Milage ... Gage ... Gas ...

Your Gen2 fuiel tank has a inner flexible bladder, quite unlike the rigid tank of virtually all other cars. This bladder has long been a source of refilling problems and reduced capacities and numerous gauging consternations, especially in cold weather. It was a great concept (for evaporative emissions control) whose time had not yet arrived, so it was not carried over to the Gen3.

While the theoretically capacity is 11.9 gallons, many Gen2 drivers find significantly less usable capacity. Even for those with no problems, driving to the very last low fuel warning uses only 9.something gallons, the same as with the non-bladdered Gen3 tank. The rest is set aside as a safety margin. But in a Gen2 you have no assurance that any margin is actually there. Test that margin at your own risk, consider taking along a can of spare fuel.

Very many Gen2 drivers must give up on a possibility of 10-gallon bonus points because of that troublesome fuel tank bladder.

 

Even if he isn't saying that, I AM.

There is no other way to see which meter is off by more than a little.
And the "consumption" screen you are looking at must be consumption ONLY over that 200 miles since the last fill.

If it is a long term average, it is meaningless in figuring short term usage.

Most likely it is the gas gauge that is off. Most of them are somewhat unreliable, regardless of the make, model or tank type.

 

Just don't push it to far past empty. I've driven 40 miles after empty just for pump to shut off at 9 gallons next fill up. So you have gas just way tank and gauge work.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

best you can do is go 400 miles and assume 10 gallons. but only if you know it's full to start, which you don't, so you're between a rock and a hard place.
i was happy to trade up to gen 3 and get a real gauge/tank, but unfortunately, you get other problems gen 2 doesn't have

 

That is for the good ones, which are reasonably common. But some bad ones have suffered fuel starvation with 2 bars still showing, and having burned only 7 gallons.

If you are not prepared and equipped for testing low fuel with a possibility of running out -- yes, fill up now.

 

You're making the assumption the tank capacity is per spec, when (as pointed out above) the internal bladder may have contracted some, reducing capacity.

 

Most of those gallons are air between the bladder and tank wall, not fuel inside the tank.

This is one of the reasons the evaporative control bladder concept was not continued in the next generation. A good idea whose time has not yet arrived.

 

Seems like the guys that did the bladder tank took a hiatus with gen 3, then came back for gen 4, designed the premature closing gas flap.

 

It is a BAD design.
Well known in the Prius owners community.
Now YOU know too.

 

As I'm in the market for a second Prius, a Gen 3 is on the consideration. I'd be interested in a sidebar of your experience in that matter. Thanks.

 

Thicker oil requires more energy so hence less economy from the engine.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

It is mostly hype. Thicker oil doesn't move around as easily so there is a tiny little, slight difference in the amount of energy wasted inside the engine.

Using a thinner oil also allows for tighter machine tolerances, which generally makes for a more efficient engine.

The total difference due to the thickness of the oil itself might be.........a couple of gallons A YEAR.

What do you mean by "oil levels" ?

 

It is OCD. It is a disease.
Seems like people HAVE to have something to worry about these days.........and if there is no real threat, they make up one.