Filling the gas tank

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(New2Prius2008 @ Nov 14 2007, 10:25 PM) [snapback]539767[/snapback]</div>

Sounds like something is wrong. The fuel tank bladder (part of the reason it has such low emissions) on the Prius can be a little "finicky," but it should still let you mostly fill your tank. With the bladder, it's reasonable to expect to only get ~9-10 gallons (total) in the tank, but you shouldn't have problems at the beginning of your pumping. I guess my recommendation would be to try a third pump (on the unlikely possibility that the first two were bad), then complain to the dealer if the problem persists.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Betelgeuse @ Nov 14 2007, 07:29 PM) [snapback]539769[/snapback]</div>

I have NEVER had any kind of problems filling my tank (2007). Guage gets down to 1 bar, I stop and fill the tank just like any other car. You might try a different station; or, try to run the nozzle flow a bit more slowly. If that doesn't solve your problem, You must have something wrong, so I would take it to the dealer and have them check it out. <_<

 

I've had identical problems to what you are experiencing. REALLY ticked me off, I can tell you! And when I posted here, I got all kinds of advice on how I shouldn't be over-filling it, etc. Was like nobody heard me. I hear you!

And here's the secret: Find another pump. Some work better than others. If every pump you come to does this, then turn the entire spigot up-side-down and try again. That almost always works. You look a bit goofy, but it doesn't click off so much! Then... while you stand there watching your money go down the drain... ponder how nice it would be to have an EV - and never have to visit the gas station to fill up that car. My charger never clicks off early, nor does it ever drip electricity on my hands.

 

verify that the nozzle is pushed all the way in and it should pump faster

the filling end can wiggle a bit unlike most other cars and yoyu might
not be giving it a good connection.

 

try just putting in 5 gallons, if you only get 6 gallons in at each fill then 5 should be plenty to see you to the next fill. At the next fill up the gauge will be a little lower but it should take the 6 gallons. You should still have 3 or 4 in reserve.

 

Found the same problem on my 07. What works is instead of pulling the gas nozzle trigger handle all the way in, stop on the first click. It'll fill a bit slower, but you won't get the annoying click off many times. Spend the extra minute or so cleaning the windows or watching other people top the $70 mark.
After the pump clicks off, I will also pull the nozzle almost all the way out and I can add about a 1/2 gallon. But, be careful here - seems the inside bladder might cause some of the gas to regurgitate out the nozzle. Fill slowly..

I truly feel that if everone had a mileage meter in their cars, people would drive much more conservatively - no jack rabbits starts, etc.

 

I had a lot of trouble when I first got my 2007, but I got used to how to pump it. I had never had problems with my other vehicles, just the Prius. The station just got new pumps recently and it works like any other car now. Try a different station with newer pumps.

 

One other possibility is you are not getting a good seal on the vapor recovery nozzle. Make sure the gas nozzle is in as far as you can with a slight pressure on the outer vapor recovery gasket. If there is no pressure there it will keep clicking off.

 

1. Always fully insert the nozzle.
2. Don't try to go full speed.
3. Try a different pump. Some are more sensitive than others.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(New2Prius2008 @ Nov 14 2007, 10:25 PM) [snapback]539767[/snapback]</div>

Same experience at first with our 07. Took it back to the dealer ("nothing wrong"), complained to gas station, etc. Finally (maybe after 5-10 fillups, the problem largely went away. I concluded that once the bladder is flexed some with use that it does not "push back" as much as the tank is filled. For awhile I did find that starting the pump slowly, and slowly increasing the flow rate worked, but now I find that I don't need to use those tricks. Maybe things will get worse during the cold weather (bladder gets stiffer), but other than one particular gas station, I no longer have any problems with this.

Toyota really should do a better job about providing customers with information about this. There IS an issue that needs some customer education - but Toyota seems to want to bury their head in the sand!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(derk @ Nov 14 2007, 07:40 PM) [snapback]539774[/snapback]</div>

Same here, no issues on my 06 in over 46,000 miles. Try a different pump or station. Due to my commute (450 a week) I use usually 1 of the same 3 stations. Maybe I'm just lucky to pick the "right" ones.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(New2Prius2008 @ Nov 14 2007, 10:25 PM) [snapback]539767[/snapback]</div>

After I read your post a couple of times it occurred to me that I never noticed " a little flapper door" on my '07. I also have had no problem filling it since I bought it last winter. (Hope I'm not jinxing myself here for a burp experience) When I fill it I always insert the nozzle in as far as it will go and try to wrap the sleeve on the nozzle around the fill opening to create as tight a seal as possible. Then I turn around to watch the pump and press down with the heel of my hand on the pump handle and squeeze with my fingers to pump at a moderate speed until it clicks off, usually around 7.6 gallons when I am at 2 pips. If it ever reached 9 gallons I would be suspicious since it has never taken that much.

My Corolla, on the other hand, would always click off if I pumped too fast presumably because there was too much back pressure.

As darelldd said, try turning the nozzle upside down. I wish I had a better answer for you.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Neicy @ Nov 15 2007, 06:01 PM) [snapback]540238[/snapback]</div>

jus got it from work


Pumping gas.... good things to know.
>
>This is from my FRIEND and he knows !!!!
>
>
>
>
>I've been in petroleum pipeline business for about 31 years,
>currently working for the Kinder-Morgan Pipeline here in San Jose ,
>CA . We deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period from the
>pipe line ; one day it's diesel, the next day it's jet fuel and
>gasoline. We have 34 storage tanks here with a total capacity of
>16,800,000 gallons. Here are some tricks to help you get your money's
worth:
>
>1. Fill up your car or truck in the morning when the temperature is
>still cool. Remember that all service stations have their storage
>tanks buried below ground; and the colder the ground, the denser the
>gasoline. When it gets warmer gasoline expands, so if you're filling
>up in the afternoon or in the evening, what should be a gallon is
>not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific
>gravity and temperature of the fuel (gasoline,diesel, jet fuel,
>ethanol and other petroleum products) are significant. Every
>truckload that we load is temperature-compensated so that the
>indicated gallon gage is act ually the amount pumped. A one-degree
>rise in temperature is a big deal for businesses, but service
>stations don't have temperature compensation at their pumps.
>
>2. If a tanker truck is filling the station's tank at the time you
>want to buy gas, do not fill up; most likely dirt and sludge in the
>tank is being stirred up when gas is being delivered, and you might
>be transferring that dirt from the bottom of their tank into your
car's tank.
>
>3. Fill up when your gas tank is half-full (or half-empty), because
>the more gas you have in your tank the less air there is and
>gasoline evaporates rapidly, especially when it's warm. (Gasoline
>storage tanks have an internal floating 'roof'membrane to act as a
>barrier between the gas and the atmosphere, thereby minimizing
evaporation.)
>
>4. If you look at the trigger you'll see that it has three delivery
>settings: slow, medium and high. When you're filling up do not
>squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to the high setting. You should be
>pumping at the slow setting,thereby minimizing vapors created while
>you are pumping. Hoses at the pump are corrugated; the corrugations
>act as a return path for vapor recovery from gas that already has
>been metered. If you are pumping at the high setting, the agitated
>gasoline contains more vapor, which is being sucked back into the
>underground tank, so you're getting less gas for your money. Hope
>this will help ease your 'pain at the pump'
>
>PASS THIS ON- so that others may know too.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Nov 14 2007, 08:38 PM) [snapback]539806[/snapback]</div>

I've had the problem on the rare, occasional pump. I agree with Darell: Try another pump, or if need be, another gas station.

As for electricity leakage, James Thurber wrote about a relative who always covered up unused electrical outlets to keep the electricity from leaking out. I recommend Daniel's Patented Electricity Salvage Unit: it's a specially-designed trap, made of polished anodized aluminum, which fits over an extension cord to trap the electricity that leaks out while you are charging your EV or running any appliance, and by a patented cyclonic process conducts the wayward electrons back to your fuse box where they are re-injected back into your house wiring. Don't believe Darell on this: The only reason he thinks electrons are not spilling on his hands is that the voltage is too low to feel; but there is never a perfect connection between plug and wall, so some electrons always escape. You can actually see them if you also buy Daniel's Patented Stray Electron Detector, which uses polarized anodized aluminum lenses which make the electrons appear to glow (green for right-handed electrons, red for left-handed ones). Both the DPESU and the DPSED will be available as a reduced-price option with the purchase of a Chevy Volt.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(omgitsroy326 @ Nov 15 2007, 03:30 PM) [snapback]540257[/snapback]</div>

Snopes is still checking it out.

 

Greetings -

I have the same issue but I've found it's mostly it's the temperature. I fill at the same pump everytime and during summer it was fine, and when the last bar flashed I could fit in 9+ gallons. But I started having trouble at about 30 degrees outside, now that it's 0 it's a rather slow affair to hold it just the right amount of depth into the neck. We don't have vapor boots here so I don't know what effect that has. Also, I've noticed a significant drop in the amount that it will take (cold bladder) issue - when my last bar flashes now I can only get in about 8 gallons in, on a -10 degree morning. Such is life, I'm still ony going to the station 1/4 the number of times as my old truck.....

D.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(omgitsroy326 @ Nov 15 2007, 03:30 PM) [snapback]540257[/snapback]</div>

Number 3 does not apply to the Prius. The flexible bladder self-adjusts to the volume of gas in the tank, so you never have air over the gasoline. (Other than what's in the filler tube.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(New2Prius2008 @ Nov 14 2007, 11:25 PM) [snapback]539767[/snapback]</div>

An extremely good description of the bladder and related systems of the Prius can be found at http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/Hybrid13.pdf. The following quote from that document explains, in part, why you can have a problem filling the bladder:
"The Prius fuel filler neck is equipped with a rubber seal to improve bladder expansion with gas pump pressure. Some gas pump nozzles may be dented, scratched or gouged. Poor fit of the pump nozzle in the filler neck reduces fuel tank capacity."
The system was designed to use pump pressure to expand the bladder, but the gas station's pump is designed to switch off if it thinks the tank is filled. So what is often happening is that the back pressure from the bladder is causing the pump nozzle to switch off.
Regarding the claim that poor fit of the pump nozzle reduces fuel tank capacity, I have found that often I have to pull the nozzle out and then reinsert it, to relieve the back pressure from the bladder.
In other words, the gas station's nozzle is designed for normal gas tanks. The stronger the pump, the more the back pressure on the nozzle switch and the more likely the pump will misinterpret the back pressure as gasoline backing up the filler neck.