Constant clicking off the pump

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Prius bladder. It sounds as if you have been formally initiated into the world of odd quirks and behaviors of the Prius fuel tank/bladder.

 

The good news: At least the Prius doesn't explode when hit from behind like the old Ford Pinto!

The bad news: 3 times out of 20 fill-ups I've experienced the same situation that you describe. It's extremely frustrating to have to stand there and re-squeeze the nozzle lever every 2 seconds until the tank is full. :angry: Luckily it doesn't happen often -- for me, roughly 15% of the time. I only fill up when the tank is empty, needing about 10 gallons, so if this situation happens, I just put in 9.5 gallons and call it good.

The continuous cycling of the nozzle shutoff valve I believe is due to the Prius bladder. I've never experienced this in 3 previous cars I've owed (all Toyotas). The 3 times this has happened have all been at different gas stations. I'm in San Diego, so it's never hot or cold, yet from what I've read in PriusChat, bladder problems seem to be temperature-related. So, I can't explain my situation.

I wish Toyota would stand up, formally acknowledge that there is a known quirk about the bladder and filling up at the gas pump, and formally describe the conditions that lead to this experience and what to do to avoid it. Come on Toyota, overall you've created a great car, but it has it's flaws. I wish you put as much engineering, planning, and problem-avoidance into the fuel tank bladder as you are putting into planning for a Lithium-Ion battery for the next generation Prius.

 

Some stations have the auto-shutoff set to be overly sensitive. This isn't a problem for many cars, but the Prius has a sealed system which generates a small amount of back pressure on the pump. It's a good thing, since it keeps vapors from escaping, but it does cause problems with mis-adjusted pumps. This will become a more common problem with new cars, so pump technology will need to follow.

Tom

 

This is probably why HiHy and CamHy fuel tanks use a different design that excludes the bladder. Hopefully 3G Prius will follow suit.

 

cjzito,
I'm also in SDiego and have experienced the same clicking at least 50% of the time. However, my last fillup was at Costco and I was able to fill it with no clicking. Is there a particular gas station location where you've had consistently successful fill-ups?

Thanks!

 

I always fill up at local Navy or Marine base gas stations, probably not any help to you unless you are military or DOD employee. The few times I have a bad experience have been at the same gas stations where I have 85% good experiences. From what a previous poster stated, it's probably the combination of the Prius bladder and an overly-sensitive pump. You probably need to keep a log of your fill-up experiences, noting the station and the particular pump. Eventually, you'll figure out what to stay away from.

 

I can only imagine what happens in places like Jersey where you can't fill it yourself...

My first fill up when I got the prius did it -- I quickly figured out at the pump it was the bladder - and just filled it as slow as the pump would go without clicking -- second fill was fine...

Idiosyncrasy's, but i'll get them all.

 

Try pulling the nozzle out about 3/4". Worked for me.

 

Same thing happen on a recent trip. I was down to two pips and filled up at a BP station. I set the handle to the lowest setting while I cleaned the windsheild. It popped after only 5.5 gals. I was expecting 8-9 gals. I managed to get it up to 5.75 gals before giving up. The gauge still went to full but on the next leg of the trip the gauge came down faster. I filled up with 5 pips and it seemed normal. The next tank filled as normal.

Kelvin

 

I have a 2005 Prius and have had this same problem the last two fill ups.

Though my car now has appx 70,000 miles, I have the 100,000 extended warranty, and I believe the fuel tank is covered.

If I wanted to sell my car, I could have got around $15,500- 16,000 for it -- without the clicking-off-at-the-pump problem. I don't know how I could sell the car with the problem. I think the defect, which is a Toyota Prius problem, would render my car unmarketable.

Toyota's options would be to (1) buy the car back from me at the retail market price (without the defective condition) or (2) fix the problem.

Since many of us are now experiencing the pumping problem, the best strategy might be to band together, as a class, and demand that Toyota either fix the problem or buy back our cars at fair retail market value.

Any thoughts?

Mike

 

PS: I'm on Long Island, in New York.

 

I have had this problem twice now. Both times I took the car to the dealer. They checked codes and then filled it up themselves. Someone on this site posted the chapter from Toyota training materials on the gas tank. In that chapter it said that if the customer complains about not being able to fill up the inclinometers have to be reset. The inclinometers are devices that tell whether or not the car is on a steep incline. I was told that earlier model year Priuses (Prii?) would encounter this problem if the care was parked or filled up on a steep incline. My car is a new 2008 and I have not parked it or filled it up on a steep incline. At the very least you should take it to the dealer if it happens (if that's possible for you) so that they will know that there is a problem here. I am speculating that there may be a software bug. When I filled up this morning I did the following:
1. I hit the power button to shut down. I waited until the usual noises stopped.
2. I hit the lever to open the filler compartment.
3. At this point, I don't remember whether I took off the filler cap or not. In any case, I remembered that I had not noted the mileage (something I do) so I hit the power button again to bring up the display. As soon as the display came up I noted the mileage and hit the power button again to shut it down.
4. I then tried to fill up but was only able to add 1.5 gallons or so when I should have been able to add over 7.

As this had happened to me once before and the dealer had advised that if it happens again to call them and bring in the car, I did so.

I recall someone on this forum stating at one time that when you shut the car off it prepares itself for refueling. I am thinking that perhaps the particular sequence of things that I did made it think it had been refueled. In particular the sequence of shutting it off and then turning it back on without doing anything else like rolling up the windows or moving it or, if I had the filler cap open, caused some confusion. I know it sounds crazy but I work in software and bad behaviors related to some sequence of events are a common occurence. In any case, if enough people report it to their dealers then perhaps Toyota will look into it.

If anyone knows how to either reset the inclinometers without taking the car to a dealer or carry out some other sequence of operations to clear the condition that would be helpful as well.

 

Just turn the nozzle upside down (handle up) it works!

 

Sorry Tickwood, that doesn't work.

I still have the problem.

Since May, it has happened at every gas station.

 

Without knowing the other features, Kelly lists the prices for a private party sale as:

• $15,560 - Excellent
• $14,425 - Good (repaired from an accident)
• $12,985 - Fair (had an accident)

I paid $17,300 for an 03 Prius with 49,700 miles on it two and a half years ago. Also, I live in Huntsville AL so there would some expense to come up and inspect and take possession of the car. If you'll post the VIN number, we can probably work up a better counter offer but for now, the best I can offer is $13,000.

Is the title clear or are you still paying on the loan?

We do have a 2001 Echo that except for the hail dimpled hood, works great, is on the original tires and only has 29,000 miles. You'll need a fuel efficient replacement car and we could sweeten the deal with a title swap. Our Echo is paid off.

Bob Wilson

ps. Stay away from Ebay. Those folks will rob you blind with all sorts of charges. You'll never get a good deal, I know since I bought my last two cars via Ebay. Those auctions are murder. Yeap, do stay away from Ebay, you'll never get your money out.

 

It is time to make use of that $1000 extended warranty: have this fuel system problem diagnosed and fixed by a dealer.

 

I think the clicking off is due to the nozzle going in too far, especially on some older nozzles/pumps. I use to have the same problem at one particular station when I drove a Corolla. The station manager explained that I was putting the nozzle too far in and it was getting in past the anti-syphon screen. He said to not stick the nozzle in as far as it would seem to go and I never had the problem again.