How to properly fill gas tank?

This seems to be a continuously reported annoyance with new Prius owners, and their have been numerous posts addressing the problem. I believe it has to do with the tight seal created with the gas pump nozzel and the rubber fitting at the top of the Prius filler tube. This tight fit causes a back pressure that triggers the automatic cutoff of the pump nozzel. I have over a dozen fillups now and this problem seems to have gone away, perhaps due to to the bladder being stretched enough to lessen the back pressure. Anyway this problem should go away after several fill ups. In the mean time, I found by holding the pump nozzel in a way that there is no tight seal created you can achieve a complete fillup without the nozzel clicking off.
Hope this helps.

 

Well i don't know if it's "right", but this is how I do it. Depending on the miles since last fill up, I estimate how many gallons I think it will take. I fill it up like normal full blast till it clicks off, then pull out the nozzle to let air in and jiggle the car alittle, then I put the nozzle just barely in and hold the hose up a little so the tip of the nozzle points down in the tank then go as slow as possible till I hear a gurggling sound and stop. It usually takes 1 to 1.5 gallons after the first click off.

 

I had this happen only once and went to another pump. Worked okay.

I use the "slow flow" rate on the pump latch. When it clicks off then I look to see if it is about the right amount. I'll remove the nozzel for one or two seconds then re-insert it and start again at "slow flow" until it clicks. As far as I'm concerned, its full. (I just don't have the patience to stand there and do a lot of screwing around to get that last 0.10 gallon in the tank/bladder. )

 

That sounds like me...As long as I have enough to drive to MIAMI and back, I'm fine.

 

wow, i already filled up 3 times (and got the car july 26, and when i got it, it only had 23 miles and a full tank of gas). now it has like 1300 miles on it and a full tank.

 

Ok, that should explain why during my las fillup the pump stopped at 8 gallons and I could not get any more gas in. The fuel indicator was not flashing yet but I should at least have been able to get 9 gallons in.
I will try the slow filling next time.

 

I've had my 04 since 11/03. Here's what I do. Pull up to pump. Insert nozzle. Wait for click and remove nozzle. Drive off. I never fill it past the click.

 

I am experiencing the same issue. I've now filled up 8 times on my new Prius. Three times ago, the car was telling me to add fuel (I had gone 503 miles on that tank). I stopped at a gas station, and tried to fill-up. It clicked off at 5 gallons. I was in a hurry to get to the airport, so I didn't have time to fiddle with it. The next I filled up (around 250 miles later) it only let me put 7 gallons in. Last night, though, I was finally able to put in about 10.8 gallons.

I was wondering if there were other factors involved... Last night I filled up in the evening, when it was cooler, but the previous two times it had been in the mid-day when it was really hot. Also, just having bought the Prius last month, I was wondering if I was experiencing the "bladder stretching" issue I've read about.

If anyone else knows about this, please let us know...

 

I have never had any problems with the pump shutting off early. I stick the nozzle all the way in, stand there and hold the nozzle trigger at it's full rate, and when it clicks off the first time, I'm done. This usually results in 8 to 10 gallons pumped into the car, which is about right, since I never wait untill the fuel gauge starts blinking, and often fill up when I'm at 2 bars.

 

The fuel filler TSB I had applied left me with a gasketless opening, but all that really alleviates is the pressure buildup that might spew fuel. It's still stop-and-go to try to get all the gas possible. Sure, I could play Green and just guess how much gas is in the tank, but I prefer to know...

 

The click offs are completely useless and unrelated to how much fuel I need.
I generally get over 10 gallons in for a fill up.

Clickoffs start virtually always at like 3 gallons pumped.
As the tank fills the clickoffs just get more frequent.

Some pumps I can get a good normal fill to the gurgle point. Others the clicks happen so frequently I may be stopping 2 gallons early because I give up in frustration.

And I've had spills where the pumps never shut off at all at any point.

 

I always wait unitl the light blinks before refilling. I have found that I can then get 8.5-9.1 gallons in if I put the nozzle in upside down. I usually can't get much more in after that.

I keep wondering if I stil have 4 gallons in the tank when I refill but I am not willing to chance running out of gas to find out.

 

I have only had difficulty filling up during the winter. I typically fill up at 1 or 2 bars. I have yet to see the flashing fuel bar and am actively avoiding that.

Anyway, get in about 9 gallons each time. That is good enough for me. I fill till the pump clicks off and then squeeze a little more in to make an even dollar amount and call it good.

 

Can someone confirm this.... but I thought it was bad to let fuel vapors escape from the gas tank. If someone pulls the nozzle away from the fill tube won't the fumes leak out? I always try to get the gas cap back on right away to keep fumes from escaping. Does it really matter or can those fumes harm the environment?

thanks,

Peter

 

I agree wholeheartedly. Burping fuel vapor and risking fuel spills means you're adding to air pollution, and breathing in benzene which is a known carcinogen (admittedly you're not breathing in very much). The Prius already goes a long way between fills. Is it really that important to squeeze in that last extra gallon?

 

I've overfilled the tank twice so far, even when pumping as slow as I could.

 

Pumps vary, and so apparently do the cars. You'll have to find your car's preferences by trial and error, and stay away from stations with suspect pumps.

My experience has included only one overflow, and I suspect pump failure. I usually fill at max speed, remove the nozzle, then slowly add about 1 to 1.5 gallons, never more. I haven't had any spillage with this method, and I get about 450 miles per tank (filled at one non-blinking pip).

I don't like running out of gas, so I avoid the brinksmanship some enjoy by waiting XX miles past a blinking pip.

 

I filled up for the first time and only was able to put in 7.5 gallons. The guage indicated it was full, but it seems to be going down faster even though I'm getting better milage.

 

KS__Prius

Based on your post it looks to me like you are filling the gas tank after going only 125 to 150 miles. This would be the main reason you can't put any more gas in the car. Try going 400 to 500 on a tank before filling.