What's the most gallons of gas you've filled

What's with you Prius people running out of gas? No offense intended, but I've researched many cars before. This is the first time I've researched a Hybrid and I have to say that I've noticed that Prius owners are the most likely to allow their cars to run dry. Does the dashboard not let you know when you're low on gas? My Jetta has a gas light plus it emits a pretty loud beep when it's low on gas. It's hard to miss. Does the Prius have a similar warning? I'll be scared if it didnt!

 

I try to follow a use-10-add-10 system, so when I added 10 last fillup I thought I'd reFILLED. Problem is, when I added gas to what I thought was a 'bad' batch, the calculated 2.5 became a real 3.4 (broken filler made it easy to FILL) so keeping track of the amount in the tank can be iffy.

My TSB'd fuel system and gauge now seems to lose 1 pip at 2 gallons or so, and when I added 10 it hadn't blinked yet, so I guess people run out of gas when they try to avoid stopping for gas more often than they HAVE to. No big savings this week by delaying, but some weeks it's good to wait. Also seen waiting cost me extra, so YMMV...

 

Clint - I wouldn't ever run out either. I was just telling someone what it will take to get going again if you do. The Prius gas gauge is a digital display with a number of bars from E to F (around 9?). When you get down to one bar and drive a bit longer, that last bar will begin to flash, and a message appears at the top of the MFD stating "Get Gas".

I agree, I've seen lots of Prius owners talking about running out of fuel as well, but then,
1. I've never paid attention to other car-type owners, so can't compare, and
2. Given the hybrid and fuel economy questions, I'm not surprised to see an element of the owners trying to push it to the limit for single tank bragging rights.

Oh well, as long as it doesn't effect me....

 

I used to drive diesels. Back in the days when stations were often a hundred miles away, at least the ones you knew how to find, knowing exactly how far you can go was important. So with a new car I have always run out to see how far I could go after the min gauge reading.

I normally fill up the Prius now within about 10 miles of the blinking bar, or even at 3 bars on trips.
If I try for a record tank or something, I always carry a can of gas.

 

Don't worry, it has a clear warning (blinking fuel indicator) so you won't run out by mistake. I think people to prove how fuel efficient they are want to brag how far they can go on one tank and then start to push it. I don't get it either....

 

My biggest fill was 9.69 gals. This was in October.

 

I am a 9.6 too. It made me nervous when I saw the blinking bar. I usually like to fill up about 3 bars. For me going 10-14 days between fillups is already a gift of time. My old Sprt Trac had to be filled every 4, 5 if I was lucky or not driving much.

 

First fill up took 9.641 gallons. I had one bar blinking. I was afraid to go further. I now fll up when I get less than half. I just love driving up when people are filling up their SUV'S and are still filling up when I drive out. Once I said to myself but loud enough for everyone to hear me say, "65 miles to the gallon. Holy Cow!" Then I drove off. That was so much fun! [Only get about 49 mpg.)
Kathleen

 

Sorry, I think that's another Prius myth. I ran out, put 2 gal. in and it started (my '04). I saw where someone posted that "3 gal" thing on another thread the other day---one about "how can you tell how many gal are in your tank"---and didn't bother to correct him/her. I think the 3 gal thing is a minimum you have to add before your gas gauge will register that you've put in ANY. In other words, when I put in 2 gal, the gas gauge didn't budge, but it started.

 

I have never run out of gas in any car since the Oil Embargo of the 70's. I cut it a little short taking my Newfounland to the Vet. At that time you could only fill up every other day. I was on call every other day. Guess what days I was on call? My local dealer cut me a little slack because I delivered his daughter in law, but even with that they closed early. I ended up on Saturday running out of gas 1 block from my usual dealer. I was driving a Fiat 124 spyder. Fred a large almost 200lb male Newf was behind the seats of this 2 seat roadster. That was the space he was required to ride in, it was however not the seat he wanted to ride in. He thought he was a front seat Newf! Small disagreement. So I ran out of gas at a light one block away, just beyond the soccer fields next to Husky stadium, near University Village. A few may know the spot. So I got out of the car picked up the gas can in the trunk and hiked up to the gas station. Now let me set the seen. Fiat 124 spyder right at the stop light, first in line, sitting there. Newf in the back. Rear window of the rag top non functional with age. All you could see is vague shapes through that no one from either direction can see through it. Two lane street at that point. So I hike off and come back with the gas. There is Fred the Newf in the driver seat in his favorite spot. The light is red and the cars are piled up behind my car. The light changes the people in the left lane go. Those behind my car are stuck behind the little blue car with the driver just sitting in the front seat not moving. Horns blare and people pull around my car and as they do so I can see the expression on their faces as they see Fred the Newf sitting in the driver seat, not a care in the world waiting for me, as only a dog could. I still smile thinking about those drivers faces.

 

I have put in 12.75 gallons several times. The most I have driven on one tank is 818 miles. I've gone over 700 many times and I almost always go over 600. Even my lead foot wife gets 600 out of her Prius. My last tank was 682 miles and I could only sqeeze in 11.5 gallons. It was a cold morning when I filled up.

 

I fillup only after the E starts flashing and it usually takes ~8.5-9 gal. As an experiemnt I decided to continue until I ran out of gas, which happened after 53 miles after the E started flashing. I got home on electric power. When I filled up it took only 10 gallons. Makes me wonder if I really have a 11.9 gallon tank.

I think it is important to know many many miles I can go after the low gas warning comes on, ewpecially when I am hunting for a gas station.

 

During the summer, I tried to see just how many miles I could get out of a tank and got to 600 before I chickened out and filled up. That time, the tank took a little over 11.5 gallons and the capacity is 11.9 as I recall.

 

well not to contradict everyone claiming cold weather shrivels up the tank a bit, but my biggest fillup happened thursday, feb 16,2006. it was about 28º F.

i got 10.508 gallons. that beats my previous record of 10.498 done last summer.

 

Are we talking about the same units here?!

 

Once the last bar blinks....what happens when you keep going?
1. Does the bar continue to blink till your empty?
2. Does the bar finally disappear, then your in nomans land till your empty?

Since I don't know, I'm afraid to just guess without extra gas on hand.... but it sounds like you would already know?

 

I've added around 9.4 gals at the most. Most of the time, it's round 9. I wish it was at least a couple of gals. more so that I can drive another 100 miles!

mike
mwang.org

 

^^^
It just keeps blinking, even when you're completely empty.

 

thanks... i