Gas Tank

The Guess gage on the Prius takes a little getting use to. It's not linear and the bladder in the tank also contributes to the inconsistencies of the display. Keep in mind that short trips will also drop the fuel level quicker as your MPGs are not the best. I have gone as far as 170 miles before the first pip disappears (from a full level) and as little as 60 miles. The level will always drop faster in cold weather because you cannot get as much fuel into the bladder (it doesn't expand as much when cold).

 

Yes there's definitely variability with the gas tank bladder. In summer temps I can usually go over 100 miles before the first pip disappears, but in the cold it's more like 40 miles, because the colder weather makes the bladder less flexible and decreases its capacity.

I filled up last week at 5 pips -- since we'd had a couple of over-60-degree days, I was hoping to get a little extra gas into the tank -- but the pump shut off even earlier than usual, the first pip disappeared after only 15 miles and the second pip is gone after about 40. I'm assuming this is just a random aberration and hoping the next fill-up will be better.

The important things to know are: don't overfill the tank by trying to top it off, because this can cause damage, and don't assume you can drive a certain number of miles on the last pip before you have to fill it up - get into the habit of filling the tank when it hits one pip at the latest (many folks recommend not going lower than 2 pips).

This is really the only thing that I'm not thrilled with this car, but I can live with it because of the reason behind it, since the bladder is there to reduce emissions. It's a minor inconvenience compared to all the great things the car has to offer.

 

Sometimes I can lose 1 or 2 pips within 35 miles but I have better things to do than watch the gas gauge. Toyota's "Guess Gauge" is just about as reliable as GM's. The best you can do is pump slow & consistant and take longer trips.