NO fix for Prius Gas Tank Filling Up Issues

It is agravating to take extra TIME TO FILL UP but I can live with it.

 

Try putting 23 gallons of Premium into a Land Rover every 280 miles for a while. Puts things in much better perspective.

Rob

 

Have had this problem all but one time so far.

 

I tried to reply to this post once, but it didn't seem to go through. If it did, it's my bad for posting twice.

The problem with the bladder sucks, but I have found a solution that works for me. I have figured out that after the gas delivery shuts off, I can still add 1.5 gallons, and that fills my tank. I found out through trial and error (e.g., overfilling it once or twice).

This does not work at Costco, however. For some reason, their equipment is very sensitive and shuts off very early, and I can't be sure how much room is left in the bladder when it shuts off. Everywhere else I've tried is consistent. In very hot weather (over 100), the results are less consistent because there is more gas vapor. This is especially true at Costco, where the valve shut off after only 3 gallons when I needed more than 10.

Everyone's bladder is going to behave a little differently, but this work-around works for me.

 

All this banter regarding gas gauges, etc. reminds me of some olden days.

Does anyone remember the early VWs that had no gas gauge? When you were tooling down the road and the engine started coughing and sputtering, you would take your foot and move the lever down by the floor to open up the one-gallon reserve tank, and then start looking for an open station. That was a real E-ticket experience - especially when you were in the freeway fast lane, or trying to pass someone.

When I had a M-Benz diesel during the days of very limited diesel-spewing stations, I would always reset the trip odometer after every fill-up. Then, as soon as I hit 300 miles on the odo (based on 10 gallons at 30mpg experienced), I'd start looking for a fuel source. Never ran out.

You seem to have a handle on your mpg numbers, so take the low number, multiply it by, say 8 gallons, and reset your trippy odo accordingly, and use that info to remind you to start looking for an open station.:focus:

BTW: The race car world went to bladder fuel tanks a few years ago, for potential crash-related safety reasons.

 

Just starting my first Prius winter...have begun to notice variable tank size problem. This thread has been enlightening.

Here in New Jersey self-fill is not an option. Anyone care to translate 9G-man's 12 step program into Punjabi so I can offer printed fill-up instructions to the gas station attendant.

 

ound:ound:ound:

 

The bladder gas tank is the only thing I dislike about my car with just over 22000 miles in 7 months. The pip can be flashing and I still can not get more than 8.5 gallons, most of the time I can only get about 7.5 gallons. The problem does seem to be getting worse as the temps drop. I wish that the car came with a standard gas tank. I have 3 times filled up with one gallon and drive 3 miles and then fill up with about 7 more gallons.

 

I've only had problems filling up twice that I can remember and I dont know if the tank was to blame or the pump, but both times happened at the same pump within a few days of eachother. First stop was to top off the tank before a long distance drive, every time no matter how lightly I began to lift the handle it would only pump a tiny bit and stop. I just kept going on/off on/off for about 2 gallons to top off having no idea how full the tank was hoping i wouldn't overfill, i only needed a little bit to top off with. The next stop at the same pump after the trip had the same results, so I spoke with the attendant inside and she suggested pulling the handle almost all the way out of the filler neck and it should allow pumping to begin, then ease it into the filler neck and it worked, shut of as usual after about 9 gallons.

The only other bad experience I had was when I set the pump at its lowest automatic setting and took my eyes off the pump while it filled and when I heard it click to shut off I looked at the gallons and it said 12.1 gallons!!!
Of course I walked up to the counter and told them they better put that pump out of order and have it looked at and reported them to the Texas Dept of Agriculture who is in charge of enforcing weights and measures to make sure people aren't being ripped off by pumps that are not calibrated. To this day I have no idea where all that gas went... or if I even got all the gas I bought in the first place...

 

I am having the same issues with my new 09 Prius. I have only filled it up 4 times so far but every fillup has been sort of the same. The gas pump clicks off the first time after about 4 gallons of gas input when it was pretty close to empty to begin with (having a single blinking pip and driving an additional 20 miles)If I try to put additional gas in, it will keep clicking off every few seconds. If I give up and pull the pump out, it will usually "spit" out gas like it was over filled. If I just wait for several minutes or more things will have "settled" down and I can remove the handle without it "spitting" out gas but who wants to wait outside in the cold (MIchigan WInters) So usually I just stop after the first click off and settle for about 5 gallons in my tank.

 

Having read about this issue prior to buying my Prius, I've never had to experience it.

I always fill up using only about 1/4 - 1/2 of the travel of the pump trigger. Then, I always wait until the pump shuts off for the 1st time ... then I give it one more shot of gas.

Using this technique, I seem to get the tank full and have never had to deal with any gas "blowback". Yes, my fingers are currently crossed.

... Brad

 

I haven't read all of this thread because it's so long but I can share my experience with my 2005 and the gas pump. I live in Oregon which is the other state (NJ) that doesn't trust people to pump their own gas. Believe it or not, I trust my gas gauge. Now mind you I have run out twice but was aware it would happen. I love driving that last mile or so on just battery.

My key to knowing what's been happening lies with watching the little cubes. If you get 95 miles on the last cube before it starts to flash then you are on fumes and will get little or nothing when (if) it does start to flash. On my car they average out to roughly 50 miles a cube after the 1st one. On the occasions where I got to pump my own gas I have gotten as many as 280 miles before the 1st one went out. When speedo Jimmy runs the pump as fast as possible and hangs it up as soon as it stops I get as little as 40 miles on the first one. I also notice that the total of what I think is left and what Jimmy put in is often less than 9 gallons.

So, the moral of the story is don't try to figure out what you've got left until you've used at least a few cubes. You'll have to come up with your own average per cube. I have a life time average (over 48,000 miles) of 51 MPG. It has steadily increased and now is about 53. If you get more or less then your cubes will be bigger or smaller.

And, a second moral is don't go into the last cube if you don't know how long it's been on or aren't within a mile of a gas station. I've heard of, but never experienced, running out before the 2nd to last on goes out.

It's odd that Toyota doesn't do the calculation on what you have left. The car can know all the parameters of how you are driving and the vagueness of precision around the size of the cubes. It could be quite accurate if you told it how much you put in each time.

I have experienced having the gas gush out when I've tried to cram that last ounce in. I've decided that's not worth the effort. You waste gas and pollute the environment. I think that only happens if you pull the nozzle most of the way out and run the pump slowly. You're defeating the back pressure detector in the nozzle.

 

I don't think that most people have any idea at all of just how much more gas you can get in after the first click of the pump. After having topped off every tank for over 26K miles, I get an average of 1.5 or more gallons in which is WAY more than the few ounces that everybody thinks you can add. Also, I have, on 3 occasions, put in over 12 gallons(12.1, 12.4, 12.4) on a fill and was still under power when I got to the station. I have went over 160 miles on the flashing last cube/pip.

 

Serious Safety Issue

Background:
2008 Prius bought new August 1st 2008
Currently 6200 Miles
For the first 5000 miles I averaged 52.6 MPG and was able to get 600 miles per tank without ever running out of fuel. Since the temperature has dropped below freezing in the past month, I have run out of gas on two occasions, approx 450 miles each time after fill up. It is simply impossible to fill the tank to manufacturer specifications when temperatures drop on my car.

Several people on this board seem to have rose colored glasses and don't think this is a problem. Personally I think this a serious safety issue. How can miles per tank vary 25%??? Eventually, if it hasn't happened already, somebody is going to be killed because of their car running out of fuel, then battery in traffic and cause a serious accident. Or after running out of fuel getting hit by a car trying to get more fuel.

Simply filling up sooner doesn't sound like an acceptable solution to me, what happens when the temps drop even lower, do I now have to guess that I can only get 350 miles per tank??? BTW, the warning light is supposed to indicate the car has three gallons left. I ran out of gas 40 miles after the indicator lit yesterday. 2 months ago I was able to drive close to 130 miles without running out of gas after the indicator came on.

This issue is real. How can anyone reliably know how much fuel or mileage you can get based on temperature fluctuations that seem to have a huge impact on how much fuel you can put in the car. After my car ran dry yesterday, it only took 9.8 gallons and it was 40 degrees F.

Although I love the car, this inconsistency is not acceptable and I am going to try and get my money back via state lemon laws.

 

Good for you, emmablue. I agree totally, even if too many others haven't come to the same conclusion yet. Today I took my 2008 in for it's 5000 mile oil and filter and mentioned this problem. The service rep acted surprised and said I should set up an appointment for them to check out my problem. I'm sure he has heard this complaint hundreds of times, yet he acted like it was the first time he heard of it. Whenever I run into a fellow Prius owner, I ask if they have this problem---so far about 60% respond "yes". I can't believe Toyota is backing away from this, but apparently they are. Good luck in your effort to return the car. Keep us posted.

 

My experience as well, although I don't do the extra shot of gas. When the nozzle clicks off, I'm done.

In the 2+ years that I have owned this Prius, I have had fueling problems only twice, and both times were related to bad pump nozzles. This is the same as my experience with other cars. Of course this doesn't prove that the problem is nonexistent, only that the problem does not occur with my Prius.

Tom

 

I'm sorry but this is not a safety issue. You won't run out of gas if you fill up at one bar.

It is a huge annoyance. I've had issues with filing as well but I'm not under the impression that Toyota is going to fix. In order to fix it, Toyota would have to recall every Prius and upgrade the fuel tank. This simple isn't going to happen.

 

I'm not having problems filling up my car.

I do not put the fuel nozzle very far in at all, just enough so that it sits in place, hands off.

Also, I tilt the nozzle handle down which is recommended in diagrams on the pumps.

I put the hanlde(?) on the lowest setting and when it clicks off, I'm done. I do not try to stuff more in.

I've filled up several times with 3 pips remaining, having gone about 350 miles, and pump in a tad over 6 gallons of 87 pump octane, Shell.

 

Re: Serious Safety Issue

With all due respect, you seem to be hung up on how many miles you should be able to go on a tank of gas. Your first number of 600 miles with 52 mpg means you burned over 11 gallons of gas.

Only took 9.8 gallons after running dry? Why are you running your car out of gas?

Your car is not designed to be run until the last drop of fuel remains. You would be far better off refueling with a couple pips remaining. In fact, one AAA safety note said to refuel with 1/2 tank remaining.

And if you ran out of gas because you drove 40 miles past the last pip blinking, that's on you as Toyota states to get gas immediately when the last pip blinks.

I have no plans to flirt with low fuel in the tank. Running out of gas is very bad indeed.

 

Hi Emmablue,

I have to agree with Cycledrum. They put a gas gauge in the car. When it gets down to 2 bars, fill the car up with gas. Problem (that never was) solved. Its a safetly issue to run out of gas. But, its a safety issue you are causing. Its standard operating proceedure (taught in driving school) to fill up the gas tank when the gas gauge gets low. Get used to it.