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Avalon 2014 Hybrid Limited Fuel Gauge

Discussion in 'Toyota Hybrids and EVs' started by Robbert, Sep 15, 2014.

  1. Robbert

    Robbert Junior Member

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    Made the plunge from my Prius V to the Avalon Hybrid Limited. Love the car and the ride, but one odd thing I noticed is that it seems to be very aggressive as to when it warns that the car has low fuel.
    Based on specs, the car has a 17-gallon fuel tank, and it warns of low fuel (and DTE of <40 miles) around 3 gallons remaining (based on filling the tank with 14 gallons).
    Seemed a little aggressive to me. Especially since I'd have 120 miles left to go, not 40, at 3 gallons of fuel left. I don't recall the Prius V doing it that early.
    Are you seeing something similar? Is this something that could be adjusted?
     
    #1 Robbert, Sep 15, 2014
  2. pmike

    pmike Member

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    2010+ Prius holds 11.9 gallons and I run it to 0 DTE and it holds just under 10 gallons. Sounds like similar percentage of reserve. The fuel pump is in tank and a certain quantity of gas is required to cool it. Its annoying that manufactures don't state actual usable amount.
     
    #2 pmike, Sep 15, 2014
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think all toyota's do it. how much does the manual say is in reserve, under capacities?
     
    #3 bisco, Sep 15, 2014
  4. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    I don't think the actually specify simply so that they don't get held liable by somebody running on fumes and getting stranded or damaging something.

    I've heard it is generally a 50 mile reserve as a rule of thumb. Which seems to be a reasonable range to get to a fuel station in most areas. The Avalon hybrid might be programmed with the non-hybrid's warning limit. Three gallons is about right for a car getting 20mpg-ish.
     
    #4 Trollbait, Sep 15, 2014
  5. Robbert

    Robbert Junior Member

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    Would be interesting to know if it's needed for the fuel pump cooling or if it's truly just because the limit is programmed based on the non-hybrid Avalon. Especially since I get 40 mpg average with this car, it would be so nice to be able to actually go close to 680 miles on one tank. :)
    What would happen at 0 DTE? It wouldn't shut down pre-emptively, would it?
     
    #5 Robbert, Sep 15, 2014
  6. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The pump is cooled by sitting in the fuel, but the low fuel light isn't there as some protection for it. It is just an idiot alert, and it hasn't been that long since cars didn't have one. The pump is at the low point in the tank. You would have to run the car empty for there to be no fuel for cooling it. Then I think the real danger to the pump would be sucking some gunk that managed to get into the tank.

    The DTE is just calculated based off the current average fuel economy and the estimate of fuel left in the tank. Neither of which are highly accurate measurements. Nothing will happen when it hits 0. Unless the the tank actually runs dry at that time. Then the ICE dies due to no fuel, and a warning comes up about pulling over and stopping. At least in the gen2 Prius, but the car will still let you creep along in EV until the battery dies. Doing so can cause some expensive damage though. But so can repeatedly running a standard car down until out of fuel.
     
    #6 Trollbait, Sep 15, 2014
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    have my wife's hycam manual handy, it says 2.6 gallons or less when the low fuel light comes on, out of 17 gallon total capacity. for her, that's another 100+ miles, but she fills up when the tank is half full and yells at me when i'm running on the low fuel light.:whistle:
     
    #7 bisco, Sep 15, 2014
  8. Robbert

    Robbert Junior Member

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    Thanks for all the comments to my question. I guess it's pretty common to get the warning so early. I understand as a consumer that it's better to get warned early, but as an engineer I really don't like the misdirection on what's remaining in the tank based on the DTE, which in my case is off more than 100 miles. In my opinion it makes the DTE worthless.
     
    #8 Robbert, Sep 16, 2014
  9. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    I also made the plunge into a Avalon Limited Hybrid. Haven't had it long enough to buy gas yet. I'll be interested in seeing how the DTE works for me.
     
    #9 krmcg, Sep 20, 2014
  10. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    I have a 13 Avalon hybrid Touring and my low fuel light experience matches the OP's, doesn't bother me, don't want to ever run out of gas with a hybrid.
     
    #10 Munpot42, Sep 28, 2014
    krmcg likes this.
  11. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    update, last tank, my "miles to empty" stood at 26, the tank took 14.1 gallons, lowest I ever let the tank get. Apparently I still had 2.9 gal left.
     
    #11 Munpot42, Jan 11, 2015
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    yup. makes sense.
     
    #12 bisco, Jan 11, 2015
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