Toyota Camry Hybrid MPG-Real World Numbers

larsb

Another technique you'll find useful is "feathering" the accelerator.

As you are driving at a steady speed, let the accelerator come up just slightly then re-apply pressure, all in the span of about 2 seconds. You will notice a spike in MPG and your speed will for the most part remain unchanged due to forward momentum.

It's really handy for picking up an extra 1-2 mpg per tank.

The "B" is for engine braking on steep hills or other times when engine braking is handy. It does not increase MPG. Use it very sparingly.

troylikesbikes

1020 miles on it now, first mileage experiment last weekend. Fill tank, go 125 miles or so on secondary roads, mostly 45-65mph, 50F, tripmeter says 45 mpg when I arrive. Turn around, take same distance back only on interstate, cruise set to 80mph. Arrive home, refill, about 42mpg for the 250 mile roundtrip. Trip computer says 42 mpg.

I assume I got 45 or so outbound, and 40 inbound on the interstate to get a 42 average. Not bad considering it isn't broken in yet.

Oil change and 3000 mile trip are next, will report back with more numbers then.

kingfans1

hi my regular 2006 toyota camry le v6 average 32.3 mpg for 738.6 miles driven... warm weather driving. no ac/heater. 95 % highway, cruise.. the car have 176,000 miles.

so I am sure THC can do better.

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/hondavtec/camry

troylikesbikes

3000 mile round trip. Tank low MPG of 32 doing 80mph in rain and wind in Oklahoma. Tank high MPG of 44 doing 70 mph south through Louisiana to New Orleans, and then west to Cameron. Haven't calculated final averages, but it should be close to 40mpg for the entire trip. Low mileage tanks usually accompanied by either speed or headwinds, no major use of A/C. Not bad. 4500 miles on it so far, probably not fully broken in yet.

tmacmn

I just purchased a 2010 TCH, last on the lot. They have fully transitioned to the 2011s. Just finished 150 miles with an avg of 40 MPG. It was a combination of round the block trips to show off the car, and a road trip to Wisconsin with road construction and stop and go driving. Temperature today for the road trip was 80 deg. This is my first hybrid and we're definitely still adjusting. I see the potential. While hybrid mileage may go down in the winter, it does on my gas guzzlers for sure.

hsing

Highway + Local in San Jose, CA

Average Miles per Gal 43.2
Average days betw'n filling 17.61
Average Gal per filling 13.69
Average $ per filling $41.94
Average Miles per filling 590.71
Average $/Gal (San Jose CA) $3.06
Average $ per day $2.38
Average Miles per day 33.55

In summer I can get up to 46.5 mpg but only 39 mpg in winter.

acdii

I was very dissappointed with the Camry. I bought a new 2009 Camry Hybrid, and within 1 week found a few things about its build that left me feeling that toyota is not all it is cracked up to be. The hybrid drivetrain, Excellent. Car build quality, POOR. From the wind noise, to the rattles, to the sticking sun roof, to the very uncomfortable seats, I dont see how the Camry is rated so high. In any case, I got 32k mechanically trouble free miles out of it before I finally had enough of its poor handling and uncomfortable seats.

Now if toyota can redesign the car to handle like the Fusion Sport and be more comfortable, they would have a car I would go back to. Enjoy yours, I didn't enjoy mine. :sick:

orbiter

I'm posting this because Ford is advertising their 2011 Fusion Hybrid gets 10 more MPG in city driving than the Camry Hybrid. I'm astonished! It makes no sense. I have a 2007 Camry Hybrid that just turned 100,000 miles. I've kept track of every drop of gas into the tank. Last mpg calculation was just under 37MPG; that's city and highway, winter and summer. Of course, winter weather kills mpg, (it was -15F this morning here in northern Wisconsin). However, I have no trouble seeing 34MPG this time of year, and 40MPG in the summer. Admittedly, my driving environment is pretty favorable. Town is three miles of rolling hills away, and my trips average ten miles or less. Our highways discourage much over 65 mph. However, we've taken numerous long trips across the country at interstate speeds and manage to still achieve very satisfactory mpg. On top of that, after almost five years, there isn't a squeak or a rattle to be heard. The car is as quiet as a church. I've just installed my third set of tires, (Yokohama Avid TRZ), and they're the icing on the cake and really terrific tires. (The original Bridgestones were a joke). Finally, for what it's worth my Camry Hybrid was one of the earliest off the production line. It was built in Japan, and I'm sure that Toyota was watching every turn of the wrench. I'm sure the Ford Fusion Hybrid is a fine car, but I'm still mystified why the Camry has taken such a hit.

acdii

Simple answer, the Fusion is a better car. I had a Camry Hybrid, and I saw similar results in MPG, but overall the car was just plain boring. Material wise, it was below par, the seat cloth was thin and showed signs of wear within 30k miles, the sunroof stuck, it had wind noise, and the dash squeaked. Mechanically the car was superb, but creature comfort wise, handling, and quality wise, it was not up to the standards I would expect of such a highly rated car. Before that I had a Prius, I got up to 64 MPG, but the car scared me, cross winds were nasty, they blew the car around, and the traction control was over sensitive, cutting power to the wheels if a tire slipped a bit. Not good when you are trying to merge into 55 MPH traffic for a dead stop.

I traded the Camry in for a 2010 Fusion Sport, and although I don't get 34 MPG, I enjoy driving once again, and the quality of the car is right where I would expect it to be, far better than what Toyota has. The car also handles quite well, and once I get rid of the lousy OEM tires, the car will be even better to drive.

The Hybrid Fusion, is rated at 40, the Toyota 34, Considering just about everyone can meet or exceed EPA on a Hybrid, the Fusion will still be getting better MPG than the Camry. 1445 Miles on a single tank of fuel is nothing to joke about.

stalnaker

The Fusion is definitely a nice car, but if you think you can get 1,445 miles on a single tank, I'm not sure what you're smoking

I also used to have a Camry hybrid. I had the same issue with the dash rattling and some noise from the sunroof. Other than that the car was rock solid. I have a Prius now (The improved 2010 model). With my Prius I consistently get over 50 mpg in warm weather and in the 40's in the winter. I have even driven on the highway when the wind was blowing really hard and had no problems. The new Prius has a "power" mode that allows you to accelerate pretty fast. I have no trouble passing most cars when I want to. So whatever problems existed in the older-model Priuses have been solved, in my opinion. It's one of the best cars you can buy period, hybrid or not.

I have test-driven a Fusion hybrid and it is also a very nice car, although a tad smaller on the inside than the Camry. The Fusion has a similar but slightly different hybrid system than the Camry hybrid. You can actually drive it on just the battery up to 47 mph, instead of the maximum 41 mph that the Camry allows. From what I have read and what people have told me, I think you can expect a real-world average of about 3-4 mpg better in city driving compared to the Camry, and about the same on the highway. So it's not as huge of a difference as what they try to say in the commercials.

acdii

Road Trip on 1 tank of gas

No joke, 2009 road trip, 1445 miles on a single tank of gas.

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 8, 2009 – The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid made news in April when it set a world record traveling 1,445 miles on a single tank of gas.

Accelerating wasn't a problem I had with the Prius, it was when a wheel slipped a bit from sand or gravel when you are going from a dead stop. It cut power 100% to the wheels, so you basically went no where except a few feet, in spurts until you had 100% traction. One time in a light snow, it took me 25 minutes to go 100 feet up a hill. After that, I said goodbye to the car, When I have my 2 little ones and my wife in the car and it could potentially get us into a bind, no thanks.

larsb

They cheated on that test.

They used the World's Greatest Hypermiler, Wayne Gerdes.

“When you don’t need acceleration power while driving around town, the gas engine shuts down seamlessly. There’s not another hybrid drivetrain in the world that does that as effectively. The Fusion engineering team really knocked it out of the park.”

troylikesbikes

I had a choice of mounting studded snows on my Camry, or another FWD car in the family. I choose the other car. Hybrid control systems suck when it comes to spinning the tires in wintry/snow conditions. They just don't allow the type of slippage necessary sometimes to continue forward motion, they cut power, you drift to a halt, then they won't turn the wheels to protect whatever component they think might get hurt by wheel spinning.

acco20

Under those conditions you can turn off traction control. Some cars have a button to do this, the camry does not....but it can be done. I hear the newest camry hybrid models actually have this button.

troylikesbikes

If mine had one, I would reconsider, but it doesn't. I've had a couple cars which had the button, like a CX7 and a Sienna minivan, but not my Camry hybrid.

shadetree03

We traded the wifes Audi TT which would get 32 MPG but was starting to cost us in maintenance for a used 2007 TCH last January. After 13 months I am happy with our low cost but comfortable transportation (heated leather seats, the works) and with only 3 oil changes so far and just replaced the original Michelin Energy Saver MXV4 tires at 60,370 miles. Our total gas usage for those 17,630 miles has been 443 gallons for an average of 39.8 MPG. Most of those miles are commutes 5 days a week 76 miles RT with 40 miles of that interstate at 70 MPH and the rest at 45 MPH on rural connector. Yes our mileage has been lower thru the winters at around 38 MPG but the spring, fall and summer revives it with 42 MPG averages. We are learning to drive differently and our roads allow others to pass as needed. We are well pleased with the comfort and especially the low operating cost of our TCH! Excluding the initial used price our out of pocket for those 17 K miles $1,154 for gas plus $225 for oil changes and about $250 prorated cost for tire wear; 9.2 cents a mile is about as good as it gets.

h_sam

Live in the Philly suburbs, and commute about 50 miles of mixed roads (highway/city). I have now had the Camry hybrid for about a year, (&13K miles). A few comments:

-The mileage has been great - 37-38 miles in summer/fall, and 34-35 in winter. I drive mindfully, but am not a hyper-miler. I also own a Sienna, and used to own a Corolla, and with the same style of driving (and similar commute), I get about 18-19 mpg on the Sienna, and used to get 28-30 mg on the 2003 Corolla.
-Upgrading from the Corolla to the Camry has allowed us to take more family trips in the Camry, and ditch the minivan, except for very long vacation type commutes. It is quite comfortable for a family of 4, for day and weekend trips. The upgraded JBL sound system is great - no complaints there.
That said, a few minor issues:

- Mileage is still dependent on driving skill, an keeping one eye on the consumption guage. My wife typically gets 2-3 mpg less than I do, for the same commute.

The leather seats could have been better. Internal build quality is OK, but I expected more for a top of the line hybrid (I had all picked all upgrade options). It seems to exude a very 'plasticy' feel.

-Cup holders are badly designed,and at an odd location - I twice had coffee spill all over the center console and carpet, when the cup fell out of the holder during a sharp turn.

- Passenger seat has no lumbar support controls.

iPhone/ipod controller does not let you control from the i-phone - you are forced to control music from the touchscreen, which is slooow and a pain to use. (if you happen to have 2000 songs on your phone).
- AC controls are kludgy, and although they allow you to set cabin temperature, they do not show you actual cabin temperature. I suspect they don't work too well.

- Toyota GPS is a pain to 'figure' out. I have been using a portable Garmin for the last 7 years, which has great user interface - Why couldn't Toyota create something like Garmin?

-Tires are OK - but after about 13K miles, they seem to have not more than 7-8 K miles left in them.

acdii

You pretty much summed up what I experienced with the Camry Hybrid I had. Only good thing I found was getting 38 MPG. Only that and the reliability are what sells the Camry, the rest of it is really not up to par with the competition, especially the Ford Hybrid. Now Hyundai has one soon to hit the road, should be within the next month that deliveries start. Toyota had better start upping their quality of materials and workmanship, or they will quickly lose ground.

Have you noticed it whines when slowing down? The one I had made more noise than the Hyundai Veracruz we had.

h_sam

I felt that the Camry was a bit (but not much!) more comfortable than the fusion hybrid - I had tested both cars extensively, but again, this is a personal judgement call.
The Sonata looks impressive, however, it remains to be tested.

The whine you hear is the motor/generator picking up rpm, as the power from the car is transferred to the generator/battery.

Given the complex electronic/mechanical engineering is such cars, I would still opt for the Camry if given a choice. What did it for me was praise from a cabbie in DC - he had put on 160K miles on a camry hybrid, with no mechanical/electirical issues whatsover. Both the fusion as well as the Sonata drivetrains just haven't been exposed to the level of real world testing that the TCH has. A wee bit of attention to creature comforts would make the TCH a much better car. Wonder if toyota is afraid that such improvements, if made, would bite into the lexus market share!

odp101

Real world report from a TCH newbie:

90% city driving in an area with lots of rolling hills. Temps have been in the upper 40's to low 50's since I picked up the car. I filled up today, and I calculate 35.1 mpg for the tank. (Strangely, the tank avg reported by the car was 34.1. Most others I've seen have had the car report a higher-than-actual mpg average.)

For reference, I'm coming from a Buick Rainier that got me around 13 mpg. It's early yet, but so far, I am thrilled with this car. I'll miss the cargo space eventually, but I'll drown my sorrows in the $160/month I'm saving in fuel expenses!

I have modified my driving style a little bit (thanks to tips from here and greenhybrid), but not that much. I do drive a little slower in this car, but I was never much of a speed demon anyway. Can't wait to see mpg numbers when the temps warm up a bit.

nouakchott

I bought my 08 camry hybrid with 32k miles in feb 11. It runs well so far, the gas mileage during the winter is about 34/35 MPG and right now during the summer i get on average 39.5 MPG with the AC off and 32.5 with AC running max (I live in AZ). The only annoying thing is the roof that makes so much noise from time to time and also the rattle. No maintenance issues, I only get the synthetic oil change which is good for a year. I have also read on the toyota website that you get a better MPG when you use the OW20 synthetic oil.

snaab93se1

I also have an 08 Camry Hybrid and was told by two dealers that I could use synthetic for 10K mile intervals...however after checking with Toyota customer service and the engineers on staff I found out that this year was never approved for that interval and that 5K mile intervals are still recommended. I also live in AZ and after 50K miles have seen mileage between 33 and 40 with a lifetime average of 36.5. I have not seen a noticable difference between synthetic and conventional oil. Is your rattle in the sunroof?

acdii

If you use Mobil one, you can get 10k intervals, no worries. They may have made some minor changes between 2008 and later years in the engine tolerances, that may explain their reason. The TCH I had didn't have a rattle in the SR, but that darn thing would stick open, and sometimes would get almost closed then reopen. I was not impressed with the Camry, even though I averaged 38 MPG, the quality was very poor, at least in the one I had.

Use a good filter and Mobil 1 and you can easily get 10K between changes.

pat85

Since the Internal Combustion engine cycles from idle to full on, zero weight oil is required. I used Mobil One once in a Ford E150 Van I owned.. It was supposed to last 20K miles. But you had to change the oil filter at 5 K mlle intervals and then add another quart of Mobil One. It cost more than any oil that you changed at 5 K mile intervals. It did start much easier in the Winter with Mobil one though.

acdii

That's normal with any synthetic. Spamsoil, Royal Purple, etc., all require a filter change at 5K to go the full 20k mile interval. On most cars though, the filter rarely takes up more than a half quart. The more oil the engine holds, the more cost effective it is though. On a Diesel that holds 4 gallons of oil, getting 20k out of an oil change is very cost effective. Considering that 15W40 Shell now runs $13 or more a gallon, and full SYN is right around $24 a gallon, 3 filters and 3 quarts later it does saves some cash, not to mention having to get rid of 12 gallons of oil. Buy 5 gallons of syn, and 4 filters at $10 each, that comes out to $160. 12 gallons of dino and 4 filters is $196. The bonus is the Syn is a cleaner oil, with better lubricants and packages, so the engine will last longer. On the Camry, the filter holds about 5 ounces of oil and costs about $5, so one quart should fill it at least 3 times, so you buy 6 Quarts and 4 filters, and you are set for 20k miles. I picked up a couple 6 pack cases when they were on sale for $4 a quart, so I have plenty.

troylikesbikes

Zero weight oil doesn't matter for bubbcuss when the engine has achieved operating temperature. At operating temperature, engine oil viscosity is the same, 0w-20 or 5w-20.

acdii

That is correct. 0W-xx is the cold rating. I can see why they recommend it for extended intervals, but it really isnt necessary, 5W-20 has been used by Ford since the early 90's with their modular engines, and now all their engines use it in full syn. Their change interval is 7500 miles.

Which reminds me, I need to change the oil in both cars.

alaskatima

I have a 09 Camry Hybrid with 39K miles, and for the first two years averaged 39 MPG in summer and 34 MPG in winter. This summer my MPG is dropping. It never went above 34 and is currently down to 31. No changes to drivers or driving habits or type of driving. No error messages or problems. Put on new tires last October. It has also begin to shudder a little for the first mile or so when first started after sitting long enough to totally cool down. Also noticed that the electric mode is not engaging as often, like when coming to a stop sign and going on a flat surface under 40 MPH. Anyone experience similar issues or have any suggestions.

acdii

Did you replace the tires with the same brand and tread? Tires make a big impact on MPG. Air filter changed? If you have an extended warranty, you should take it in and have them run a diagnostics on the hybrid system. You may have a bad cell developing on the pack. Are you seeing discharge happening quicker, charging slower, etc.

It is for this reason I decided to get rid of the Hybrids, once the warranty is up, they are very expensive to repair since only certified Hybrid mechanics, You Know, Dealers, can fix them.

alaskatima

The new tires were not the same brand but were the same highway rating as to tread. There was no noticeable MPG change after replacing the tires last fall. Yes I have an extended warranty and if all else fails will take it in. It is always a pain to take it to the dealer since it is in Anchorage which is 50 miles away, and they want the car all day. I did find more info on the Toyota Nation Forum which provided a procedure to reset the Hybrid systems according to TSB EG026-05 which I may try. Also another case where changing the air filter did wonders for the MPG. Appreciate the reply and additional info. You may have a point about costs for repairs after the extended warranty is up.

camhy1

I read your previous email describing your TCH loss of MPG and I thought I was reading about my problem. I have a 2009 TCH with 34,500 miles. A month ago the dash readout of MPG dropped from 35 to 36 MPG (since I have bought it new) to now reading below 31. This happened without any hardware changes to the car, no changes in gasoline (Chevron Techron regular) and no changes in driving style (around town by 63 year old man). Before I took it in to have Toyota service dealer look at it, I ran two tanks of gas through it and calculating the MPG by hand. The results were right on to the gauge readout. I had the Toyota service look at it over night and they drove it on highway for 50 miles with it hookup to their computer laptop. Their reading is 39 MPG on highway and cruise control which to me would be more a steady-state instead true start and stop around town. They found no mechanical problems in any of the car systems. They cannot explain the difference except they try to discount the car computer calculation as a point sampling method of calculation. That did not help this engineer to logically except that explanation. Anyway, I am still confused about why an immediate drop and why my hand calculations confirms the gauge readout of 30 to 31 MPG. I read with interest acdii's response about a bad battery cell. I don't see any significant changes in the response between the motor and battery on the readout on dash. I am going to look into the reset procedure that was mentioned in your last post.

camhy1

Thank you Thank you and Thank you, toyotaanysales!!! Your suggestion about engaging the ECO (economy climate control) was the fix or answer why my 2009 TCH started getting less than 31 MPG instead of the normal 35 to 36 MPG around town that I had been getting for past three years. I was so confused and even my Toyota service dealer who I purchased the car from could not explain why sudden drop in MPG. After I read your post I checked the ECO button and engaged the economy climate control and drove around town for 20 miles. Immediately my MPG is back to 35 to 36 MPG range that I am use to. For some reason the ECO button was not engaged but I remember it use to be on when I viewed the air conditioner gauge to see the temperature but I had not noticed it recently that it was not engaged. Thanks again and I think I will call the Toyota service dept and tell them so they will look smarter if others come with same problem.

odp101

I experienced a similar drop in mpg (from 36-31) recently. My drop coincided with an oil change. Turns out that the dealership had put in too much oil, but it took me a few weeks to notice. I siphoned out enough oil so that it was between the marks on the dipstick, and my mpg immediately shot back up (note that I changed from 5w-20 to 0w-20 at this oil change also). First tank afterwards was just over 38 mpg, the best in the 4 months I've owned the car.

troylikesbikes

Recently decided to change from 5-20 engine oil to 5-30. Primary reason is because I have alot of 5-30 sitting around that needs used up, and I was going on a 2500 mile trip, and it would hot and I didn't think the heavier oil would hurt.

Also, the 2AZ-FE engine (hybrid ownes having a slight modification in the 2AZ-FXE) once had 5-30 as the recommended oil so what could I hurt. Also, I've owned 3 2AZ-FE Camrys now (05 auto, 07 stick, 09 hybrid) and have experimented with this type of change before.

Bottom line, experienced no issues with the heavier oil. Mileage on this trip (car has 37k on it now) was my best highway average yet, no tank under 40mpg, regardless of speed, A/C, outside temp, or heavier engine oil.

Best tank was 43 mpg when running slower along the Salmon River in Idaho, worst was about 40 when doing 75mph on the interstate.

h_sam

I have been calibrating mileage using the TCH's odometer and counting gallons filled at the pump.
The car's mpg computer consistently shows about 0.4-0.6 mpg higher than 'real' mileage. (tested over 3 months)

Of course, the odometer could be wrong too!

acdii

Calibrate your speedometer, that will tell you if the Odometer is accurate. Most cars are off by about 3 MPH. If you have a GPS like a Tom Tom that gives MPH readings, use that to compare to. The Speedo changes as tires wear. The most accurate Speedo in all my cars is the Flex, it reads 56 @ 55, it used to be dead on, but there are miles on the tires. My Fusion, 58 @ 55. My F350 is the worst, 30 @ 25. I haven't used the GPS in it for higher speeds, just basing the last off a roadside Speed Trap trailer. My guess is it is about 63 @ 55. I can always tell when someone it trying to do exactly 55, because they are doing more like 52. They would be very surprised if they saw what they were actually doing.

larsb

My 2007 TCH reads 2-3 MPH "high" based on the readings I get from those local radar spots around town which tell you how fast you are going.

As for the fuel consumption computer, it never matches the actual fuel used.

Over the course of 181 tanks so far, mine reveals that the computer is about 1 MPG higher than the manual fuel calculation.

owllovr

I drove my 2008 TCH for 56,000 miles getting 34-35 MPG. I replaced the tires 4 weeks ago and the only thing different with the Michelin tires I put on was I changed to 95V from 94V at Costco's suggestion. Said the tire is 60,000 and the ride is smooth which hybrid's need. I now have similar problems as a few other posts. Mileage dropped to around 33 something, which I know isn't significant but to me it ids. Also on the highway it is always good but once on the city streets it bottoms out almost instantly and then even when on the freeway never seems to recover. I also otice it does not run on electirc was going electric speed and when on the highway fluctuates wildly between 40-60MPG. The dealer serviced it this week and changed the air conditioning fileter and cabin filter, and oil filter and said they can't find anything wrong. I have driven this car for 3 1/2 years and I KNOW it is not driiiiiiving the samer or getting the same mileage. What next?

PF_Flyer

The tire change is likely what's causing your slight drop in mileage. I THINK the 95V is a slightly wider tire than the 94V. Costco's suggestion was to sell you a "better" tire. It may have a higher mileage rating, but if it is wider, it's going to cost you mileage.

I'll have to check with my buddy who owns a tire shop/garage to be sure, but I'd wager that this is where your mileage went

owllovr

did u get a chance to check with your buddy about the width of the tire? It's suppose to be the same as the original - 215/60r/60 I think

PF_Flyer

I JUST got off the phone with him (darn holiday got in the way) and we talked about every aspect of the tires.

I was mistaken on the width, they are the same width. The 94V vs 95V difference is load rating (how much weight the tire can carry) That likely has no effect on your mileage ( I might be able to make a case for some kind of fractional effect but let's ignore that nitpick) but as I originally had a gut feeling about, new tires are going to have an immediate effect on your miles simply because they are new and have more traction than the tires they replaced. A bald tire will give you better mileage than one with tread.

A wider tire WILL decrease your mileage as well because of the increased traction (rolling resistance)

snaab93se1

Here is a link to some information on the differences between worn out tires and brand new tires....will explain the slight decrease in MPG. I've recently replaced the tires on my TCH and have seen a slight decrease maybe 1-1.5mpg but that could be due to the extreme heat here lately been pushing 108 degrees most days so the a/c takes a big hit as well as cooling the hybrid system. I'll know more once the weather cools a bit.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=177

owllovr

Thanks for the link. I think it really explains why my mileage is different! I'm living with it!!

snaab93se1

Has your mileage improved after the new tires were broken in? My mileage dropped slightly for a few tanks after replacing the tires and now is higher than with the original Michelins.

loves2read

I had new Michelins put on about a month ago...have an 09 TCH
I have not noticed a lot of difference in their driving although stopping is certainly improved or my car's mileage--
maybe mpg is a little better...but I might also have driven routes lately that allow for better mileage vs shorter stop-start runs that eat up your mpg...

alaskatima

I posted to this forum about a month ago about having a drop in MPG from 34 to 28 and the 2009 Camry Hybrid was shuttering when first starting out. Well I finally figured it out. After finally giving in and taking the car to the dealer they analyzed it as a bad oxygen sensor. That was covered under the warranty so they fixed it. When they called me to pick up the car I asked if it was still shuttering at start up. They said they did not test drive it. So I did and for sure the problem was not fixed. They then said it was probably the fuel injectors and they are not covered under warranty unless they fail electrically. Instead they suggested I pay them $385 for an injector cleaning. They tried to tell me in Alaska we have dirty gas. I countered with the fact I have 3 other fuel injected vehicles and non of them are acting this way. I though this was outrageous and had a long discussion with the Service Manager. He finally agreed to do the fuel injector service for $200 and agreed to do it on my condition if it did not fix the problem I did not have to pay for it. So they did that service and it fixed the problem so far. MPG is up to 34 and no shuttering. They also told me during our discussions that since the hybrids came out they were only having this kind of problem with the Camry and Prius. Dirt Gas? I doubt it. Anyway pretty disillusioned with the Toyota Warranty, and the dealer experience. Love the car and MPG but you have to provide good service. We are looking to trade it in in a year of so for a non hybrid since as of 2012 there are many vehicles that are now matching the Hybrid MPG ratings. My advise to Toyota Hybrid owners is to frequently run some injector cleaner through the gas tank. An ounce of prevention might keep you out of a similar situation.

snaab93se1

I always run a bottle of Chevron with techron fuel injector cleaner through with a full tank of gas every 10,000 miles. Have done so for many years and have never had a problem with fuel injectors. What non-hybrid cars match the city MPG of a hybrid? Sounds like the dealer service was resonable with you and did fix the problem...if you want a longer warranty then you really only have a couple of choices....not that they are bad choices.

alaskatima

Chevrolet Cruz. Dealer only agreed since I pushed and they were not reasonable. The whole story was not told here as it was too long. It took about two weeks to get through this hassle.

imjcleckey

Over the past 5000 miles or so I have been noticing some knocking when I run 87 octane gas. I'm also noticing that my chainsaw will not run on 87 octane gas either. I switched to 89 or 93 depending on availability and price and the knocking has gone away. The mileage has also increased from the 38 range to the 41 range, even though the weather is getting colder here in the NE. Is anyone else noticing something going on with fuel quality? My plan is to keep using higher octane, as it is a cheaper alternative to taking the car in to have them investigate the knocking. No codes are coming up on the computer.

It is a 2007 TCH with 130,000 miles on it. No other problems to date. Also noticed that my local service station had overfilled the oil by about 1/2 quart. I've only used them for the past two oil changes (they probably did the same thing on the previous oil change), so I guess it is possible that the extra oil somehow contributed to the knocking, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a theory on how that could be.

I tried high octane when the car was younger but did not notice any improvement. I have gone back and forth between high test and 87 octane several times over the past 4000 miles, and the high octane is always giving higher gas mileage (and no knocking).

larsb

I have a similar problem, 2007 TCH with 85K miles, and it has been knocking at lower speeds during stressed or uphill acceleration.

Once earlier in the life of the car, the cause of a similar knock was an oil pan cover being loose, which the dealer fixed during the next oil change. I would have someone check that.

It could also be loose engine mount(s).

Good luck !!!