I'm new on here. I have a 2009 Prius. It's a salvaged car and I've had it for over a year now. When I first got it, it got about 40-45 mpg according to the screen. Over time, it's slowly gone bad. According to the screen, I'm getting about 30 mpg but I'm really having to fill my tank a lot. It started in the winter so I thought it was just the cold and my mileage would get better in the summer. It hasn't. It's gotten worse. I've tried adjusting the way I drive and driving without AC, though I haven't really been able to. I don't have the money to take it in to get checked out right now. I will eventually but there's nothing I can really do right now. I'm just looking for advice on what the problem might be. The whole reason I got my prius was because of the gas mileage so I'm disappointed in how bad it's been.
and welcome to Prius Chat. Sorry to learn of your fuel misery tho I can't help to myself, I'm surprised nobody else has replied yet. Your car is known as a Generation 2 Prius and you may find advice here Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy | PriusChat Good luck with your problem. The people on here are great with problem solving and encouragement.
Welcome. Sorry you're having problems. I hadn't noticed your question before. That link that @RCO gave will give you lots to think about. There are boatloads of possible reasons for poor fuel economy with a Prius, just as with any car. Some of the reasons are easy fixes and some are a little expensive. First thing I would do is check the condition of the 12V battery and the tire pressures. That's the low hanging fruit. Same with air filters. Don't forget the cabin air filter. That can hurt efficiency if it's clogged. It may be a combination of factors, or it may be one big one like a failing traction battery. You didn't say anything about how the traction battery charge indicator on the MFD was acting. Is it showing quick fluctuations or has it remained slow to change? How many miles on the car? Does it need spark plugs? Also, one of the first things to do is check if there are any error codes. I would think you'd have a check engine light or something if there were error codes, but it's worth a look. If you don't want to pay through the nose to have a dealer check them, read this thread on getting Techstream so you can work on your own car. What is Techstream? | PriusChat There are lots of other threads about it, too. Another option is a wireless OBD2 adapter along with either Torque on Android or Engine Link on iOS, but you'd need to also install the PID codes, so it gets a little complicated for meeting an immediate need. About driving w/o A/C: If you feel like you need it then the battery for sure needs it. Don't abuse the battery with heat. It's cooled by the cabin air.
how many miles on her? what was the damage that caused it to be totaled? who repaired it and sold it to you?
I changed the plugs, air filter & cabin filter. Tire pressure is ok. I don't know about the 12V battery or big one. How does one do that? The computer says there is a firing problem. There is only 20 lbs in one cylinder and the plug comes out oily. One thought is to sell it as is since it drives ok really. Any ideas on what it should be sold for? The next owner may want to address the issues.
Sounds like it's needing a pretty expensive repair. I'd have a hard time selling it as it without disclosing that problem, so the selling price would take a big hit. On the other hand, as a trade in, I wouldn't have so much of an issue because the dealer would probably just auction off a car that old and wouldn't give you much anyway. But don't know what that number might be. You might look up the KBB value for a car in that condition as a starting point.
We don’t even know what year his car is, as he hijacked a year old thread that the OP never bothered with
low compression on an 12 year old car isnt worth fixing.unless you get a low mile motor and free install somewhere. clean it up and trade it in or sell for parts, you might get 1200 if its got no other problems
