Just filled up for first time

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by nola_Prius, Aug 9, 2009.

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  1. nola_Prius

    nola_Prius New Member

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    I just filled up for the first time. The pump auto stopped, but my fuel gauge is still 1 bar from full. Wth??
    Is that normal?
     
    #1 nola_Prius, Aug 9, 2009
  2. jay_man2

    jay_man2 jay_man_also

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    I can't remember; I so rarely have to get gas.:p Another thing to look for next time I fill up. Were you on a flat surface when you filled up. I once got gas at a Costco where the parking lot dropped off away from the pump, and filling at those pumps was tough because of the auto-shutoff kicking in way too soon as a result.

    I seem to recall that mine does go to the top, then drops 1 bar after 80-100 miles.
     
    #2 jay_man2, Aug 9, 2009
  3. nola_Prius

    nola_Prius New Member

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    I still had 2 bars left, so I probably could have gone a good ways before needing to fill up.

    Do you usually let the pump auto stop? Or do you squeeze in more to top it off? I'm guessing you either top it off or one bar being left isn't a normal thing to happen... because I think everyone's first reaction after pumping gas is to look at the "needle" and see it at 100%.
    I know that the fuel gauge was full when I picked up the car from the dealership... so maybe they topped it off?
    By the way, this gas station and that specific pump has been used by me many times with other cars, and they've always shown full when I let the pump auto stop.

    With only 2 bars remaining, the pump stopped at 6.455 gallons.

    Isn't the gas tank 10.9 gallons? Or is it 11.9?
    The numbers just aren't adding up right to me.
    Although it probably shouldn't, this kinda has me worried.
     
    #3 nola_Prius, Aug 9, 2009
  4. jay_man2

    jay_man2 jay_man_also

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    I never top off. The pump auto-stops and I remove it. I don't want to risk back-splash on the paint, or screwing up the emissions system and the vapor recovery charcoal canister.

    The tank is 11.9 gallons, but I usually fill up at the halfway point. With this being the first fill-up, and not knowing where you started from, I'd wait until at least he next fill-up, preferably at that very same pump you just used, to rule out any initial fill-up anomoly created by the dealer.
     
    #4 jay_man2, Aug 9, 2009
  5. nola_Prius

    nola_Prius New Member

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    I never top it off either, which is why this is puzzling me.
    I've always experienced the auto stop feature on the pump leaving the fuel gauge showing full.

    I got a lemon Prius!!! haha... I am really curious now, though.
     
    #5 nola_Prius, Aug 9, 2009
  6. TKY

    TKY Member

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    Nola, I've filled up twice. I generally only drive the top half my tank, so I figured I should be looking for about 6 gallons (11.9 gal tank) and the amount pumped matched my expectation and was confirmed when I got started by a showing of all bars full on the gauge. I used to top off my Durango because of the low mileage. I have to retrain myself to stop doing that with the Prius. I have used a Costco with no problems.--TK
     
    #6 TKY, Aug 9, 2009
  7. LRKingII

    LRKingII New Member

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    Were you controling the flow yourself or did you have the tab locked down on the handle? If locked down at what setting/speed?
     
    #7 LRKingII, Aug 9, 2009
  8. Peppito

    Peppito New Member

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    Don't scare me like that, Lee. lol!! I don't want a lemon Prius. I agree with jay_man's reply. I'd wait til my 2nd fill up to see if it acts the same or not. That's very strange. I hope it doesn't happen again.
     
    #8 Peppito, Aug 9, 2009
  9. MidWestGirl

    MidWestGirl New Member

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    I got very concerned with my Prius today. I had 3 pips left, yet the car indicated I only had 11 miles left to go before I needed to fill up. I thought maybe the system was "off" so I just went home. When I went back to my car, I started it up to see if the system had corrected itself, but it hadn't. It still said I had 11 miles left to go. So I went to the gas station and filled up. I can't remember how many gallons it took, but I ended up paying $19 at the pump. Did I do something wrong?
     
    #9 MidWestGirl, Aug 9, 2009
  10. nola_Prius

    nola_Prius New Member

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    I had it locked down at the highest flow-speed setting, as I usually do.
    I'm really hoping that the second fill doesn't do it again... although I have no idea why it would do it this time, but not next time.
     
    #10 nola_Prius, Aug 9, 2009
  11. LRKingII

    LRKingII New Member

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    Lock it on the LOWEST/ slowest setting next time i think you might be surprised. :)
    When you do it come back and tell us what the differance was and we will tell you why.
     
    #11 LRKingII, Aug 9, 2009
  12. nola_Prius

    nola_Prius New Member

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    Is it something to do with the fuel bubbling up as it gets near the top of the tank, and maybe activating the sensor prematurely? Why would I have never experienced this with other cars?
    Tell me now!! ;)

    I will try the slowest setting next time, though.
    Thanks for the suggestion.
     
    #12 nola_Prius, Aug 9, 2009
  13. kcpistol

    kcpistol Byte Stylist

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    it is because the Prius has a flexible "bladder" gas tank - it reduces emissions due to evaporated fuel and increases gas mileage, but has some odd effects. Definitely use slow and don't top it off.
     
    #13 kcpistol, Aug 9, 2009
  14. MikeDS

    MikeDS Member

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    I thought only the GenII had the bladder system.
     
    #14 MikeDS, Aug 9, 2009
  15. LRKingII

    LRKingII New Member

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    She has a 2010 Prius and it has NO bladder. So that's not the answer
     
    #15 LRKingII, Aug 9, 2009
  16. nola_Prius

    nola_Prius New Member

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    I'm a he, by the way. ;)
    nola = New Orleans, LA.
     
    #16 nola_Prius, Aug 9, 2009
  17. LRKingII

    LRKingII New Member

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    DUH...sorry
    ;)
     
    #17 LRKingII, Aug 9, 2009
  18. LulzChicken

    LulzChicken Prius Enthusiast

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    Try to fill it using the lowest setting on the pump handle next time. I always do that and I have never had problems with the gauge.
     
    #18 LulzChicken, Aug 9, 2009
  19. nola_Prius

    nola_Prius New Member

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    Has anyone else experienced this and also used the fastest pump setting?
     
    #19 nola_Prius, Aug 9, 2009
  20. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    Same here, I just filled up today (2nd time) with the last pip blinking and probably 6 miles past the point the computer said zero miles left. It took 10.1 gallons to fill. I set it to the slowest fill rate. After it shuts off, I set it go again a few seconds after it settles. I do it the same way ever time so that I can calculate my mpg. I got 52.3 mpg this tank, 50.5 the first tank. Sweet!
    Peter
     
    #20 spiderman, Aug 9, 2009
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