Any tips for "break-in" driving for a Prius 2006?

 

There are a lot of driving tips all over this forum, in the threads, in the articles, - this question is asked every day and has been answered almost as often. Start by doing a couple of searches. Here's an article about the HCH, but with a lot of ideas that can apply to any hybrid. https://www.greenhybrid.com/learn/ar...fficiency.html Page through the 'Glossary' to get an idea of some of the names of the techniques people use to get better mileage, and then search for them. Good luck, and congratulations on your new hybrid! Welcome to GH!

 

Thanks for the article reference. I've read quite a few of the threads and gotten great ideas for managing fuel econonmy, but I was looking for info specfically on the "break in" period. I'm thinking of advice you get about traveling at certain speeds up to a given number of miles and the like when the car is new.

 

My dealer gave me some advice on how to break it in, which was to try not to maintain a constant speed - let it go up and down. I actually found it really useful- I got to know the terrain of my commute a bit, and discovered inclines and hills I had never seen before. The dealer also said to avoid really hard braking or stomping on the gas for the first 200 miles, and not to let the 'assist' meter go all the way full during that period. Maybe none of this advice applies to the Prius, I don't know. But for what it's worth, there you have it.

 

This is hard because unlike a regular car, your accellerator is not connected to the throttle. You are driving the control computer that handles all of the rest.

Your engine is speed limited to 5,000 rpm, a fairly modest speed, but you do not have direct control over it. Furthermore, the engine is not connected at a fixed ratio to the wheels so you can't control it by going at only one or another speed.

Off hand, I'd go with whatever your owner's manual says and not worry about it. BUT I would worry about the following:

1) Oil level - is it above the "F" mark? Get it drained down to 3/4 between the add and full marks. There are lay reports of overfilled oil pans leading to fault codes and oil in the intake manifold.

2) Pump up tires - 42/40 psi, front/back, is the recommended levels. You'll get better fuel economy and handling and longer life from tires.

We've also got a FAQ in the Prius forum with some efficiency driving techniques.

GOOD LUCK!

Bob Wilson