How to keep track of trip segment mpg? - GreenHybrid

ericbecky · #1 (**permalink**) 12-20-2004, 09:24 AM

I am borrowing a Toyota Prius for the week and I trying to figure something out.
I like to record my fuel consumption daily.
I also like to "check in" on the mpg I am receiving so far on this tank of gas.

Is there a way for me to reset the fuel consuption daily, and still be able to see the mpg for the tank of gas?
In other words is there a trip meter that can keep track of "this trip's" mpg, and a seperate trip meter that I can use to keep track of "this tank's" mpg?

I haven't found this feature yet, but it could be that I just haven't looked in the right place.

Jason · #2 (**permalink**) 12-20-2004, 09:35 AM

No, the Prius is limited in this respect. Too bad. The only record is the one on the Consumption screen that should reset with every fillup. It's also waaay too easily to accidentally hit the "reset" button. Ah, well.

You could always record the mileage & distance for each day and figure out your overall average, or to be more accurate use an equation to find out the mileage for a given day from the aggregate mileage.

ericbecky · #3 (**permalink**) 12-20-2004, 09:43 AM

Dang! I was hoping the car would do the math for me. I kept resetting the meter after each segment, and I haven't been consistent about writing down all the segment mileage so far. Oh well. no big deal. I have a general idea of what's possible, which is all I wanted for now.

Overall, I've been pretty pleased. This is the first time I've driven a Prius other than short trips at the dealer.

In 12F degree weather I was able to get 51.8 mpg on my 30 mile daily highway commute. Nice.

On the way home I took a combination in-town and hwy route. I got 59.7 in the City and 56.7 combined city/hwy for the entire trip. Pretty good considering the cold weather!

singingtiger · #4 (**permalink**) 12-21-2004, 02:48 PM

Eric,
I use my Prius 2G display reset button after each fill up to keep track of full tank fuel economy. Note this will not reset if you fill with something like three gallons or less.
The following information may answer your question regarding the availabilty of different trip meters. I have taken the following, exactly quoted from the 2004 Prius owner's manual, page 115:
"This meter displays the odometer and two trip meters.
1. Odometer--shows the total distance the vehicle has been drivern.
2. Two trip meters--show two different distances independently driven since the last time each trip meter was set to zero.
You can use one trip meter to calculate the fuel economy and the other to measure the distance on each trip. Alll trip meter data is cancelled if the electrical power source is disconnected.
3. Trip meter reset button--resets the two trip meters to zero, and also change the meter display. To change the meter display, quickly push and release the button. The meter display changes in the order from the odometer to trip meter A to trip meter B, then back to the odometer each time you push.
To reset the trip meter A to zero, display the meter A reading, then push and hold the button until the meter is set to zero. The same process can be applied for resetting the trip meter B."
Hope this helps.
Bill G in Colorado

singingtiger · #5 (**permalink**) 12-21-2004, 02:53 PM

Eric, You have truly obtained highly impressive fuel economy in cold weather. Your data, although brief, is what most owners hope to achieve in the summer.
Are you to the point of deciding which color you want???
Bill G in Colorado

ericbecky · #6 (**permalink**) 12-21-2004, 04:25 PM

Oh, if only it were true...
No I'm just doing a test drive for the week to see what it's like. Overall I really love it but it doesn't quite fit my needs. Three boys in the back seat just doesn't work well. I think they were in there 10 minutes before the poking, prodding and elbowing began.
Oh well. I can dream.
I think my mother in law is throughly hooked on the idea of buying one to replace her PT Cruiser, though.

Totalshock · #7 (**permalink**) 12-21-2004, 08:39 PM

I can almost understand why Toyota didn't bother with a "total lifetime" MPG meter, since it essentially wouldn't change very often after the first few fill-ups. But given that it would be easy enough to make the software keep track of just about any metrics, I'm not sure why Toyota decided to not include

- Lifetime MPG (connected to ODO)
- Trip MPG (directly connected to Trip Odometers A and B)

I see that such things are already in place on the Honda hybrids... wish Toyota had thought of that as well. Especially the "trip" meters, since they could do exactly what Eric is trying to do here.... keep track of your mileage for the day, or for a certain route, or.... whatever. It's up to you.

Keep the "tank" system just as it is, just add a line below the current tank readout on the Consumption screen, which would show whichever gauge (ODO/Trip A/Trip B) is showing on the odometer at the current time.

Just my $.02. I'd love to see that software upgrade made, but probably wouldn't buy a new Prius just to get it.

singingtiger · #8 (**permalink**) 12-22-2004, 06:30 PM

I agree. Since one of the bigggest Prius purchasing decisions for most people and for many THE main reason for the car purchase is fuel economy, then an additional advantage would be to match the two trip meters with MPG.
Perhaps on the next generation Prius.

ericbecky · #9 (**permalink**) 12-22-2004, 07:15 PM

I am very surprised that the Prius trip meters do not have mpg attached to them. If it had them, I'm sure people would find uses for them. I had forgotten how spoiled I am in the trip meter department when it comes to my Insight.

In my Insight I use the trip meters daily when driving to/from work.
Here's my daily routine for trip meter B
1) Get in the car in the morning and make sure I clear trip meter B
2) I track my mpg on the way into work and record it when I arrive.
3) Clear the meter again.
4) Get in the car after work and track my mpg on the way home
Then start all over the next day.

Concurrently, trip meter A is tracking my mpg and miles driven for the current tank of gas. I record this at the next tank fill up.
AND
the odometer has an mpg meter attached to it that tracks the lifetime mpg. This one doesn't change often of course. but it's nice when it increases even just a small amount.

Lastly, there is still one more trip meter (called the fuel consumption display FCD) available that also tracks mpg and miles driven. Sometimes I use this one to track segment within my commute to work. Why? Who knows...just because I can I guess.