Filling Prius gas tank

Well, in the few weeks of driving my 07 TE, I have just completed a 2,400 mile round trip to Houston and back. Total cost for my gas: $107 as compared to my Olds with 14 gallon tank (filled @ 13.5--$145).

On my trip down, I took it easy on the first road trip in the TE and filled up when I was at 2 bars, and at each fill up I filled at 8.5 gallons each time.

On my return trip home I let it go down to 1 bar and filled it up near Little Rock AR, and have gotten 10.1 gallons. On my second fill up in Effingham IL I again let it go to one bar and have filled it at 10.1 gallons again (with getting 455 miles on that tank which is very good).

I have not had any problems with any of the different pumps and stations I have used on the road during the trip, and I have stopped once the pump clicked. Thankfully I have had no splashbacks thus far.

Since getting home, I have 3 bars now left on the gauge. So after knowing this I am not afraid of letting it go to one pip (non-flashing). Based on my last two fill ups I have gotten 47 mpg on the MFD and each time I have lost the first bar right at 100 miles. So as far as I can see, my Prius is doing quite well! I know if I can get at least near a 500 mile range in this car before filling up (I know with winter coming it may be less) then I am all good.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Nov 27 2006, 10:12 AM) [snapback]354470[/snapback]</div>

Good point. I could put a teaspoon of gasoline in the EV, and drive for thousands of miles. Why hasn't anybody else thought of this?! Best gas mileage EVER!

I don't believe that the thing that'll shut me up has yet been invented.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gupchurch1349 @ Nov 27 2006, 06:32 PM) [snapback]354649[/snapback]</div>

Not to pick nits or anything....

1. I've yet to own a gasoline motorcycle that had more than about 200 miles of range. Filling up a motorcycle (without dripping on the tank) as almost as enjoyable as trying to get gas into my Prius.
2. If you REALLY want to reduce the times you fill up with gas, to say - ZERO - then get yourself an EV and be done with gas stations.

Oof. Off my box.

 

Any other suggestions for how to trick the gas station shut off?

I spent 15 minutes today trying to get 2 gallons into my 2006 Prius. I was 25 miles from home and in a hurry so I didn't wait around to try and get more. I was at the flashing pip stage so I needed the gas. This has happened before and I have made a service appointment for Monday but it sounds like maybe I just need to go to another service station.

Thanks

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(agima @ Dec 2 2006, 01:22 PM) [snapback]356745[/snapback]</div>

I had a similar problem a few days ago. The pump started shutting off after two gallons and then totally stopped pumping after five gallons. I had to change pumps to pump in the normal amount of gasoline that the car takes when the last bar starts flashing. This was the first time that it happened to me in some fifty some fill ups. I am positive that it was the pump. Looking for another service station may save you a visit to the dealer's service department.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Dec 2 2006, 05:33 PM) [snapback]356749[/snapback]</div>

Yep, this is a constant problem for me... the other day I had 2 bars left and the pump shut off after 2.7 gallons. I was able to get another 6 gallons into it by constantly squeezing the handle every 3 seconds after the pump shut off... too about 10 mins. to get that 6 gallons!! AND, I have found NO stations or pumps where this does not occur... I've been to over a dozen station locally, and have put over 8000 miles on the car to the West coast, Alabama, Ohio, etc. and it is a problem in every one of the 15 states I've been in.

And, the likelihood that the gas will come spewing out of the filler tube with no warning is about 100%. Without trying to "top it off"... So, after running out of gas last July with 3 bars showing, and only being able to get about 3 gallons in with 2 bars showing, I'm not trusting ANYTHING about this fuel system!!

 

After driving my 2004 Prius 3 years I never was able to put more than 8.25 gallons even with the flashing on for 10 or so miles. It seemed every one was closed when I realised I needed gas that time. Most tanks were 7 to 7.75 gallons.

My first tank in my 2007 took 10 gallons and I was still on one bar. The next tank was 9.3 gallons. Other tanks have been less due to prices so I filled up with 2 to 3 bars. I do not top off.

I don't know if they have changed something or what the difference is.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gupchurch1349 @ Nov 25 2006, 06:10 PM) [snapback]354036[/snapback]</div>

I like to keep my vehicles full much of the time. I have heard several people state that they ran out of gas when the tank was 1/2 full. My philosophy is why play russion roulette with a near empty tank just to brag about how far you can go on a tank ful. I see no logic in those games. I would take the average computer readings, multiply them X 11.5 gals. and come up close to what a full tank might get.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gupchurch1349 @ Nov 25 2006, 06:10 PM) [snapback]354036[/snapback]</div>

I have had instances where the nozzle shuts off. Then as I take the hose out of the fill hole gas spurts out for a few seconds. Does anyone know if any parts in that area would get wrecked? Just wondering.

 

So far I have filled four times without issue. (I have been using Shell stations that all seem to have the same pump and nozzle design, if that knowledge is worth anything.) Reading stories here before my first fillup led me to fill as slowly as possible...just about as slow as the pump will let me. I fill at 3 pips or shortly thereafter and let the pump click off whenever it wants...generally between 6 and 7 gallons. Good enough for me since that's 300-350 miles of range. I used to 450-550mi in the Accord but I don't really mind having to make an extra stop now and then.

 

Generally we fill up 7-9 gallons at a go, a reliable 360 mile range. No gas problems in the 1.5 months we've owned it so far. Had one instance where the gas wouldn't pump but that was simply the pump; drove to another one at the same station and filled up without incident.

 

I fill up when it's down to 2 pips. I turn the pump handle upside down and fill at regular speed for the first 5-6 gallons, then slow it down...and I haven't had any more problems.

 

I have filled up my Prius 3 or 4 times now. Each time it has been at one pip, blinking. Each time I have been able to get about 8 gallons into the car. No problem with repeated pump shut-off or anything like that, it just thinks it's full at 8.x gallons. What's up with that? Is my "bladder" defective????

 

I've almost run out twice now. Once when my wife brought the car home from a trip and I had to drive into work the next day with a blinking pip the whole way (about 15 miles of mountain roads). The second time I just didn't look at the gas gague. I only have to stop and get gas so infrequently now, as opposed to what I used to have to do, I just rarely even look at the gague (ok, i look, i just don't really notice it anymore). So, that one was user error.

I've tried to get the "hypermileage" on a couple of tanks, but now in the winter time thats just foolish here. Plus, I may get stuck and need the gas to supply heat for a while, so I also try to keep at least a 1/2 tank.

 

I wonder if the people who have problems filling are people who don't full it all the way up. The only time I've had trouble filling was when I was driving through an area with high gas prices. I was filling the tank with just a gallon or two at a time, and then when I got to the cheap gas and tried to fill it all the way up, it would only take a little at a time.

My theory is that in normal use (filling all the way up every time), the bladder gets stretched out from the weight of those full tanks, but when you don't fill it all the way up for a while, the bladder contracts and doesn't hold as much.

 

URGENT

i AM JUMPING ONTO THIS EXISTING THREAD, BECAUSE i CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO START MY OWN

hubby out of gas in a not that great spot on the top of highway 17 in between Santa CRuz and Los Gatos.

Details: He drove and drove, not looking at any gauages, apparently ran it out of gas and battery while not realizing what was going on. So all he has is the 12 volt secondary battery, which I assume still has some power in order to power the lights and such.

My questions:

Isn't there some problem with doing this in a prius, such that it is not an easy thing to resolve. Can I just show up there with gas and pour it in? Or, does the car have to be towed for 20 miles to someplace which then charges hundreds of dollars?

Please help fast.

Time is of the essence here




[So all he has is the 12 volt secondary battery, which I assume still has some power in order to power the lights and such.


I mean all he has is the small battery -- the normal kind that all cars have -- but he has apparently run the other big battery completely dead.

So, what do we do????

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jendbbay @ Jan 4 2007, 07:22 PM) [snapback]371099[/snapback]</div>

In my case when I ran out of gas, and the car couldn't stay in EV as the battery got to low, I just added the gas. It worked for me. There has been a lot of discussion about damaging the traction battery by continuing to run in electric mode without gas. However, I'm not certain that it can damage the battery, since the car shuts off when the battery level gets below 3 bars.

I did have to try several times before it started though.

Somebody else may have better info on this.

Dave M.

 

On my first fill up since owning my 2007 I did it at the last pip and it went fine. Then tonight I filled it up when the last pip blinked and I got around 7 gallons before I had to fight to get more in it. I hope I'm not going to have this nozzle shut off issue every fill up now. Do we have any official word from Toyota about this?

 

On my 2004 Prius I was never able to get more the 8.25 gallons (without topping off) even several miles after last blinking bar. I usually filled up with 7 or so gallons. two bars and I only got 6 or so gallons. Then on my 2007 the first tank took 10 gallons at one bar. I do not recall how many miles after it dropped to one bar. My last tank couple of days ago was 8.8 gallons on one bar. The tank holds 11.9 gallons but I am not going to prove it on purpose.

There are a number of threads about the gas tank bladder stretching etc.