We always see the occasional "out of gas" post around here, so I got curious. Mostly I want to see if those of you who have run out of gas in your Prius have only done it in your Prius, or if people who do it in the Prius have been prone to the same problem in the past.
Oops, I answered one because I didn't see answer three in time (which is the correct answer for me). I was used to driving a Geo Metro which I only had to fill up once a week. It was in the shop for some major work and I was given a Corvette(!) as a loaner car. Three days later I had to call AAA when the tank ran dry (I wasn't used to watching the gas meter so often).
I've only run out of gas in a '71 VW Bus who's gas gauge was to shake the car and listen for sloshing. Gauge didn't work, neither did the odometer, so I couldn't even fill up after regular mileage intervals.... I really don't see how anybody with a functioning gas gauge can run out of gas. (BURN!!!)
It's been more than 35 years since I've 'run out of gas.' Not, of course, in a Prius - the Prius had not even been imagined that far back. In my Prius {both the 2004 traded for the 2007 Touring} I've made it a habit to fill at the latest when I have a single non-blinking pip on the guess gauge. Only twice in 2½ Prius years have I seen a blinking pip. Far too many problems can result from not being attentive to fuel level - inconvenience, stress on the Prius, even danger. It's just not worth the risk.
Just drive a vehicle like the anti-Prius for awhile. It'll train you to stop often and fill (and fill, and fill) up. Still got to make a "glug glug" sound effect device that makes the sound when the filler door is open. Actually, although I answered 1, I have "run out of gas" once. There was still fuel in the tank, lots of it, but the Buick LeSabre was prone to vapour lock. So the engine ran out of gas. Now that car was a gas guzzler. As I recall, it got around 10 to 14 MPG imperial - and on premium to boot! Of course, with 400 HP that was to be expected in 1969.
I've run out of gas 3 times in the Prius. Since getting CAN-view, I have not run out of gas. I like running on a near-empty tank, though. It helps with the car's performance and handling to have less weight in the car. With CAN-view, I never have to worry about how much gas is in the tank, I just put gas in when I hit 5% or 2%.
I've never run out of gas (so far) since I learned how to drive. This includes a 1964 Plymouth Fury with a non-working gas gauge.
I have yet to run out of gas, but I tend to be kinda paranoid about dropping fuel needles. I have yet to run my Prius down below two pips, and usually fill at three. But I think I do understand why it happens so often. The common theme I see in those posts is a reference to the rated capacity of the fuel tank, and the subsequent surprise that only xx gallons fit even when the tank is dry. So it seems that some form of calculation takes place in the drivers mind and that overrides what his/her eyes see on the fuel gauge. This effect is probably compounded by the fact that every car I've driven has a fairly healthy reserve (a couple of gallons maybe) when it actually tells you to refuel. The sad fact is that the Prius just can't be relied upon to give us that cushion that we expect.
Never ran out of gas before, I don't want to be caught on the side of the road walking with a gas can< I dont own a Ford! ha ha.
Ha ha! Presto wins the prize for best excuse for repeatedly running out! Better performance! I, myself have never run a tank dry. My wife gets paranoid when the tank is 1/4 full, so rather than suffer the consequences of trying to explain to her that we could go another 200 miles on that amount, I usually fill up on 1-2 pips at the least.
I ran out of gas when I was a kid in my teens. Didn't have a lot of cash and the car was always on fumes. There was a gas war goning on in ky., and gas was below .50 cents. I think it was in the 70's.
Only ran out of gas once. It was in the Prius and wasn't intentionally trying to push the envelope, just trying to get the cheap in town gas rather than the extra 15-20 cents that you pay at the bump in the road stations. Had two bars, then 5 miles later 1 bar, then about 10 miles later add fuel. Have gotten one or two other times,when either taking a wrong turn or hitting a traffic jam.
Ive never run out of gas or never will the 87 VW Electric FOXIT all electric ev but have run out of gas in a ford ranger with a working gauge just pushing it to far..
I've only had my Prius for a month, but it's tempting to stretch that tank. Especially when after driving 30 miles over two days and several short trips with the fuel warning blinking at me, I find that it still only takes 8.9 gallons to fill it. There was another 130+ miles left in that tank :lol: The only time I actually ran out was in my '59 Triumph TR3, caught in a rainstorm without any side curtains (windows) on a 50F day. The gas gauge is only a rough approximation of reality there and it still read 1/4 of a tank. I knew I was pushing it, but I was cold and only 5 miles from home. Joe
I have never run out of gas with my Prius or with any of my previous cars since at least 28 years ago, but if I were to do so, it would be for the sole purpose of annoying our resident curmudgeon. :lol:
I did it once in a Jeep Grand Wagoneer when I was 18. I only had a pocket full of change to get me to the next town and 9mpg and $1.80 doesn't get you far. lol
Michael, some people go out of their way for more expensive gas because they believe that expensive gas will be far more effective in fighting our oil addiction than a lot of talk. So maybe if you're in a jam again you won't feel bad about hitting one of those highway (robbery) stations. Jalynn, be careful with that math, that's exactly what has gotten some of our friends into the embarrassing position of an empty gas tank. The tank does not hold exactly its rated capacity, and never will have the same capacity twice! IsrAmeriPerson, do it! and be sure to post pictures of the gauge, and your walk along the highway to the gas station
Last time I ran out of gas it was 23 cents a gallon and bread was 14 cents a loaf. Times, they are a changin! Last time I ran out of gas it was 23 cents a gallon and bread was 14 cents a loaf. Times, they are a changin!
I had an original VW Bug (it was the '60s, I don't remember :wacko: ). It didn't have a guage, but it did have a little lever that you could flip to get to the "reserve" tank. My girlfriend used the car and ran out of gas, so she flipped the lever, but she forgot to tell me. There was only one reserve tank...
never ran out but I have driven on the blinking bar before. I usually add fuel when it's one bar or very very very soon after "Add Fuel" comes on. I tend to push it in the summer months only just to get my record tanks (had one every summer).
