Is there a "miles to empty" feature on the Generation 2 cars? The service manager at the Toyota dealership insists there is. I've never seen it.
Hmmm. I don't recall seeing one one the Gen II I used to drive. You might ask your service manager to show you where it is. I know this much, I never saw one on our "package 2" model (2009 Prius)
This feature simply does not exist on the Generation 2 Prius. If it did, even as a secret feature, I strongly suspect Prius Gen 2 aficionados would have been waxing lyrical about it for years. If it actually DOES exist, it would literally represent the last hidden feature aboard that legendary spacecraft on wheels iPhone 6s +
Even if it did exist it would have to be as notoriously inaccurate as the fuel gauge. The flexible bladder simply doesn't allow a truly precise reading of the amount of fuel in the tank. Two bars left on my gauge has meant as little as 7.295 gallons to fill it up while three bars has taken as much as 8.799 gallons on the same pump at the same station at the same fill speed. Unless you're stretching to save a few dollars by reaching the cheaper gas in another state (for example, the fairly large difference between California and adjoining states), what's the benefit of squeezing every drop out of it and risking running out of fuel?
No, there is no miles to empty indicator on a Gen 2. When your last gas gauge light bar starts flashing, get gas PDQ if not ASAP. I had an incident once where I tried to push it. I had gone 27 miles on a blinking gas gauge once before. I'm driving through a rural area, with about 12 miles to home and a gas station, the light had been blinking about 3 miles so I figure I was good to make it home when I went past the last gas station. The wife looked at me with that look. I said we're good. 1/4 mile later, POOF, the big triangle warning light comes on and the power went out. So I turned around and limped back to the gas station. You only have a maximum of a half mile or so on electric... Don't risk it. There is no accurate way to tell miles to empty. conditions change too much. Headwind, hills, temperature, etc. That bladder is a killer for gas remaining. PS, I think the wife might have telekinetic abilities. That 1/4 mile was too much of a coincidence.
