Hi All, Does anyone out there know how long a 2001 prius can travel when the last bar on the fuel gauge starts blinking?Mine started blinking yesterday and decided to test it out.I have so far done 55kms(34miles),want to see how many more km I can get. What's happens if the fuel is all used up...does the blinking stop,does the bar change to another color,is there some warning sound? Chaps
If I recall correctly, it's been reported that in our classic Prius, when the fuel runs out, the car continues driving to the best of its ability on electric power and will do so until the main battery is completely drained. I think I have seen this reported in more than one place, but john1701a's Prius User Guide is the only source for it that I can find right now. Apparently a "turn off before self-destructing" feature was added to the HV ECU firmware for the 2004 redesign. Driving until the main battery is completely drained will be expensive. Even if the deep cycle does not damage the battery to the point of requiring replacement, it will have to be charged. Last I knew, the HV battery charger is something that Toyota has built one of for each sales region; it gets shipped to your dealer along with the technician to run it. Or you can search these forums for a variety of DIY approaches for recharging an HV battery, not all of which are good for the battery. In short, if you have a classic Prius, make a point of never getting close to running out of gas, and make sure anyone else who drives your car knows that too. -Chap
And if it does run out, don't try to limp along on electric mode any farther than required by your personal safety. Park it on the shoulder, then call or walk for aid.
thanks guys..I did 35 miles then fueled..didn't want this to be a case of curiosity that killed the HV battery.
i finally decided to take this bull by the horns and drove my Prius until it ran out of fuel. the dash lit like an xmas tree...the triangle of death,engine light and hybrid icon on the MFD... i then refueled and it was good to go.since the fuel gauge bar started blinking,i had done 78km(48miles).
