guess gauge alarm stopped working, I'm scared!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by inkybrown, Sep 9, 2011.

  1. inkybrown

    inkybrown Junior Member

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    I am aware of the inconsistencies of the fuel bladder (now, although I wasn't until last night). I read a lot of horror stories and complaints about the unreliability of the gas gauge. However, the problem I am having is different and I haven't found anything online about it. Has anyone had (or even heard of) this problem...?

    I have had a 2009 Prius for almost three years, about 25,000 miles and never had a problem until recently. A few weeks ago I noticed I had driven 160 miles over 4 separate trips and the gas gauge still read that it was full. Odd, I thought. The gauge eventually caught up and dropped down. No big deal in the long run.

    But yesterday's experience really scared me. I left the house with 2 bars. A mile later it was down to 1 bar; 5 miles later the gauge started flashing but THE ALARM DID NOT GO OFF. I just happened to notice the flashing. In the past when it has gotten this low, the alarm has gone off. It didn't go off this time. Doesn't seem that anyone else has had this particular problem.

    I filled up and drove, about 80 miles in several separate trips. Gas gauge still reads as full. Alarm beeped a few times while I was driving, and while the gauge read full. That really freaked me out! I can understand flexible bladder...ok... but suddenly the alarm does not work, and then it malfunctions and goes off while the tank is full?

    Usually I fill up the tank, drive it until the warning light comes on, then fill up again. Has worked for me for 3 years. Not sure what I'll do now. The consumer advice seems to be to fill up your tank any time it drops to 1/3 full. Is the gauge really THAT unreliable?

    I called the service department at my dealership and described the problem, including the fact that the car did not start beeping when the gauge started flashing. The guy there seemed to think it was no big deal and didn't warrant bringing the car in. But I'm scared there is really something wrong, and not just the problem that most Prius owners have about the guess gauge. The alarm issue is...pardon the pun... alarming.
     
    #1 inkybrown, Sep 9, 2011
  2. firepa63

    firepa63 Former Prius Owner

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    There's a very easy fix. Fill up when you get down to 2 pips and you'll never have to worry about running out of gas. Seriously, with the bladder inconsistencies, it's bad practice to wait for the guess gauge to start flashing. When that happens, you can run out of gas at any time.
     
    #2 firepa63, Sep 9, 2011
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  3. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

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    Drive, say, 350 miles, then fill up. As with any car that has a broken fuel gauge.
     
    #3 Pinto Girl, Sep 9, 2011
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if the alarm beeped several times, that's cause enough for taking it to the dealer.
     
    #4 bisco, Sep 9, 2011
  5. inkybrown

    inkybrown Junior Member

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    Yes, it didn't beep when the fuel gauge was flashing, but it beeped a few times later after I had filled up.
     
    #5 inkybrown, Sep 9, 2011
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    mine only beeps once. and that's when you're down to the blinking pip. something is definitely wrong. probably need a new bladder or something. did you overfill the tank at any point?
     
    #6 bisco, Sep 9, 2011
  7. okiebutnotfrommuskogee

    okiebutnotfrommuskogee Senior Member

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    I have had my gage show full up to 160 miles a few times, but it then drops to 1/2 fairly fast. I always try to fill up when it gets down to 2 pips, and have only let it get down to one twice. I have never gone far enough to see the last one flash.
     
    #7 okiebutnotfrommuskogee, Sep 9, 2011
  8. inkybrown

    inkybrown Junior Member

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    Never overfilled... I was not aware of this Prius problem before, it is disappointing but seems Toyota has never officially acknowledged it? Rather they switched to a metal tank for Gen 3...
     
    #8 inkybrown, Sep 9, 2011
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i really don't think it's a design problem. have you been going through the 100+ heat all sumber?
     
    #9 bisco, Sep 9, 2011
  10. inkybrown

    inkybrown Junior Member

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    The manual says the tank holds 11.9 gallons. We all know that's not true!

    Yes, hot summer, but the tank supposedly only shrinks when the temperature is under 70 degrees.
     
    #10 inkybrown, Sep 10, 2011
  11. uart

    uart Senior Member

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    Maybe the beeping you heard when full was not related to the gas gauge but related to something else. A heavy bag or parcel on the passenger seat perhaps?
     
    #11 uart, Sep 10, 2011
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    good point. keep a close eye on everything and scedule a looksee at the dealer. have you owned this car since new?
     
    #12 bisco, Sep 10, 2011
  13. inkybrown

    inkybrown Junior Member

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    Yep, always did scheduled maintenance at the dealer. BTW, is that what you guys do? My dad balked at the $80 charge for the tire rotation and oil change. Is it necessary to do that at the dealer or can any place do it?
     
    #13 inkybrown, Sep 10, 2011
  14. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

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    Isn't there a way to reset the fuel gauge? I can't recall how, but I'd search this site to see if you can find that info. Either that or take it to the dealer so they can say they can't replicate the problem and you've just wasted a morning for nothing.

    Any place can do the tire rotation and oil change, just make sure they don't overfill it.
     
    #14 Pinto Girl, Sep 10, 2011
  15. inkybrown

    inkybrown Junior Member

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    How do I make sure they don't overfill?
     
    #15 inkybrown, Sep 10, 2011
  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    bring three quarts of oil with you, hand it to the mechanic and watch him do it. when you get home, check the level and top up until near the full mark. otherwise, they WILL overfill. i do this with the mechanic at the local mobil station. he thinks i'm whacked, but he humours me.
     
    #16 bisco, Sep 10, 2011
  17. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    Wow.

    The best way is to do it yourself. It is not hard at all. If your Dad knows that $80 is a ripoff for that, then he should be able to help you figure out how to do it yourself. For $80, you can buy all the tools required to do both jobs: socket wrench, filter wrench, floor jack, jack stands. If you are already on to your second or later set of tires, the place that sold them should rotate them for free, and that would save a lot of work.

    Otherwise, ask around for a reference to an independent shop in your area, anyone that you come across that drives a Prius, especially the 2001-2003 versions.

    Here is the fuel gauge reset thread: http://priuschat.com/forums/toyota-...fuel-gauge-diagnostic-tips-tsb-0163-08-a.html
     
    #17 seilerts, Sep 11, 2011
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