Prius - Mileage post service

I have a 2005 Prius for about 14 months and have been very pleased with it. I had been getting between 59 and 62 mpg up until the Prius had its first annual service. Now I am getting about 54 mgp. The traffic conditions are similar and I have not changed my driving style.

Has anyone had a similar experience and/or any ideas on the cause?

Reply to
John Mulholland
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Service done with correct OEM filters? Oil viscosity changed? Maybe you are actually driving differently and dont realise it?

Reply to
Coyoteboy

I don't think incorrect filters or oil viscosity would make a 5 MPG difference. Besides changes in driving style and road conditions, weather changes can affect fuel economy, if the heater is used more or the engine has to run enriched for longer periods of time.

Reply to
Ray O

Also check for correct tyre pressure.

Re Coyoteboy's suggestion, in past posts I explored factors which seem to affect my T4 Jul/Aug 2005 Prius' mpgUK. Temperature and warming of the petrol engine are a biggie: short trips cut mpg in cold weather; but proper warming can push up the numbers towards summer's -- on decent roads -- even on a frosty day.

The numbers you quote would not worry me much, though. From your address, I guess you are talking UK conditions; with temperatures starting to dip, expect the warming factor to become significant. (Hmm, did you not see that effect last (2005-6) winter?)

There was some speculation that the grade of petrol might not be so good in colder weather. UK refiners/suppliers may be shipping out the grottier go-gunk to filling stations now.

Reply to
Andrew Stephenson

Um... dare I ask what a "grot" is? ;-)

Reply to
Joe Schmuckatelli

I do remember that my mileage was below 58-60mpg when I first got the Prius (Sept 2005) and that it was much better later on. That could be because the weather was getting warmer. I wondered about the service however because the mpg dropped immediately after it was done - weather was much the same before and after.

My general impression from the display is that the electric motor is doing a bit less work than it used to and thought that there might have been some tweak to the electronics during the service.

I will see how it goes over the winter and spring.

Reply to
John Mulholland

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