[WARNING] Running out of gas (Gen III)

Oh so these posts are OK?
"Different people have different ideas of what is low gas. Cars have been having low gas indicator for 20 years and they are all about the same regardless of whether it is Toyota or another make. Is this your first car ever?"

You are all still missing the point. The tank doesn't hold 11.9- get that through your skulls. Read the posts- people have gotten stuck b/c they've only been able to go 5 miles after the low gas indicator has come on? How can that be if there's still 2+ gallons left. Ability to discern and discirminate- embrace it, and stop being true believers.

 

People will often reflect the negative tone you project......

Learn to moderate your tone upon intro and you'll likely receive a warmer response.

 

If that isn't the truth. A poster will come onto PC, write a string of inflammatory posts, insult people and call them names, and then wonder why no one is nice to them. Go figure.

Tom

 

You come on and ask for a recall based on hearsay in your first post. That is not the most civil way to talk and quite a serious matter. With a tone like that, and especially now that the chat group is full of trolls, what do you expect? You sound like a troll stirring up problems.

I was asking a legitimate question. Things have been like this for 20 years at least in the United States for all brands of car where the indicator light turns on before the tank is completely empty.

So I was and am still wondering if this is your first car. Was that an insult? I had a first car once. Everyone here has a first car once.

Insults like "thick skull" and "idiots" are generally beneath the level of courtesy expected here.

The difference between you and me is this: You are here asking for help in this post. So since you are asking for free help, you need to be nicer. I don't have a problem - at least in this post. So if you cannot tone down your postings, why don't you figure it out yourself.

If you really have a 2010 Prius, go to the dealer, it will cost you nothing for warranty work. The car should have an 11.9 gallon tank. Anything significantly less is a defect.

If you don't have one. Stop posting. Stop asking for recalls based on things you have not experienced. We don't have a problem with the car running out of gas 5 miles after the low gas light. Don't ask us to do internet searches to figure out your problem. Why should we? Are we your parents? Are we your servants? At least be polite enough to do the search yourself and provide us with links. We don't have a duty to help you.

Finally, if you have such a big problem - go ask Toyota. Don't be afraid.

 

As far as I can remember, I have never run out of gas in 46 years of driving (but at my age, maybe I don't remember).

Bob gives a good warning, though. I assumed, and I'm sure many others did (do) that the GenIII Prius could still limp along on the battery for a mile if you ran out of gas. Bob is letting us know what happens when you run out.

I regularly run my Prius down to one bar (unless I'm planning a trip), because that's the only way I can get the required 8 gal. minimum fill-up that gives me $1 off on a car wash.

I figure 1 bar still gives me about 40-50 miles to go, not a problem in the city. But if I'm on a trip, there have been areas that are more than 50 miles between gas stations, so I fill up.

 

Haha - same thing has happened to me. My wife has run out at least twice, and yes, it was my fault for not leaving her car with a full tank! She fills it every chance she gets, now, with 4-5 gal. at a time (her car holds 20 gal!)

The most I have ever been able to put into my Prius is 9.568 gal. and that with pulling the trigger once more after the pump shut off, and the last bar flashing. According to Toyota, the tank is supposed to hold 11.9 gal. How do you get over 12 gal. in?

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

I have heard the beep only once. I did not think it was loud enough nor long enough. It's a very short "beep!"

 

Bob, the user manual says to use 88 octane - here in Wisconsin we have 87 and 89. The dealer told me 87 was OK, and that's what they fill all the cars with they sell. And they said the engine will make self adjustments to the gas.

It would be possible (but impractical) to mix fuel 50:50 to achieve 88.

I tried 89 and though I didn't do a scientific study, it seems to give me slightly better milage. It costs 10 cents a gal. more, but the Prius uses so little, that I figure that over a year it's not that big of a difference.

Your thoughts?

 

The user manual's guidelines for 88 octane was a typo.

As for the higher MPG with higher octane, do a search and you'll find an exhaustive discussion on the subject in here. In a nutshell you will not achieve higher mpg with higher octane unless you are running a high mileage car with carbon deposits or driving in such conditions (weather, altitude, terrain etc.) that the car is retarding timing due to high load conditions.

 

I didn't read all 36 pages, but got a few laughs at some posts in the many pages I did read.

As many have said, there's no reason to run out of gas. Perhaps filling up at 2 bars means you fill up more frequently, but is that really a big deal to ensure you never run out of gas?

Prior to buying my 2005 prius, I never saw anyone discuss running out of gas as if it was an issue. But when I joined here there were threads on it already. I guess some things never change. LOL

 

Is that documented anywhere? My dealer didn't indicate that it was a typo, just that "we don't have 88 here."

Bob's chart seems to indicate better mileage at higher octane. Bob?

If it really is a typo, I can save 10 cents a gal. on fillups, which will save me maybe $25 a year, not a lot, but that's a good meal.

 

Ah, thanks for the explanation.

 

I noticed this, too (at ~60 deg F) and decided to trust the 11.9 number on my next tank full. Went for about 80 mi after it blunk. I think the car will go 600 mi. on a gently driven tank.

It's a step up from my old BMW motorcycle (or old VW's) - when it ran out of gas you'd switch to the reserve, which gave you an extra 30 mi. or so.

In this case it gives you maybe 150 mi. Anybody care to test that?

BTW, my Prius gives me considerably better mileage that the 750cc bike did - currently able to get 58.1 on my 44 mi total daily commute, shooting for 60...

 

just need to make five posts to post a link. God the security on this board is ridiculus. Need to enter secure image, etc...

 

Bump #2

Now I need to wait 30 sec between posts...maybe I should find another prius chat site?

 

Bump #3

30 sec later

 

Bump #4

Okay bear with me. Just one more...