So I have recently discovered the Prius life after driving my fathers for around a month. He had a 2005 with around 180k in mileage, I average about 48mpg. Now I recently exchanged/purchased a prius for myself, same year and model except only 80k miles and I am averaging about 44-45. I know it is frivilous to complain about 3-4 MPG but still I want them back!!! I know there may be threads on here already but I figured I would start a new one in hopes of fresh insight..My new car does have an issue with the steering wheel, when turning the wheel does not rotate completely back to the center position, it rotates about 80% of the way and then you have to turn it yourself (not a major problem). Also, the tires are brand new provided by the dealer. I have made sure all settings are the same when I drive, cruise control at 65-75, no AC on, same commute to work and I am still getting the 44-45 range. Does this ahve to do with the tires, the steering wheel issue or is there another underlying issue I am unaware of? Hope this is enough if you need anything else let me know! Thank you in advance!
Does the dealer put LRR tires on your Prius? I highly doubt it and that will account for the missing mileage.
Welcome to PC!! To answer your question, Bedrock's comment about the tires is likely spot on for the difference you are experiencing. LRR tires are that good and without them you can easily lose 4-6 mpg's.
Let us know what tyres are on the car. Exact make type and any numbers you can find on the tyres, we can then tell if the tyres are at fault. New tyres also give a millage penalty till they are bedded in (2,000) miles. Raising the tyre pressures in PSI to 38F/36R or 40F/38R should help if you are happy with the firmer ride. The steering issue should be looked into. It may be that the steering computer requires a "zero point calibration" something the dealer or a good alignment shop can do. Basically a small recalibration of the steering computer. John (Britprius)
Thank you for the info, I will get the tire make from the dealer we purchased it from. As for steering I will have to wait to get that looked at...a side note a coworker told me that a headlight on the left side and a fog light on the right were out, is there something faulty with Prius headlights? I read briefly of a recall for 2006-2009's...thanks!
Thanks for the info Josh. Unfortunately those aren't low rolling resistance tires, pretty much the opposite actually. The link below shows a list of "rolling friction" for quite a large range of tires, and sadly the Fusion HRI is one of the worst. See: 2009 Rolling Resistance Efficiency Ratings for 77 Tires | The Similarly Stimulated Saturn So yep, you'll definitely be losing a few MPG due to those things. The measured friction levels on those tires is just plain nasty!
Sorry Josh Uart is quite correct those tyres are just plain terrible. Even if you have to pay for replacement tyres yourself they will pay for themselves easily with the fuel saved. Lots of really good information on US tyres on here from F8L John (Britprius)
Awesome stuff everyone, I precipitate the help. Now, I am understanding that the lower the better essentially, however why the huge price difference between these two? Worth the investment for the Michelin? Why? Thanks for any other input! Tire Brand Tire Name Price/Tire ($) RRF Mean (lbs) Bridgestone Insignia SE200 $59.00 7.61 Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus $119.00 7.77
Josh that chart although accurate tyre information is 4 years old price and availability wise. To get good information on US tyres see F8L's post linked below. I post information on European tyres that although of the same manufacturers in general terms are different to those available in the US. Low Rolling Resistance replacement tires: Current List John (Britprius)
keep us updated on your mileage after you've switched to LRR tires. if you're still getting the same mpg, then check the 12v battery.
Because the Fuzion tire is garbage compared to a higher quality tire like the Michelin. You get what you pay for. The Michelin will have better handling, ride characteristics, better fuel economy, last longer, perform better, etc.. Besides, Michelin always has a $70 rebate on the purchase of 4 tires so that brings the price down to a competitive level. The article linked above is old but informative. The tire you want now is the Michelin Energy Saver A/S or the Bridgestone Ecopia E422 if you live in a snowy region.
