Low Fuel Warning

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(doctorbob @ Apr 16 2007, 08:59 AM) [snapback]423918[/snapback]</div>

This is pretty normal. Do a search for the term "guess gauge" and you'll see tons of posts devoted to this.

Some posters will bemoan the fact that the Prius doesn't really have an 11.9 gallon tank (and some will go so far as to wonder if they could remove the bladder somehow). Others will give you a detailed breakdown of how the bladder works. Still others will tell you that you should always fill up at 2 pips and you're a fool to run to the low fuel warning.

But, yes, that is fairly normal.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(doctorbob @ Apr 16 2007, 08:59 AM) [snapback]423918[/snapback]</div>

This is normal. Brace yourself for a whole bunch of replies telling you to search through the forum, but hopefully most people will be kind, considering that you are new to PC. This topic has been beaten to death, so there is all sorts of information lurking about. Search for "gas gauge", "guess gauge", "fuel tank", and "bladder".

In short, what you are seeing is completely normal in the U.S. version of the Prius. Our version of the Prius has a flexible bladder inside of the rigid fuel tank. The 11.9 gal rating is the gross capacity of the tank, not the usable volume. The bladder removes some of the usable space. The real kicker is that the amount of space used by the bladder varies depending on a number of variables, most notably temperature. Forget any notion you had about filling up based on the number of gallons, and instead focus on the gas gauge. If you insist on thinking in gallons, use a smaller number; something closer to nine.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(doctorbob @ Apr 16 2007, 09:59 AM) [snapback]423939[/snapback]</div>

Searching PC is a bit of an art; the search feature isn't quite up to google standards. Sometimes I find myself searching for the OP's name when I know a post exists but just can't seem to find it. Finding a particular topic cold can be very frustrating.

By the way, welcome to PriusChat!

Tom

 

I have to admit this has been one of the most confusing aspects of the car. You would think with the last blip flashing the car would take more then 8 gallons (with a rated 11.9 gallon tank)...but apparently not. Something dealers might want to tell their new prius owners about this...as it seem to come up alot and surprised me the first fill up...to the point I thought about sqeezing in more gas (a mistake many people might attempt to do)..

 

I've been quite content to fill up as soon as the car beeps. My previous car, a 2002 Mecury Cougar, had fuel pump issues. They were prone to overheating if the tank got below 1/4 full. As one of the posters in the previous theads said, the fuel pump is cooled by the liquid fuel sloshing around in the tank.

So, I won't fight it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Apr 16 2007, 06:48 PM) [snapback]424280[/snapback]</div>

Does that make the rest of us "irregular"? Hmmm...more fiber, I guess.

 

Welcome!! We are new too...and finding out more things each day about our new car...just drive it...enjoy it...take a few tanks to find out what you like and if every fill up will be the same (i doubt it).

john/teresa

 

:angry: Fuel light or lack of 1 sucks! What modern car doesnt give u a real warning of a low tank and give u some amount of reserve upon notification of a low fuel tank? and how about a yellow or red flashing light to give u a visual! Both my wife and i have run out of fuel thanks for the battery. when it ran out on me i heard the alarm drove 15 more miles on the highway only to have the motor run out 1 mile from my exit once again the battery got me down the hill to our local station. where the hell is the reserve?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Apr 16 2007, 11:47 PM) [snapback]424435[/snapback]</div>

Ok - I gotta argue with you on two of those three points.

One beep. Once, as you cross the threshold. That's it. Considering all the other things that beep in this car, overlooking one beep, that happens just once, while driving (radio on), isn't that hard to understand. Seriously - in the year I've owned the car, I think I've actually noticed and associated the beep with being low on fuel twice at most.

The Add Fuel flag on the MFD. Again - it does it once, and only once when you cross the threshold. It says Add Fuel - and then clears in one or two seconds at most. If you're eyes aren't on the MFD at the moment - you'll never see it. And the driver's eyes really should be on the road, not watching the MFD. Now if the flag stayed on the screen, that might be different, as you'd see it next time you glanced over. But as it is, it's there and gone in a hurry.

Oh, and they both happen every time you start the car. That might be fine, unless you have a Bluetooth device set to autoconnect. The low fuel beep occures right in the middle of the Bluetooth connect noise, and is drowned out. The "Add Fuel" flag drops down *behind* the "Bluetooth Connected" flag, and can't be seen.

Now the blinking pip I can't argue with. Three pips, two pips, one pip, blinking pip... that's a nice logical progression indicating a dwindling fuel supply. As the pips vanish one by one, fuel should be on your mind.. It's right there by the speedometer, right below the road, can't miss it. The blinking pip *is* the idiot light people...

-Ken

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kdmorse @ Apr 17 2007, 01:33 AM) [snapback]424473[/snapback]</div>

Couldn't have said it better myself, its hard to miss the blinking and that should be enough to 'convince you to refill' the other warnings are just bonus! B)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Darken @ Apr 16 2007, 03:15 PM) [snapback]424150[/snapback]</div>

It is good to have the beep come on earlier than later. Do not have to worry about running out of gad and also water getting into the fuel tank on the winter due to condensation. As soon as it beeps I would recommend filing up within 30 miles.