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Car Forum / Toyota / Prius / November 2007Prius Gas Gauge
Bought a 2007 about a month ago and was wondering about the gas gauge. I have gone 400 miles on this tank of gas and the gauge only has one block lit. I know I am getting 50MPG highway, so I have only used 8 of the 11.9 gallons. Is this normal for the gas gauge in this car? Thanks > Bought a 2007 about a month ago and was wondering about the gas gauge. > I have gone 400 miles on this tank of gas and the gauge only has one block [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Thanks It's normal for my 2005. > Bought a 2007 about a month ago and was wondering about the gas gauge. > I have gone 400 miles on this tank of gas and the gauge only has one block > lit. > I know I am getting 50MPG highway, so I have only used 8 of the 11.9 gallons. > Is this normal for the gas gauge in this car? The gauge is not linear, and the bladder inside the tank varies in size. Together these mean that you cannot reliably estimate how far you "ought" to be able to go after a fillup. The one thing you should rely on is that when the last pip on the gauge starts to flash, you are about to run out. And when you do run out, remember that you must put in at least three gallons, otherwise the gas tank computer will not let the car start. An amazing number of people have run out of gas in a Prius because they *just knew* they could go 500 miles on one tank, or that there just *had* to be another two gallons in there. Uh-uh. No. > An amazing number of people have run out of gas in a Prius because they > *just knew* they could go 500 miles on one tank, or that there just > *had* to be another two gallons in there. Or they just *had* to see the biggest number they possibly could on the silly screen in the middle of the dash. People do stupid things. >> An amazing number of people have run out of gas in a Prius because they >> *just knew* they could go 500 miles on one tank, or that there just [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > People do stupid things. I have an Oct '04 delivered in Oct '03 - among the first of the new body style. The gas gauge has always been unreliable. I've seen the blinking bar with 200 miles left in the tank... and some reverse situations. It's probably the biggest fault of the car, but as soon as that became apparent I started driving by the odometer. I just take the dash average mileage times ten as my "time to get gas" point. So far, so good. Toyota has offered a "fix", but friends who did it aren't particularly pleased with the result. > . . . And when you do run out, remember that you must put in at > least three gallons, otherwise the gas tank computer will not let the > car start. I think you meant to say, "the gauge won't reset but will continue to flash." In my gasoline studies, I've run out over two dozen times and used a 1 gallon spare can to put enough fuel in to reach a gas station. I've also found the variable bladder problem seems to have disappeared after running the tank down: http://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/mileage/car/1506.html I have no explanation, just how my vehicle has behaved. Bob Wilson "Bob & Holly Wilson" I've run out over two dozen times > Bob Wilson How does one do that over and over again? I've run out of fuel one time in my life and I'm 50. G-Man > "Bob & Holly Wilson" I've run out over two dozen times > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > I've run out of fuel one time in my life and I'm 50. I've been running some gasoline energy studies and running the tank 'dry' lets me change brands with a minimum amount of dilution from the earlier brand. It is deliberate and some of the results: http://hiwaay.net/~bzwilson/prius/pri_fuel_010.jpg http://hiwaay.net/~bzwilson/prius/pri_fuel_020.jpg http://hiwaay.net/~bzwilson/prius/pri_fuel_API_020.jpg I've never run out of gas by accident. Just ask my wife. Bob Wilson Thanks Bob, I feel better now. Thinking your were running out on the highway over two dozen times made me want to get you an appointment at the clinic :-) G-Man >> "Bob & Holly Wilson" I've run out over two dozen times >> [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Bob Wilson > I've been running some gasoline energy studies and running the tank > 'dry' lets me change brands with a minimum amount of dilution from the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > http://hiwaay.net/~bzwilson/prius/pri_fuel_020.jpg > http://hiwaay.net/~bzwilson/prius/pri_fuel_API_020.jpg Will you let us know if you burn up the fuel pump? That's a piece of fun to replace, tell-you-whut. > > I've been running some gasoline energy studies and running the tank > > 'dry' lets me change brands with a minimum amount of dilution from the [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Will you let us know if you burn up the fuel pump? That's a piece of > fun to replace, tell-you-whut. The Prius is not fragile and the risks are managable. Running out of gas works better if you plan ahead. My fuel injectors also continue to work inspite of running out of gas. Bob Wilson >>> I've been running some gasoline energy studies and running the tank >>> 'dry' lets me change brands with a minimum amount of dilution from the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > works better if you plan ahead. My fuel injectors also continue to work > inspite of running out of gas. I believe the fuel pump thing in mostly urban myth. In the early days of electric fuel pumps some manufacturers and aftermarket installers cut corners and left the pump running all the time the ignition is turned on. When the tank is empty this can harm the pump. Modern systems only run the pump for a few seconds after the ignition is turned on, then do not run the pump until one has oil pressure or some other indication the engine is running. > The gauge is not linear, and the bladder inside the tank varies in size. Bladder, this, bladder, that, bah humbug. I have only seen one model of car in my life that had anything close to an accurate fuel gauge: mid 70's Oldsmobile Cutlass. > Together these mean that you cannot reliably estimate how far you > "ought" to be able to go after a fillup. The one thing you should rely [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > *just knew* they could go 500 miles on one tank, or that there just > *had* to be another two gallons in there. Uh-uh. No. *I* ran out of gas in my 2007 because several times previously I had driven 30 to 70 miles on the flashing last bar. Then in spite of my best effort was only able to put less than 10 gallons in an 11.9 gallon tank. Convinced me the indicator was a guess gauge, not a gas gauge. So I was out driving in the middle of nowhere (Arkansas) thinking the idiot light should be flashing the past 50 miles. Then it finally did. And just over a mile later the engine was dead. Batteries got me another mile or two down the road where fortunately I found the first open gas station in the past 20 miles. Car restarted as if nothing had happened. This is when I realized it wasn't a guess gauge but a fool gauge as it made a fool of me. As for "the bladder issue", I don't have any problem. When I fill my tank the calculated MPG is 0 to 4 MPG less than the indicated cumulative MPG since I reset it at the previous fill. I'm filling pretty darn consistently. Oh, and when it ran out? 11.3 gallons after the nozzle kicked off and was repositioned several times. Suggest that you start paying close attention to how many miles after topping off the tank before the first bar dims. This seems to provide an accurate indication as to exactly how full the tank was filled. Mine is pretty consistent at 120 to 140 miles. Except the time it ran out, the first bar didn't fall until 230 miles. Which demonstrates what happened to me when I got fooled. Apparently the gauge falls very slowly, slower even than the Prius drinks fuel. When it takes several days to burn 2.5 gallons it behaves one way. When driven continuously it falls slow enough that 4.5 gallons are gone before the first bar dims. I drove over 400 miles the day I ran out of gas. Couple hundred before, couple hundred after. Appears when driven continuously the gauge can get a couple of gallons behind. > > The gauge is not linear, and the bladder inside the tank varies in size. > > Bladder, this, bladder, that, bah humbug. I have only seen one model of > car in my life that had anything close to an accurate fuel gauge: mid > 70's Oldsmobile Cutlass. The whole point is that in every other car everyone else has driven, the gas gauge may have been off--but it was *reliably* off. The bladder in the Prius tank means that you can't predict what the gauge actually means, and that's way different than people are used to. > *I* ran out of gas in my 2007 because several times previously I had > driven 30 to 70 miles on the flashing last bar. Then in spite of my best > effort was only able to put less than 10 gallons in an 11.9 gallon tank. > Convinced me the indicator was a guess gauge, not a gas gauge. Well, let's see. The flashing pip told you the engine would quit within 70 miles. Regardless of how much you put in vs. what the stated tank capacity is, I'd say the gas gauge was pretty damned accurate in predicting that you're an idiot. >> *I* ran out of gas in my 2007 because several times previously I had >> driven 30 to 70 miles on the flashing last bar. Then in spite of my best [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >capacity is, I'd say the gas gauge was pretty damned accurate in >predicting that you're an idiot. Look everyone. It's the "I don't wave" guy. He has awarded himself a better nickname: "The Flashing Pip." >> *I* ran out of gas in my 2007 because several times previously I had >> driven 30 to 70 miles on the flashing last bar. Then in spite of my best [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > capacity is, I'd say the gas gauge was pretty damned accurate in > predicting that you're an idiot. Lets restate what happened for those who can not (or will not) read. 3 times I drove 20 to 70 miles on flashing fuel warning and bought less than 10 gallons. Gauge is now calibrated and behavior believed to be understood. A few weeks later the light started flashing and ONE MILE later the ICE was dead. The gauge was taking measure of fools who trust it. Yes, the light said the engine might run as long as 70 miles based on past experience, but 1 mile isn't any warning at all. And 1 mile sometimes, 70 miles sometimes, isn't very reliable. I continued my analysis and concluded the gauge falls about 1 to 2 gallons slower than actual (miserly) consumption. Let it sit over night and the gauge catches up. This is normal for ANY CAR, and no other car than the Prius has a bladder gas tank so its not a bladder thing. The only thing different is that most cars use a thermistor in the gas tank for the low fuel warning light. This thermistor is very accurate, fast, and reliable. Apparently the Prius does not use a thermistor. > A few weeks later the light started flashing and ONE MILE later the ICE > was dead. The gauge was taking measure of fools who trust it. Yes, the > light said the engine might run as long as 70 miles based on past > experience, but 1 mile isn't any warning at all. And 1 mile sometimes, > 70 miles sometimes, isn't very reliable. Why wait past 1 pip? Why wait for the flashing light at all? Why not buy gas at 2 pips? 3? What are you trying to prove? >> A few weeks later the light started flashing and ONE MILE later the ICE >> was dead. The gauge was taking measure of fools who trust it. Yes, the [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Why not buy gas at 2 pips? 3? What are you trying to prove? As unbelievable as it may sound there were no other gas stations the past 20 miles. Every one was boarded up closed. And why worry if the light is not flashing and I have always been able to drive at least 20 miles and as much as 70 on a flashing light? The fool gauge behaves pretty much the same as any other car. "It has a bladder in the gas tank, its different!" say those who only want to be different. I find the only difference is the lack of accuracy in the low fuel warning light. >>> A few weeks later the light started flashing and ONE MILE later the ICE >>> was dead. The gauge was taking measure of fools who trust it. Yes, the [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >different. I find the only difference is the lack of accuracy in the low >fuel warning light. With my 2004, I have noticed that the bladder does make difference, but that difference shows when you fill the tank. We have vapor recovery gas pumps here and that seems to mean the fuel flows slower from the pump. I typically can only get 10 gallons in when nearly empty. In a neighboring county with older pumps, the fuel flows faster and I can get approx 1.5 gallons more into the tank before the nozzle shuts off. One time my wife "tried" to fill the tank at a station with extremely slow pumps. She only managed to get 7 gallons in. I think the faster the flow, the more the bladder can be expanded. That really messed with people using miles driven as an estimate of fuel left. All this is from my car only. Anyone else notice the same thing? > With my 2004, I have noticed that the bladder does make difference, > but that difference shows when you fill the tank. We have vapor [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > estimate of fuel left. All this is from my car only. Anyone else > notice the same thing? I always fill my 2007 on the slowest setting and get reasonable fills each time. The first bar dims between 120 and 140 miles. Once tried to top off the tank after only 80 miles. That pump didn't want to put any gas in the tank. Later with 300+ miles on the tank the same pump pumped a reasonable fill. 6 months ago it wasn't unusual for me to bounce between 48 and 58 MPG as measured at the pump. My technique has improved since. But nothing as extreme as 7 gallons when 10 was expected. > With my 2004, I have noticed that the bladder does make difference, > but that difference shows when you fill the tank. We have vapor [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > estimate of fuel left. All this is from my car only. Anyone else > notice the same thing? yes, i noticed somtimes i get 520mi before the last bar blinks; sometimes i get 450mi before it blinks - both under similar driving conditions. but when i refill, the mpg seems to be the same. seems that it doesn't totally fill to same spot each time. bob >> The gauge is not linear, and the bladder inside the tank varies in size. > [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] >couple hundred after. Appears when driven continuously the gauge can get >a couple of gallons behind. Talking bladder...the first time I filled up my brand new Prius, I set the pump auto fill hook and somehow the bladder kicked back and gas was bubbling out of the tank AS IT WAS FILLING. So I got my first car wash, toot sweet. Bladders. And every car I've ever had displays full until about a quarter of a tank is used up. >Bought a 2007 about a month ago and was wondering about the gas gauge. >I have gone 400 miles on this tank of gas and the gauge only has one block lit. >I know I am getting 50MPG highway, so I have only used 8 of the 11.9 gallons. >Is this normal for the gas gauge in this car? > >Thanks We just fill it somewhere around the last two or three blocks. We know we could go further, but the owner's manual says it's best to fill it when you have about ¼ of a tank left. Why push it unless you're crossing the desert and there's no station for 200 more miles? - Piper > We just fill it somewhere around the last two or three blocks. We > know we could go further, but the owner's manual says it's best to > fill it when you have about ¼ of a tank left. Why push it unless > you're crossing the desert and there's no station for 200 more miles? Because the weirdos think they're driving a rolling video game, the goal of which is to show the highest numbers possible in the glowing screen that has capture their attention. Driving? Nah. We're watching the glowing screen and THE NUMBERS! >> We just fill it somewhere around the last two or three blocks. We >> know we could go further, but the owner's manual says it's best to [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > >Driving? Nah. We're watching the glowing screen and THE NUMBERS! Man, you just have to hate everything. How bitter and sad. > >> We just fill it somewhere around the last two or three blocks. We > >> know we could go further, but the owner's manual says it's best to [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Man, you just have to hate everything. How bitter and sad. Hate everything? Nah. Expose people for being stupid? Yeah. >> >> We just fill it somewhere around the last two or three blocks. We >> >> know we could go further, but the owner's manual says it's best to [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >Expose people for being stupid? Yeah. Since people aren't God, they are always going to be ignorant and wrong in all their opinions and actions, so you are wasting your time. For someone like you to take delight in exposing the obvious is as *intelligent* as someone going to the ocean and "discovering" and "exposing" that the ocean is wet. Yet you would be marching up and down the shore, ranting, and actually believing that everyone looking at you and shaking their heads is admiring you. Ironic, stupidity. > Since people aren't God, they are always going to be ignorant and > wrong in all their opinions and actions Well, at least you acknowledge those particular facts. > Bought a 2007 about a month ago and was wondering about the gas gauge. > I have gone 400 miles on this tank of gas and the gauge only has one block > lit. > I know I am getting 50MPG highway, so I have only used 8 of the 11.9 > gallons. > Is this normal for the gas gauge in this car? your mileage can vary greatly depending on how you drove for a given tank of gas. you won't always get the same #miles on a tank or even close. when last bar begins to blink, you have 2 galons left. when all the lights come on and you get an (!) signal in the dash, you have about 1/2gal left. don't worry about the bars til the last one blinks, then you've got about 75mi to find gas. bob |
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