Gas Guage problems?

Big question: Do you get as much gas into it as you used to?

What you are experiencing could be explained if it is not getting as full. Maybe the gas station has re-calibrated their nozzle shut-off sensitivity.

Or if (as seems likely) this is your first winter, you are experiencing the gas-bladder effect: The bladder shrinks in cold weather and therefore holds less gas.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cary1952 @ Dec 26 2006, 08:57 PM) [snapback]366955[/snapback]</div>

I find the "guess gauge" to be close to completely useless. The most I have gotten in the tank is about 9.2g. Based on the posts of others I suspect you are experiencing "normal" behavoir.

 

<_< JimN had the right term "GUESS GAUGE"

On PriusChat, you can find posts of miles driven until the first pip disappears ranging widely, as I recall from 60 miles to as high as over 150 miles. Your result is not unique... not to worry. The fuel bladder varies in capacity dependent somewhat on the ambient temperature, and as mentioned gas pumps vary in the amount of back pressure required to turn the nozzle off so you can't be sure of exactly how full your Prius tank is.

My habit is to refill when I'm down to one "non-blinking" pip regardless of the miles traveled to that point. The possible inconvenience when running out of fuel coupled with unnecessary stress on the traction battery (201-volt) is not worth pushing for more miles per tank of fuel. Some PriusChat posters seem fascinated with getting the very maximum miles per tank.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Dec 27 2006, 04:09 PM) [snapback]367304[/snapback]</div>

Agreed. Take this posters advice. A flashing pip can mean 60 miles to go or 14 miles to go as I found out on I40 coming out of Memphis. It's a crap shoot and well documented here. Hopefully you will love all the other things the Prius has to offer and this will be a minor anoyance.

 

So, does one just give up when their guess gage is nearly worthless or is there somehow, someway a fix? My wife's gage is awful and we are coming to the end of our extended warrenty period. In addition, the beep that should announce the locking or unlocking of the doors is long gone. I'm thinking this could be fixable. Anyone experienced with this one? And her door windows are very streaked by the window wipers when the windows are lowered and then raised. How does one clean those babies?