Ran out of gas.

Very brave of you to admit a dumb mistake. We all get too busy with our lives to stop and gas up when the tank gets low but with the rubber bladder fuel tank in the Prius, you never know exactly how much fuel is left in the tank and the guage cant be trusted always. As a former flight instructor, I used to insist that the student always know how much gas was in the tanks to safely complete our trip.Good luck in the future.

 

I do things a bit different. When it gets down to the flashing pip I'll load up 30 gallons worth of gas cans in the back and go to one of the gas stations I'll buy gas from. It was great when I pulled up in the Prius, walked in and told the attendant I wanted about $100 worth of gasoline. He looked a bit puzzled but said OK. So after filling the car and the cans I had about $83. When I went back in for the change he said he wouldn't have believed all that gas would fit in a Prius, but then I told him about the gas cans. When I was leaving he had a big smile and said, "Come back any time." I just thought yes, but not for a couple of months. So then I'll put 5 gallons in when the car gets down to the flashing pip again until I have to go back and fill everything up.

And now I've also avoided the big price hike within the past month. I just wish I had enough to get by for the summer. I'll have to look into 55 gallon drums.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(R1200GS @ Mar 13 2007, 05:16 PM) [snapback]405023[/snapback]</div>

Correct. Just remember, when the last pip flashes it means "buy gas now, dammit".


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sub3marathonman @ Mar 14 2007, 10:01 AM) [snapback]405346[/snapback]</div>

This is not a good idea for several reasons:
1. the danger of hauling gas in gas cans.
2. cans have no vapor containment system; escaped gasoline vapors create smog
3. gasoline absorbs water while sitting in the cans

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jupitercrash @ Mar 13 2007, 02:42 PM) [snapback]404977[/snapback]</div>

Yes. This is the key fact of Prius life.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gh4chiefs @ Mar 13 2007, 01:21 PM) [snapback]404897[/snapback]</div>

I get it. It's simple! I'm nearing 600 miles on this tank of gas ... in the WINTER !
The blinking pip hasn't started yet. I'll be getting 61.2mpg. Get it? Personal Goal! Pride! But when the pip blinks, I don't let it go farther than 40 miles.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(livelychick @ Mar 13 2007, 01:07 PM) [snapback]404928[/snapback]</div>

All gas tanks hold unusable fuel; in most cases the drivers have no idea how much that is. What drives people nuts about the Prius is that the usable amount changes from fill to fill. Pick a safe number and tell yourself that's how much the Prius tank holds, and just forget about the total tank capacity. I've said this before, but it's worth repeating: The Prius doesn't have a bladder problem, it has a documentation problem. If Toyota had just published the gas tank capacity at ten gallons, no one would have ever complained.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Mar 14 2007, 10:35 AM) [snapback]405369[/snapback]</div>

Yeah but your MPG isn't going to change because you stop earlier to fill up, is it?

 

I do the same, when the guess gauge says it's half-full, I fill it up. The only exception was when I was driving between Florida and Virginia, where I would let it get down to just above a quarter tank -- 3 bars out of 10 -- before filling it.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cbs4 @ Mar 13 2007, 01:44 PM) [snapback]404911[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gh4chiefs @ Mar 14 2007, 01:13 PM) [snapback]405447[/snapback]</div>

NO, But there's just something about seeing 600 + on the mileage indicator that gives oodles of satisfaction. I've never smoked, but I'd bet it's better than nicotine . . . and it's just as adictive

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Mar 14 2007, 08:59 AM) [snapback]405433[/snapback]</div>

Oh I don't know about that. If the documentation said it had 10 gallons and you could only put in 8, you'd think you had 2 gallons left in the tank.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(R1200GS @ Mar 13 2007, 03:16 PM) [snapback]405023[/snapback]</div>

It won't go directly from 3 bars to none, but the last few bars definitely go faster than the first few in my Prius. A flashing last pip means GET GAS NOW! (Not in 10 miles, not in 40 miles...NOW).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Mar 14 2007, 12:37 PM) [snapback]405466[/snapback]</div>

Well I suppose, I guess I'm glad I don't have that addiction. It's purely a risk vs benefit analysis for me. The risk of being stranded FAR outweighs the benefit of seeing a number on a monitor.

But that's just me.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Mar 14 2007, 12:43 PM) [snapback]405471[/snapback]</div>

If you can only use eight gallons worst case, then the documentation should say eight gallons. Marketing hype drives companies to make best case claims, instead of using worst case or real world numbers.

Tom

 

I had my Prius for about 2 months and I finally understand ICE! Very proud of myself.

Ok so when it comes to gas my first bar goes to about 90 miles then it just go down hill. I get about 43MPG. I live in Souther California and I am still working on getting better MPGs. I want to one day see 50MPG on my screen. I have only waited once for the blinking light to come on because I am afraid of running out gas.

 

"analize" Well at least you didn't mention spelling as a skill

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gh4chiefs @ Mar 13 2007, 10:21 AM) [snapback]404897[/snapback]</div>

It never ceases to amaze me either. Are these the same people who Christmas shop on Christmas Eve, and file taxes at 11:59 on April 14. C'mon people, buying gas isn't that hard. I do it twice a week!

 

I've read about more than a few people on this forum that have run out of gas in their Prius, mostly from faulty guestimates on the range of their vehicles. To you folks - I am glad that you are not private pilots. They'd be Cessna and Piper airplanes crashed all over the place. Whenever an aircraft runs out of gas the FAA and NTSB investigates and inevitably (and correctly) determines the cause to be pilot error. My rule of thumb is "if in doubt tank up" and don't take the chance that you might run out of gas.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(subarutoo @ Mar 14 2007, 02:09 PM) [snapback]405598[/snapback]</div>

14 APR? :blink: :blink: That's when I file the extension. I haven't paid taxes until OCT for the last 3 years. And I do my xmas shopping no later than 23 DEC! (but no sooner than the 20th, except for the online stuff).

I've come pretty close to running out of gas once. Driving from Denver to Billings, MT. I made it all the way to Gary Owen, MT on fumes and got to a gas station 5 minutes before it closed. I was sweating bullets anticipating a long walk to Harden, MT. I should have gotten gas in Sheridan, WY but didn't realize that there'd be absolutely nothing until Gary Owen.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(richard schumacher @ Mar 14 2007, 11:19 AM) [snapback]405354[/snapback]</div>

That would be true if all gas stations were equal.

1. Since all gas stations are not equal, I can only go to one gas station on Saturday without going out of the way. If I'm low during the week I have to drive about 1 mile each way to the gas station. So I'm saving some of those trips. I am increasing the risk by hauling the cans for that period of time, I suppose, but I'm not 100% convinced that is even additionally dangerous. I have never heard of anyone crashing and having a gas can explode or catch on fire, especially now that they are all plastic. Of course, there are the jokers who catch things on fire by not knowing how to fill the can, but I'm always aware of following the safe procedures for that.

2. The gas cans are sealed, so vapor doesn't escape except while filling or a small portion when putting into the tank. Yes, if the gas station had the vapor recovery thing I could help cut down on those vapor losses. But, by avoiding driving out of the way I'm cutting down on gasoline burned. AND, while virtually everyone laments the tank bladder, it is the reason that this is so beneficial. In a regular car I would have to keep the tank filled, as the reason #3 also applies to the gas tank, which would keep the tank from rusting. In the Prius the bladder expands and contracts, so that problem is solved. The benefit to that is now I can run the car at half-full (being the optimist) until almost empty and I've saved hauling 5 gallons of gas around for several hundred miles. At 0.1 mpg gain per 10 pounds weight reduction that will amount to about 0.3 mpg gain, figuring that gasoline weighs 6lbs/gal, or 30lbs/5gal, and also a real reduction in exhaust production.

3. Here in Florida there isn't a great worry about water absorption, but by keeping the gas can full that is eliminated too. Back in Chicago I always had the tank full (non-Prius vehicles) when it got to the cooler temperatures for just that reason.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sub3marathonman @ Mar 14 2007, 08:01 AM) [snapback]405346[/snapback]</div>

Do you add fuel stabilizer to your gas stores?

Wouldn't it be easier to invest in gasoline futures in the winter when prices are low?