Couple of Questions about 2009 Prius

congrats!

on #2, there is a fuel tank bladder that makes filling and the gauge somewhat unreliable. the best you can do is try filling as slowly as possible, do not fill beyond the first click, and experiment with different gas pumps. you can also try holding the pump handle at 90 degrees, or even upside down.

use your average mpg and distance travelled to compute gallons used, but keep in mind that the dash is about 5% optimistic.
all the best!

 

The HID headlights in the upper trim levels have a sharp cutoff.

The bladder used as a fuel tank is variable capacity. In summer it will be gallons larger. I found that if I vented the gas tank by removing the cap before doing any payments, I got more reliable tank size. Hope that helps.

As far as calculating MPG, average tanks. Any one tank will be unreliable.

 

My 2009 is the touring model, so it has HID headlamps & fog-lights. The HID models have a strange "self-leveling" gizmo located on the driver's side (left side here in USA) rear suspension. Some folks have reported problems when the mechanism gets corroded and the smooth operation is compromised. I've avoided the problem (so far) by giving the gizmo thingy an occasional squirt of lube. Other folks have reported problems with the HID bulbs themselves, but so far (touch wood) mine seem to have been OK. - hope this helps - Wil

Oh yes, and the fuel gauge can be a bit confusing, as @JimboPalmer mentioned, it's to do with the bladder - I find when I fuel my car, the most consistent results are to be had by having the nozzle @ the 3 o'clock position, and go slowly, and stop after the 3rd cut-off click, else you'll ruin the charcoal canister (part of the v. expensive emissions gizmo stuff) (…there, aren't you glad you asked? )

 

If the headlights appear to be aimed way too low check the rear suspension level sensor first. 2004 Prius Headlight Height Sensor

 

all the best!

 

In MS, I had about a 3 gallon difference winter to summer. In summer I might travel 160 before the first pip disappeared, in winter 40 miles.

The effect was similar on the low end, sometimes you could drive 30 miles once the last pip started blinking, other times 8 miles.

If you get gas with 2 pips, you need never worry.

 

Alot of new Prius owners on this site here kill themselves to get every drop out of the gas tank to get the best mileage. And alot have run out of gas.
That sometimes can be a horrible thing as some have killed the hybrid battery to get themselves to a gas station.

Do not I repeat do not run out of gas in this car. Fill your car up at 3 pips. Only take s a few fill cycles to get yopur mileage. Or do what I do and just look at the average consumption meter. That's pretty close.

Every Saturday before you start the car check the oil. Do that every saturday till you get a handle on if the car is eating oil or not.
You never mentioned miles but I'm guess 150,000+. keep the oil at the fill line. It takes exactly 3.6 quarts of oil with a new oil filter. Buy the filter at the dealer its $4.50.

Dont worry about the mileage you have things to do. Probably needs the engine coolant & inverter coolant changed and the trans fluid and sparkplugs and air cleaner and cabin filter chnaged and probably tires. Sort the car out first.

Good luck.

 

The fuel gauge can be re-calibrated, the procedure is posted somewhere on PC, but use a Google search to find it. It involves (jokingly, but it's a long process): A chicken foot, rain dance, level ground, doughnuts and coffee.... LOTS of those. That *may* return the accuracy of the fuel gauge, but remember, the most important thing for a fuel level meter (or sensor) to get right, is when are you almost out!