NO fix for Prius Gas Tank Filling Up Issues

Wrong, unfortunately. In the past we've primarily filled at the flashing pip, with some at 1, 2, and 3 pips, never above. We never had had a problem with the tank refusing to fill. So yesterday we did a fill at half a tank in preparation for a trip...and now have had our FIRST the damned thing won't fill episode. It wouldn't take over 2.55 gallons. So either we got 115 mpg (calculated) vs. 53.8 mpg indicated, or the over-engineered bladder and vent system was misbehaving as so many have reported here before. The MFD calc shows that it should have taken another 2.88 gallons.

We've used the same pump in the past. The guess gauge indicated full after the 2.55 gallon fill. It didn't lose a pip for about 60 miles (which is still shorter than normal), then fell 1 pip every ~30 miles for about half a tank.

In the end we worried a lot more than before because of the problems with the 5 pip fill. So how does one cash in the failed guarrantee?

 

My last 3 tanks went down to the last pip and I filled up before it started to blink, she took over 11 gals every time. I guess my 2006 doen't have a blatter problem.

 

...or a bladder problem either.

Tom

 

Or maybe you have a European model that was shipped over here, and it doesn't even have a bladder.......

 

Well, I had that major traumatic problem with my first (1st) tank fill-up, after getting to 1 pip. It took several fill-ups to get the tank bladder back to full extension, so refills at 1/2 a tank have worked for me. But it did take a while for me to get peace of mind.
So sorry that you're feeling the problem now, I do understand how nerve wracking it can be.

 

First fill up, no problems with my 2009

 

on a slightly different note..........we were driving for a day running errands with the third bar left on the gas gauge......on the freeway and it got down to 2 bars (lowest we've had it yet)...assumed I had a few miles to go....MOMENTS later "add fuel" come up on the screen and it runs out of gas in the fast lane on the freeway!!!

I'm here to tell you it doesn't go very fast on just the battery! Or very far.....

Plan to tell dealer when we take it in for service....also anyone else cancel their dealer extended warranty and get a replacement from somewhere else less expensive? We paid $2,230 for our bumper/bumper, 100K or 7yr 0 deductable.

 

You shouldn't run out of gas with two bars. Have the dealer adjust the calibration of your fuel gauge.

Tom

 

Agreed. This is exactly why I consider it wise to take the vehicle all the way down to the flashing pip while it is still under warranty. Folks that fill religiously at half a tank or such might have a problem, but they will not know it.

roadog03,

How much fuel did it take to fill after running out? If it took only 8 or 9 gallons there might be other issues with the bladder/vent system.

At any rate, it's a defect with the vehicle, not with the driver.

 

Although it's always fun to blame the driver. Let's beat him up a bit just for sport.

Tom

 

ouch..uhh..oh argg...stop it I can't take any more...sensitive guy.

Crap...I should have checked that gallons it took.....but no.

 

Second fill-up on my brand new 2010 Gen III. Went down to 3 bars. Gas pump pops off as soon as I stick it in the tank!!! Had to "Force" it to take a couple of gallons, which put it up to One Bar down...
This is NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!!

 

Umm that is what warranties are for.

 

Interesting, but probably best in its own thread. This one is for the Gen II with bladder.

However, what this suggests is that there is some sort of issue with the tank venting system on your vehicle. It will be interesting to see if this is a common problem with the Gen III or is just sample defect.

Hmmm...maybe an aftermarket retrofit kit with a removable vent plug in the filler is in order. Kind of wish I had something like that for the Gen II when it misbehaves.

 

The Gen III doesn't have the same problem as the Gen II, as the fuel tank system is entirely different. If you are having problems, it is unrelated to this issue. Perhaps you should start another thread.

Tom

 

Today I fueled my 2009 Prius for the 9th time. For the first 7 fill-ups, I had been refueling at 3 or 4 bars on the fuel gauge and taking between roughly 5+1/4 to 6+3/4 gallons until the 8th refueling when it got down to 2 bars and I took about 7+1/8 gallons.

Today, I was down to 2 bars and the pump stopped fueling at 3.08. I retriggered the pump handle twice and it took 0.10 more for a grand total of 3.18 gallons. I went to another pump in the same station and was able to pump another 0.22 gallons. The gas indicator read 5 bars.

I about drove 20 miles to the gym and after I worked out, I went to one more station where I was able to put 3.9 gallons and reach 10 bars.

My wife was in the car each time so I left the car on (as I usually do to keep the air conditioning going) and I noticed that my 5 minute mileage interval was maxed out during refill both when I could not fill the tank and when I did fill it. It has never done that before either.

Are there any electronics in the refueling system?

Is the 2009 fueling system like the older cars or the 2010?

FreddieVee

 

Yes there are electronics in the fueling system, which is one of the reasons the manual explicitly tells you to turn off the car before refueling. There are several valves in the fuel system that reconfigure to refueling mode when powered off. There is also a pressure test system that will notice the open gas cap when running.

Refueling while powered is a bad habit, and illegal as well. Now might be a good time to mend your ways.

Tom

 

You know, there is a very old saying about leading a horse to water ....

 

There is another one that says "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It only wastes your time and annoys the pig."

Tom

 

At least Freddie admitted his guilt! Time to point him to the thread with the cars catching on fire while refueling!

On another note: for the first couple of tanks my 2009 had no bladder issues. Then they began to show up intermittently. I can tell when the fill is not good, as it will come down off the first pip at 90 mile or less.

We just got back from a long road trip (eastern Massachusetts to Kentucky). While travelling home at night. I topped off the tank on the western side of the Mass Pike. Then I drove all night through NY state. I went about 485 mile (might have been a little more), and was maintaining my cumulative MPG average (slightly over 48 mpg). When I filled up (when the car got down to 1 pip), the tank took 10.2 gallons. Yeah!

And when we finally got home, there were still 5 pips on the tank and we had gone 315 miles since that fillup. Double Yeah!!

Lately when I fillup the Prius, I try to park at pumps where the car tilts towards the passenger's front tire, due to the location of the tank and filler neck. That's also what I did for this fillup. But one thing that was interesting about the pump that I used this time was that it had three detents fo the pump handle latch (rather than two like many pumps). I pushed the nozzle in snugly, and used the slowest setting, which was indeed very slow. I don't know if this contributed to the good fill or not.

Frank