PiP Owners - Own Up: Out of Charge, AND Gas?

Perhaps, a flat tire?

 

no, but i see my future. or should i say, you did.

 

My 1990 BMW 318i had a wonderful accessory, which I kept when that car died: a very well made "donut" 1.5 gallon gas can that fits inside any full-size spare wheel. When the Beemer died in early 2003, I kept this wonderful gas can thru Gen I Prius and Gen II Prius ownership. Yes, I managed to run out of "everything" in both cars and that li'l gas can was a lifesaver several times for me and my passengers.

Since the PiP doesn't have a spare tire, I now keep the BMW gas can somewhere in the basement, somewhere where I can't even find it now. However, I managed never to yet run out of "everything" in the PiP in the 28K miles... maybe I learned my lessons?

 

No, but if I ever did, I wouldn't tell. In my 46 year driving experience, I ran out of gas and diesel fuel once each. My first experience was with a two day old new Honda Civic on a eight hour trip. The gas needle wasn't on "E", when it died. The other time with the diesel, same trip , location, late one Sunday evening and I couldn't find a gas station open that sold diesel fuel. After eight hours, I was within one mile of my destination. No excuse for either, but there are circumstances.

 

That reminds me of what I used to hear when monitoring traffic court hearings: Judge says, "Guilty or not guilty."
Guest of the court says, "Guilty with explanation, Your Honor." Judge says again, "Guilty or not guilty."

 

Last time I ran out of gas was back when I was in college (45+ years ago) and was driving from back and forth from Canandaigua, NY to Rochester, NY 5 days a week. I was driving a 36hp VW bug that had a foot operated lever that you kicked over to the emergency fuel supply on Friday when coming home and then I would stop to fill her up. That usually gave you 30 more miles before being empty. Upon filling the tank you had to move the lever back up into the regular position. One week I didn't....

 

Never ever ran out of fuel in any car I've owned. When the gauge shows about 1/4 left, I start looking.

 

Saw a woman stopped on the very narrow shoulder of a busy freeway yesterday, standing with her fanny almost in the travel lane, putting gas into her car from a can. Risking your life because you don't have time to stop for gas?

 

Anyone watch "Under the Dome", a group of characters are running around in a PIP, supposedly because all of the other cars are getting their tanks siphoned.

 

Yep, since the first episode. There's a thread about it somewhere around here.

 

This reminds me: Once upon a time I ran out of gas (engine stopped) on a road about 300 feet from the gas station. The momentum allowed me to make a turn to the gas station lot, but it stopped about 30 feet from the pump.

This was an old Chevy van so I couldn't just push it to the pump slightly uphill. Thankfully I had a 2-gallon empty can which I filled at the pump, put the gas in, drove the 30 feet to the pump and then filled up.

 

Old Chevy??? Did you manage that 30 ft with just 2 gallons?

Like SLOW_RR, my older motorcycles always had a 'reserve'switch. Once I used it, saw a gasstation a little further down the road and figured I could easily make the 10 miles to the next station. It died seconds after making that decision, so I could easily push it into the station. Turns out it it normally ran at 40mpg, but now, due to storm-grade headwind, it had dropped to 21mpg during the 'reserve' part of the gastank.

And I've had a (diesel) car die while standing next to the gas-filling terminal, I had my car splutter after I had syphoned all gas out of it and was driving it to the scrapyard Still put in half a gallon...
And I ran out of gas with my motorcycle twice. Once going to a party of a friend, a year later coming FROM a party at the same friend. Both times due to severe lack of gasstations. Mind you, this was before all the ATM-card unmanned gasstations...

 

I had not thought to do this yet on the PIP, but when ever I get a new to me car, when it gets low, I bring along a gaalon or two of gas and let it run out. All cars are differnton the gas gauge. On my GMC box van, when the needle gets to empty, IT IS! My Sebring convertible, when the , miles left meter says 'zero' it can go 40 miles (mostly freeway). Not that I plan to push it to the end, it is just that sometimes it is much more convenient to drive closer to your dead empty than would customarily for your next gas stop. Any downside to this one time test on a PIP?

 

people have different experiences running the prius out of gas. some add 2 or 3 gallons and they are good to go. others need to be towed to the dealer. no one knows why, but there is speculation. check your owners manual, pretty sure it advises against it, but why would they say otherwise?

 

That alone would be good reason NOT to run out of gas! ROFLMAO!

 

thanks, i made myself laugh on that one!

 

My one unintentional experience was similar, in a 'new to me' car, the first I actually owned. First tank, and needle still above 'E'.

This has since been done intentionally, similar to Bob's experiments to satisfy engineering curiosity.

I can immediately think of 5 places I've traveled in the last few years where the above car (long since departed), using this rule, would run dry before reaching the next forward gas station. At least when driving 'normally', without the seriously hypermiling that was unknown to me back in the old days.

That is one reason for wanting to have a more realistic understanding of the real fuel level.

 

I've heard people on here really advise against running out of gas.

Personally I use the 9 gallon rule. When my ratio screen says I've used 9 gallons I fill up.

 

I don't have a PIP but can I play?

The CMax gives you this warning when you run of out gas and the ICE goes silent. The word "Stop" is obscured by the glare. I had more than enough battery to EV to a parking lot up ahead.




I was gunning to be the first with a 900 mile tank on a forum challenge and almost made it! Argggh.



I put in a gallon from an emergency jug I was carrying with me, rebooted/restarted the car, warning message cleared, and I continued on to the nearest gas station. No drama.

Would I have made it with the remaining HV battery? Probably if I would have kept it below 20mph but no way would I have risked it after reading some of the experiences here of draining the HV battery and needing the special factory charger to be revived. I don't know if Ford has the same procedure nor did I want to be the first to find out!