Heater/MPG Question
 

Recently bought a 2009 FEH 4x4 with 13, 500 miles. When I am stopped, the heater blows cool air, even after the engine is amply warmed up. It that normal? It seems to work normally once I am under way.

So far (admittedly only 1/4 gallon of gas), according to the FEH gauge, I am only getting about 21 miles to the gallon, with more freeway than city. I tend to be a bit heavy footed. In my prior Prius, I got in the low 40's with the same kind of driving. It seems like the FEH is doing relatively worse. Mid-20's would have been more comparable. I think the general projection is overall 28 mpg.

Re: Heater/MPG Question
 

Your electric heater pump just below the radiator is not working. It could be the relay or the pump that's bad. There are two pumps down there so don't change the wrong one. It is the smaller of the pumps and there is a thread here that list the part number.

Read this thread for more information: https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...ev-mode-23889/

GaryG

Re: Heater/MPG Question
 

Your heater should be putting out warm air within about three minutes. Not to be sarcastic, but double-check how your heat is set up. I run mine, when needed, at one notch below maximum heat, and the system on recirculate, so it's not fighting the outside airflow. Power is normally set at level 1. I don't normally use the defrost mode (GA & AL), but when I do, it's only for about five minutes. Then I let residual do the rest.

I'm no expert by any stretch, but I think you should be getting better mileage. My 06 FEH, with about 89K on it, averages about 32MPG. That is based on a 80% Hwy scale. In town, my numbers are closer to 38-39MPG. Here's what I have done, that may be of use to you:
1- Tires are at 40psi.
2- Pure Synthetic, 5-20W (Syntec, not that the brand is critical, so long as it meets the Ford 930 standard).
3- K&N oil and air filters (I just like their filtering abilities more)
4- I drive based on the instantaneous mileage, rather than overall.
5- I've gotten better at Pulse & Glide, as well as light pedal pressure to accelerate.

Hope that helps. On this website, Gary seems to be the real expert on MPG. You've seen his mileage remaining display. When I can show something similar, I know I've arrived.

Regards,
Bob

Re: Heater/MPG Question
 

Well, my gas mileage jumped to the 27-29 range by dint of simply hitting the reset button! Not sure why the measure was lower before.