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Fill up at a 1/2 tank! or pay $159.12

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by mdescher, Aug 1, 2006.

  1. rufaro

    rufaro WeePoo, Gen II

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Catskillguy @ Aug 3 2006, 06:37 PM) [snapback]297435[/snapback]</div>
    Hey...I dint say there wuz nuthin' wrong wit bein Italian from Joisey...just cautioned about the likeliehood of a piece nestling next to the <strike>Nestle's</strike> Godiva...

    Fuggeddaboutdit awredy. ;)
     
  2. IsrAmeriPrius

    IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mdescher @ Aug 3 2006, 06:23 PM) [snapback]297426[/snapback]</div>
    That is the reason you are being charged for all that diagnostic work, not because you ran out of gas. You should have stopped immediately and had someone bring you a few gallons of gas before restarting the car.
     
  3. mdescher

    mdescher New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Aug 4 2006, 01:56 PM) [snapback]297909[/snapback]</div>
    Actually, I went from 2 pips to one (when I usually fill up), and with car still running fine and no blinking lights or anything stopped for gas and "filled up" or I should say topped off as it only took 9.7 gals. We have filled the car like this since we pruchased it. I was charged for the diagnostic because after topping off it would not start. had to tow it to dealer. Had enough gas to probably dirve another 50 or more miles.
     
  4. rufaro

    rufaro WeePoo, Gen II

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Aug 4 2006, 02:56 PM) [snapback]297909[/snapback]</div>
    No, the question STILL is why the CAR'S COMPUTER claimed it ran out of gas, when it HAD NOT. GAS WAS REFILLED. CAR WOULD NOT START. CAR WAS TOWED FROM GAS STATION.

    Or did I miss something here?
     
  5. mdescher

    mdescher New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rufaro @ Aug 4 2006, 02:09 PM) [snapback]297915[/snapback]</div>
    You got it. If you read thru this thread from the beginning you will get the whole story. And that is the question...the computer showed it ran out of gas but it did not (easy to tell...it was 110 degrees out that day and the air conditioning was running full blast) Dealer just claims computer is always right...my claim is even if it DID, which it did not, should you not just be able to put gas in a car and start it? Wasn't like the battery was dead..lights went on, and they did not charge me at the dealer to recharge the batteries...just $159.12 to reset the ecu, check the fuel system with a obdiiscan tool and clear the codes. That is why I am complaining to Toyota management.
     
  6. GreenSpeed

    GreenSpeed New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Aug 1 2006, 02:12 PM) [snapback]295879[/snapback]</div>
    Insanity!

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ServoScanMan @ Aug 1 2006, 02:45 PM) [snapback]295910[/snapback]</div>

    11.9 i think. I believe toyota has it at their website under specs for the Prius
     
  7. IsrAmeriPrius

    IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mdescher @ Aug 4 2006, 03:08 PM) [snapback]297913[/snapback]</div>
    I am confused. Didn't you write that your HV battery was empty and that the car needed to be towed to the dealership? AFAIK, the HV battery supplies the power to start the ICE.
     
  8. mdescher

    mdescher New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Aug 4 2006, 03:27 PM) [snapback]297960[/snapback]</div>
    No. The battery was not empty...I was being sarcastic after the dealer told me they both work together and when gas is low battery also is just as low. In a nutshell it was running fine, not out of gas, but low, but not low enough to get a warning or blinking light. Just stoope to fill up and it would not start. Dealer ran codes and said it threw an out of fuel p3193 code and a p3190 code poor engine failure, it did not however throw a 3191 code "engine does not start" code...they did not know why...should have thrown all 3 codes.
     
  9. genalex

    genalex Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mdescher @ Aug 4 2006, 07:34 PM) [snapback]297970[/snapback]</div>
    I've been following this thread from the start and have suspected all along that you have an unethical dealer who is playing a game with false reports of computer readouts. The trigger is being towed from a gas station. Did you see the compuer display? Was there a printout? Has he indeed pulled the same ripoff on the other five cases he claims?

    Wonder if you can get chat member TMS USA, who monitors the steering recall thread, to weigh in on this.
     
  10. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    run out of gas... put in 3 gallons and the car should start right back up.

    run battery down by trying to run in EV to next gas station... potential for big bill to recharge HV battery.

    did you refuel on an incline? yes, there is indeed an inclinometer and it can be screwed up by filling the gas tank on an incline.

    will see what the husband has to say whenever he makes it home tonight.
     
  11. 8AA

    8AA Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Aug 1 2006, 02:20 PM) [snapback]295779[/snapback]</div>
    One time (coincidently after refueling) the car did something which might be described as "hang-on-startup." The dashboard looked normal except that the READY indicator did not light up. I tried to turn the car off so that I could turn it back on but pressing the power button did not do anything. After trying unsucessfully a couple of times, I tried pressing and holding the power button for about five seconds. The car shut down and when I tried pressing the power button again, it started up normally.
     
  12. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Aug 5 2006, 11:03 AM) [snapback]298259[/snapback]</div>
    How many gas stations force the vehicle to park on a significant incline? I've seen this bit about the inclinometer before - and I guess if you have your own barrel of fuel at home where you park on a mountainside... that this may be an issue. And maybe I don't have enough worldly experience in gassing up. Yet after driving half a million miles in 20 US states, and six other countries, I have yet to have an option of gassing up a car while it is parked on an incline. Did I miss all the places with sloped gas stations?
     
  13. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    DH's analysis of the situation: it's a well known phenomenon known as 'anal rape by dealer'

    as in, you got screwed, unfortunately.

    the only way to "reboot" the computer is to either disconnect and reconnect the 12v battery, or to reflash it which is covered under the 3/36 warranty, and it wasn't your fault that the reflash was needed.

    what you need to do is called "remove boot from service manager's posterior end after insertion for recovery of diagnostic fee and towing fees."

    what dealer was this? if this was in his region, he'd talk to the field rep about it but it's not around here. the field rep for this region would NOT tolerate that kind of BS, hopefully the one in your region feels the same. this definitely needs to go over the dealership's head if they're uncooperative.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Aug 6 2006, 11:40 AM) [snapback]298607[/snapback]</div>
    they are very rare but they're out there. there's one in green bay, wi near the store where DH used to work. don't know of many around here. all newer construction stations are flat to contain spills- it's been an EPA requirement since the mid 80's.
     
  14. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Aug 6 2006, 09:11 AM) [snapback]298614[/snapback]</div>
    Interesting. Thanks for the reply! I'd think you'd want the place flat to prevent roll-aways as well.
     
  15. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Aug 6 2006, 11:40 AM) [snapback]298607[/snapback]</div>
    Actually, there was an Exxon station around here (closed about a year ago) where two sets of pumps were on an incline. The incline wasn't parallel to the pumps -- it was sloping down towards the pumps, causing the gas in the tank to tip towards the opening. You could never get to fill up completely because the pump would detect it as being full before it actually was.
     
  16. rufaro

    rufaro WeePoo, Gen II

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Aug 6 2006, 09:11 AM) [snapback]298614[/snapback]</div>
    galaxee, you and dh are HYSTERICAL! [​IMG]

    Next party youse guys are at...I want an invite, pleeze! B)
     
  17. mdescher

    mdescher New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rufaro @ Aug 6 2006, 12:50 PM) [snapback]298720[/snapback]</div>
    I do love the term ;-) and it is already on it's way up thru toyota, but to answer your question about which dealer...that would be Northridge Toyota in Northridge California. The have always provided me with good service on my 2005 Solara, and this was the 1st experience with the Prius. I am waiting to hear what Toyota managment in Torrance, Ca. has to say.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Aug 5 2006, 10:03 AM) [snapback]298259[/snapback]</div>
    We did not refill on an incline...pretty hard here we live on the flat lands.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(genalex @ Aug 4 2006, 06:51 PM) [snapback]298066[/snapback]</div>
    I would love for a TMS USA member to weigh in on this. The dealer said they never check this web site, as it is known to have a group of uneducated people who speak before they know what they are talking about. We did not get a copy of the printout and did not se the computer displays from service. They did admit to at least 5 other people this has happened to, and "all of the service techs know it is common knowledge about this problem." They did send me a page from the service manuals, page ES-410, but it just points out what the trouble area could be. In the code pp3190 area there are 10 things it could have been. Out of fuel is just one. I suppose if you got towed from a service station, you would assume that is the one, and skip the other testing to find the "real problem" When it happens again, perhaps they will test for the other 9 causes it could have been. In both of the codes, the ECM whatever that is should have been checked. It was not.
     
  18. rufaro

    rufaro WeePoo, Gen II

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mdescher @ Aug 6 2006, 05:13 PM) [snapback]298767[/snapback]</div>
    Yet another lie. When you put the boot up the posterior of the jerk whith whom you have been dealing , leave it there for a while. TMS_USA is an active member. See his profile here. I've just messaged him. I know we are not supposed to bug him too much, but this is way beyond absurd, and bordering on criminal.
     
  19. DaveG

    DaveG Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mdescher @ Aug 6 2006, 05:13 PM) [snapback]298767[/snapback]</div>
    Dealer is Northridge Toyota in Northridge, CA

    Sounds like for the sake of $160, the dealer is risking bad, bad publicity on a very high-profile Prius website... It's becoming very obvious that people looking to either buy a hybrid, or get their own serviced would be better-off looking elsewhere. Hell, the dealers around here know that people who regularly visit and participate in Prius websites are often more informed than most of the sales staff, and are often nearly as knowledgeable as many of the technicians about their vehicles.

    As many others have mentioned, if indeed you run out of gas, you just need to refill the tank and restart the car. There is no lasting damage, and no need to "reboot" the computers through a dealership as they told you. It also does NOT happen to all new Prius owners. I've had mine for coming up on 3 years and haven't had a single issue, especially with the fuel system.

    It sounds like they tried to perform some diagnostic routines to see if there was anything wrong with the car, and that's what they're charging you for.

    Dave
     
  20. momfortheenvironment

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    please keep us posted and maybe even mention you are part of a chat board who will all hear the outcome. If anything toyota needs to take the lead here, encouraging the hybrid owners. Sounds like a simple software problem. Keep us posted