Who has done their recall? | Page 5 | PriusChat
post #94 by amaury: signif mpg drop

Who has done their recall? | Page 6 | PriusChat
post #109 by Lawrence S.: Service Rep says they've been told to suspend software updates...

Who has done their recall? | Page 6 | PriusChat
post #115 by mediahound: refers to above as "trolling", fwiw

Who has done their recall? | Page 6 | PriusChat
post #118 by Dark_Matter_Doesn't: apparent signif. mpg drop, post update, still checking

Who has done their recall? | Page 7 | PriusChat
post #135 by pleasedpriusowner: Got recall, then got call from service to bring it back, Toyota had informed them something was messed up, it needed TO BE REDONE

Who has done their recall? | Page 7 | PriusChat
post #139 by mediahound (ever the sceptic): thinks in the above case the service writer just BS'ing, they never did the recall.

Who has done their recall? | Page 8 | PriusChat
post #147 by JGI: mpg in crapper post update. Notes dealership also dropped his tire pressures tho

Who has done their recall? | Page 14 | PriusChat
post #263 by WE0H: Poor highway trip mileage, post update
post #268 by WE0H: a bit happier with mpg
post #278 by WE0H: continues to work on his mpg, thinks behaviour change helps

Who has done their recall? | Page 15 | PriusChat
post #283 by retired4999: reports service rep told him that Toyota's saying it's important to do steps 1 and 2 completely, that there could otherwise be problems<<<<IMPORTANT INFO??

 

I get this is what the original dealer told you, but have you verified this with at least 2 other dealers? Sorry to be persistent with this line; as Mendel noted as well, I swear I saw some posts in some threads that mentioned reapplying the update solved the issue.

 

No benchmarks, no problem:

• One below 40 mph to test the hybrid mode.
• One above 45 mph to test engine-on mode.

For now, I'm waiting for the realization that all "appeals" are exhausted and there is no one else to complain. Hopefully they'll decide to collaborate on debugging the problem.

Alternatively, they might sell the car and get something else. Then the next owner can come back and work with us to figure out what is going on. I'm patient.

Bob Wilson

 

I have a 2010 and after the update over the weekend, the ICE seems to be 'on' more often even at traffic or low speeds, it takes longer to get back to eco mode when stopping or slowing down, and the gas pedal and steering wheel seems to be stiffer and the acceleration isnt as responsive as it used to be. I feel like this software update reduced the performance. BUT here's the thing, I am getting more mileage. Lol

And I checked my tire pressures and everything and put it back to what it was.

 

I am totally with you on this, Toyota definitely reduced the performance of these things to prevent the problem from happening. The throttle response on mine is way off, and the acceleration is way slower. F***ing Toyota. Way to go!

 

this is akin to the honda civic battery debacle.

 

I've also noticed that ICE stays on longer than it used to, if it's come on to charge the battery. Today I was in slow traffic and the ICE came on to top up the battery, after a few minutes the battery indicator had gone up to 4 bars but the engine was still running with the hybrid monitor showing no energy flow. I turned the car on and off and the ICE didn't come back on.

The car has done this a few times after the battery needed topping up with the ICE running a long time but it never seemed to stay on apparently doing nothing before the update. The day after the update I went on 300 mile trip at motorway speeds, so mostly on the ICE and it turned in its best MPG ever but on my daily commute with much more battery usage the MPG seems to be down a couple of MPG.

 

Just to be contrarian: post update, the ease at which our car slipped into EV went up. Our mileage didn't suffer either. I'm not trying to cast doubts on other owners outcomes, just saying the results run the gamut. Which in and of itself is not good.

I made no mention of my post-update impressions to my wife, and she, out-of-the-blue, said the same thing, about the EV increase without me even bring up the subject. So it must be right.

 

Yep! the wife is always right !!!!!

 

It pisses me off that I lost performance and throttle response right after the software update. I literally have to floor it now to get a decent acceleration. It's like the PWR mode is pointless and useless now. Literally. The ****.

 

well, if it happened to me, they would be dragging away from the service desk at closing time, and would need a court order to keep me away. apparently, the dealers are either messing up the update, or toyota should investigate one of these complaints by swapping cars for a complete examination. i'm sure there is info in the black box computer that would tell the tale. (okay, i'm not sure, but it just sounds better)

 

Sounds like a plan to me!

 

and, i would eat all their donuts.