Trouble with car registering gas in tank

the pump always shuts off on me early, so what I do is, when pumping gas I pull back the part that goes over
the neck of the gas tank. This lets air in - be careful when the tank is getting full as gas might come out
sometimes after the gas pumping goes off, I still can pump at least half to one gallon of gas (probably because the gas tank is the bag)

 

Does it always happen at the same pump or station? At the Shell station in Delran the pump did not shut off once on my 2006. I try not to use that pump even though it has been 6 years. In Pittsburgh I couldn't get a pump to run.

In Ohio I had a fuel spill on the 2010 when the pump didn't shut off so it isn't just a bladder problem.

Put the pump on the slowest setting and don't use pumps that give you problems.

 

it usually happens when the gas is pumping fast

 

You should have better results if you fill your Prius with the pump pumping at the slowest setting.

Ron

 

The gage will not always recognize the fuel added if you only add a gallon or two. According to many post's here on PC, if you were to run out of gas, the gage won't reset until you have added more than three gallons.

Also, if the bladder is very cold and the gage is reading one pip, you may have difficulties refueling as the bladder if fully collapsed (pump shutting off early). It seems that the bladder is easier to refuel if you don't empty it completely (one pip or pip flashing), however that does cause you to have to refuel more often.

Ron

 

There are notches on the auto fill, use the first notch which will squeeze the handle less.

Ron

 

Well, I live on the Gulf Coast. When it get's down to 40 degrees, the bladder tends to give me trouble. I note then when it is cold here, I can't put near as much in as I can during the summer. The temperature really does effect the bladder more than one would think.

Also, I refuel as soon as our's hit two pips. If I let it get lower, at times I have a hard time filling back up. Pump tends to shut off early. Most of the problems occur when the temps are below 50 degrees for me.

Ron

 

I've had problems with the gauge registering only when I had to pump small quantities. If you are pumping only 1 or 2 gallons the gauge won't register the increase at the pump but it may after 3 starts.

 

Not the gas station. And don't pull the pump out to let air in.

The tank needs to be vented before you can fuel it. Its a flexible bladder held under vacuum. Bladder when car is ON is held tight to fuel not allowing any fumes to escape from fuel. This is part of its ZERO Emissions mission.

Try this: Make sure car is off. Open gas cap. Go inside store and buy a drink. By the time you get out the tank bladder will have vented and relaxed allowing maximum fuel to be loaded.

Fuel at slowest setting. Meaning don't squeeze the handle hard. Squeeze as slightly as you can. First click hang it up.
Don't top off. On 2 pips showing I can get 8 gallons in almost everytime at first click. Never ever any issue.

 

I agree that venting seems to help. Since I started doing that a year ago, I seem to have less problems refueling. Unlike Ed, when I am on two pips I usually can only put in 6.5 to 7 gallons. During the summer though I can get more in. The most I have ever seen go in is 7.64 gallons of fuel @ 2 pips and that is in the summer time. During the winter, it does seem to hold less, usually around 6 to 6.2 gallons @ 2 pips.

I fill my tank as Ed suggests. Vent the tank, fill at slowest setting, and hang the pump up when it clicks off. Only one time did I ever have the tank burp, and that when I was filling fast and tried to add more fuel after the pump kicked off. I learned real fast NOT to top off the Prius.

Ron

 

My observations exactly also except I may have exaggerated. I usually get 7.5 ish when I fill up on 2 pips.
First click off I hang it up and have not had a burp with the accompanied gas soaked shoes in 4 years.