Gas filler door open message--ACT IMMEDIATELY

In January, I went into a regularly-used gas station that, for some reason, couldn't read my credit card this time. (This was after I had opened the fuel filler door and unscrewed the cap.) So I drove about a mile (as I recall) to the next station, noting a message saying the fuel door was ajar. (Tell me something I DO not know.) I proceeded to fail to get more than a few ounces into the tank (actually, into the NECK, I now know). Now this had happened MANY times with my '06 for no reason I can state, so it was not alarming.

Until half a gallon of gas finally spewed forth all over the quarter panel of my near-new 2017.

I had read, weeks before, about what had happened, which I recalled immediately, before the gas had finished spilling. But its significance didn't hit me in text. In practice, oh, yeah. Right in the face. (Not literally.)

So, friends, if you get the message about your fuel door being open, stop immediately and screw the cap on and shut the door. Gas won't go in until you do. Not sure why this design.

I'd have to say this new feature isn't one I'd want, given the choice. But go ahead and give me the message in the highly unlikely event I repeat this faux pas. I definitely know what to do.

Best teacher: Experience
Also ran: Text

Gen 2 (2006) and Gen 4 (2017)

 

That's what to do, all right. I remembered/realized to do that, which took all of a half-gallon spill--I mean 5 seconds--to recall, as I implored the fellow next to me to flick that butt the OTHER way. (JK. No butts. Nor iffs or annds.)

Gen 2 (2006) and Gen 4 (2017)

 

Please. To paraphrase (I think) Bob and Doug McKenzie, "I, like, READ manuals; I don't, like, MEMORIZE manuals, eh?"

But first, my 2017 had no such warning tag, probably because the salesman who had to drive it 300 miles (from the nearest dealership that had what I wanted) was bothered by it. No matter. Got the manual. (Did I just make clear that I had read it?)

Therefore, second, as I said in my post, I HAD READ about the filler door deal somewhere in the manual, but until the event in question OCCURS so that the "knowledge" can actually be APPLIED, it's like well over half of what most of us read: forgotten. Until it can be APPLIED, knowledge (if recalled at all) isn't always very useful. Besides, when have I ever taken more than 30 minutes to refuel??? NEVER. So, messages (manual and fuel door) received; so what? (Hence, I didn't even highlight the 30-minute thing on page 264.) Who, I wondered then and now, could the 30 minutes actually apply to, how, and why?

Third, note that I was well within the 30-minute time frame you mention, so why the lockout??

Fourth, it took a LOT of effort today to replicate the problem. Starting and powering off; opening just the fuel lid, then removing the cap, or not. Then starting over. After maybe five attempts, always powering off before or after pressing fuel door button, the message "Close fuel lid" finally appeared when I powered up. I drove again, as in my other event, immediately to gas station, fuel door open, cap dangling. Fuel would not go in. Where's the 30 minutes? I began the refueling process a mile from a gas station and within two minutes couldn't finish the process. Until I again pushed the fuel door button. Every time except this once, after I would power off and on, I got the message "Refueling ready."

So what do y'all think of item four? Why, under identical conditions, did I NOT get "close fuel lid" message all the other times I had lid open, cap off?

Whatever, I was merely trying to be a good guy and warn others about my accident. I don't mind making myself look bad (kinda resent when others do) if I can help others in the process.



Gen 2 (2006) and Gen 4 (2017)

 

Didn't think anyone was piling on, just defensive. Bad personality trait that surfaces too often..

Didn't realize door was open until halfway to second gas station. Figured it'd be okay to be open for another 1/4 mile. Intended to shut after refuelling. Finally did.

Never noticed "ready to fuel" message until today. What can I say.

So, if I understand, the reason I only got "fuel door open" once is that I hadn't driven enough between stops and restarts to build up enough pressure to get that message but finally pressure did build up. Hmm.

That night I had driven 40 miles, went to first station, opened lid (not positive if I removed cap or not), pump rejected card, drove off, got message immediately because of 40 miles worth of pressure build-up? (Didn't shut door since I needed it open to complete refueling!!

Makes sense to a guy who once got brave enough to replace a broken rocker arm on a 79 Corona wagon 20R engine and adjusted its valves many times but who is not up on these here new-fangled hootchamadoos you young whippersnappers keep ranting about ««hmmuhhmmtsk»» ««ahhuummtsp»» (old person sounds).

Hell, "Close fuel lid" even makes sense now. Just do it, whatever the screen says and there'll be no problems.

Still not sure I get the 30 minute warning, though. The 30 is really arbitrary, yes? And top of page 264 probably needs rewriting:

"! NOTICE
¤ Refueling
Finish refueling within 30 minutes. If more than 30 minutes passes, the internal valve closes. In this condition, fuel may overflow..."

"Finish refueling" isn't the point, is it? And it's not about TIME, is it? Isn't it about PRESSURE? How SHOULD Toyota say it to get the correct message across? Because I'm by no means stupid, and that paragraph tells me nothing important without outside assistance. (T'ink you veddy much.)

Gen 2 (2006) and Gen 4 (2017)

 

Nor had I, until today, possibly because fuel lid was open during my "testing", but pressure in the tank was low enough that the car is saying, "Hey, the fuel lid is open, but go ahead and fuel, you'll have no problems, such as pressure causing gas to spray you", thereby not needing to say, "Close fuel lid", which in fact seems to actually be sending the message, "There's too much pressure in the tank to allow you to just stick in a fuel hose; press the fuel door open switch for me and I'll release the pressure and the internal door that prevents fuel in tank from spraying you when under pressure."


Gen 2 (2006) and Gen 4 (2017)

 

This says it's not about time: 30 doesn't equal 0. So it is unreasonable. So modify the manual and stickers. Say what is actually meant, maybe like this:

Displayed message:
"Fuel door open. Close before fueling."

In manual:
"If the fuel lid is open while driving and sufficient pressure has built up in the tank, you must press the fuel lid opener switch to release the pressure before attempting to refuel. Otherwise, fuel will be blocked from entering the tank and will likely spill."

On lid, in big red letters:
"If this lid was open while driving, press the lid opener switch before fueling."

All the misleading, confusing text is the insult.

Belaboring the now all too obvious?

And it's not about sorry, it's about clarity for future owners and their manuals.


Gen 2 (2006) and Gen 4 (2017)

 

I can't find Prodigyplace's message saying he'd never seen the "Refuel ready" message upon pressing the lid opener and I concurred. Today, it seems to be there every time you press it. Guess it always was.

Here's another item. Car parked in shade, not driven for 12 hours. I opened the fuel lid and drove off. Within 2 (not after 30) minutes' driving, I got "Close fuel lid". Apparently, pressure doesn't enter into it either--how much pressure could build up in a 2-mile drive at 25 mph in 82° weather? I suppose, then, that the object is to lock the internal fuel door no matter the pressure. Being very cautious for the unwitting driver who ignored the strange messages in 3 places.

But here's the fun part. If you push the lid opener while STOPPED (even with ENGINE ON, e.g., at a traffic signal), you get "Refuel ready". (No reasonable person would do this deliberately. So, so what. Not that much fun. Design flaw?)

Don't think I'm obsessing over this. As printed, the message does NOT APPLY TO ANY REASONABLE PERSON. So anyone reading it will IGNORE it, as I did. Yes, I remembered reading it but then filing it under N/A. Just write what actually happens. I gave one suggestion earlier. Next year's owners deserve this change, especially owners of older Prii for whom the locked fuel door wasn't an issue.

I don't know if Toyota is going to modify that paragraph and the tags and stickers, but they should. Will they?

Whatever. Stick a fork in me; I'm done.

Gen 2 (2006) and Gen 4 (2017)