I finally got to my 2nd fill up. I noticed it clicked off and i am use to with my old car usually being able to go a little more to get to an even dollar amount. I wasnt even thinking and when the pump clicked off i started it again and was able to put almost another gallon of gas in and then i was still able to go a little more to get to an even dollar amount. Do you guys do that or first time it clicks you leave it? If i go by what i put in 7.9 gal with 3 bars left on the gage i got 44.5. BUt if i go by where it clicked off the first time then my millage was over 50.
if you fill at the same pump every time, either technique is fine as long as you're consistant. one tank isn't that accurate. the more you have, the closer the average will be. i like to round, but the higher the price, the more difficult it is. you don't want gas coming back at you, i stop at the first click.
I fill up until the gas level is at/in the filler neck. I don't stop until I can see it... that way I know I have gotten every single drop of gas in the car that is physically possible. It is also a very consistent method of fill-up since the "one click" or "three click" or "whatever click" is not consistent from pump to pump.
If I can get to the handle (NJ) I stop at the first click and then round up to the next dollar or fifty cents.
Your 2006 Prius has a fuel bladder in the tank. It's hard to get the same amount of fuel in every time so checking mileage the old way will not yield accurate results unless you record the gallons and miles for several thousand miles then do the arithmetic. When I had my gen2 (2005 Prius) I just used the consumption read out which on that version of the Prius was pretty accurate. This is the Gen3 forum and our cars (2010 and newer) do not have a bladder in the fuel tank and the pump usually clicks off at about the same fill level each time, providing the pump works as it should. I still use the consumption read out but on Gen3 cars we need to subtract about 4% from the indicated mpg because of a built in error in the reading.
I don't have a 2006 I have a 2010 But if I stopped at first click then my mpg is higher then what is on the readout.
I fill up to the first click. I don't see how it would be consistent if you went over that. I have found that most pumps are very close when it comes to when that happens. The tricky part seems to be the surface of the gas station. Some are level, and many are not. So, that is when I get a bit of a discrepancy.
The info panel below your avatar says you have a 2006, that's all we have to go by. With a 2010 I suggest using the consumption read out and subtracting 4% from the reading and it will be pretty accurate.
If I go by that my mpg sucks. But I don't think it's accurate. If I go by filling up 1 click off then I got about 4% better. Sorry will change the info. I have a 2010 v with the 17in wheels
I don't know about Toyotas, but, filling up until you can see it on Fords results in fuel getting sucked into the EVAP canister and over time this ruins it causing an emissions error code to be thrown. I only go to the first click.
I stop at first click for thisd reason also. Toyota doesn't recomend topping it off so you can see it.
That indicates to me the likelihood that your first fillup was closer to the top than you second fillup at the first click. I usually go to the second or third click, but I don't believe that I am consistent in how far I fill the tank. Therefore the MPG for any given tank may be off, but it all averages out over the long term.
Pointing out the obvious, if you track every mile, it all averages out and worrying about how many clicks doesn't matter. I try not to push it past a couple of clicks. On my CRV, fuel apparently got sucked in to the canister by me trying to top it off too much. The check engine light has been on for 3 years with no decrease in performance or mileage. Luckily I don't live in a county that requires emissions tests. I have the same mentality. If I squeeze in an extra half gallon, that's another 25 miles or so on the tank, but I think you have to overcome that temptation. The risk reward isn't there.
Like stated above, you cannot compare calculations between tanks if you don't use the same filling procedure. Choose one method and stick with it. I stop at two clicks on my PIP because the pump sometimes shuts off early if I am not holding the handle just right. My 2012 Three never had this problem so I stopped at one click. As mentioned above, most manufacturers recommend NOT topping off. It could harm the car. Some people claim to have never had a problem but why take the chance? You have the ability to drive 400+ miles on a tank. That should be good enough. FWIW, your displayed mpg is between 4.5% and 6% optimistic compared to hand calculations. Some very early model 2010s were closer to 9% optimistic! This is based on observations from hundreds of GenIII owners.
That seems to be my case: over two years of tracking the error I'm seeing is around 8%. Just to chime in: there is NO reason to try to squeeze more in, trying to second guess the pump shut-off mechanism. I've found each tank calc pretty accurate, using the stop when it shuts off method, and ANY error is cancelled out at the next fill up.
First click if you don't want to take a chance of spilling gas on your car. Otherwise fill 'em to the threads for the most miles per tank I have never had a evap can issue on any vehicle since 1984 when I started driving, but others will say different. Fill it as you desire Mike
I don't know if this makes sense, but I am going to put in only six gallons, which covers my weekly commute of approx 300 miles.. This should help to keep the car lighter...