[WARNING] Running out of gas (Gen III)

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

Hi Bob,

How accurate was the miles to empty number.

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

Thanks Bob for the information. Running out of gas is a little like what my Momma taught me about running through the house with scissors... Don't do it! You may get hurt :nono:

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

You can replace a battery if you're willing to spend over $2,000, plus a few hours' labour to fit it. Or, you could spend under $50 filling the car up. Your choice.

There are dire warnings in the manual about the fuel pump being cooled by the liquid fuel and how you should refuel with 25% remaining. I'm following this plan.

The media and population in general are already extremely wary about battery life issues; not continuing to drive with no fuel left is exactly what every other car does and if doing this reduces the chance of battery damage, then that's a good thing.

In addition, your image shows that the battery is down at two bars, which I would call 'flat'. I think it did continue to run until the battery reached a level at which it's not safe - for battery longevity - to drive the vehicle.

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

Like a '60s vintage VW Beetle!

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

When the 1st Honda Civic came out in the 1970's I tig welded up a gas tank (in addition to the stock tank) to conform to the internal dimensions of the trunk ... gate valve to open it. Yep ... went all the way from So Cal to the Ozarks on one tank of gas ... so to speak

Interesting read, on the Gen III 'out of gas scenerio'.

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

I had a 65 Beetle, but since it never ran most of the time I don't know that I ever took it close to empty.

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

...which is why you're supposed to check it before you get into the car genius. I can't believe how many poor drivers are on this forum. Upkeep and ensuring you have enough gasoline in your car are CRUCIAL to being a decent driver so you don't make someone else hit you.
EVERYONE, before you get into the car (or out of the car) LOOK at your fuel gauge. If it's low then get gasoline immediatly. It's not hard. I'm just beside myself reading all of these posts.

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

:rockon:

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

Thanks for posting this Mike. I was thinking the same thing about the two-bar level on the battery. That's pretty low.

I am also kind of scratching my head as to what to do with this new found knowledge. It is akin to saying something like, if you loosen the lug nuts on your wheels and continue to drive, bad things might happen...

Bob, I mean no disrespect, and I admire the fact you were willing to risk damage to your Prius for the sake of knowledge.

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

Is the Gen III display very different from the Gen II concerning the meaning of the SOC of the HV battery? In a Gen II, two pink bars meant something like 45%, it can go down to one bar meaning 40% charge, that isn't a problem on a Gen II just its lowest SOC.

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

++++1
This is a non issue. If you are so concerned about human life and safety, when the low fuel light blinks, get gas. If your really concerned, don't let it get to the blinking light and fill up at 1/4 tank.

 

I think with gauges and sensors like any other car a judegement has to be made to mitigate your risk. Conventual cars have the same issue. My rule of thumb has always been to multiply avg mileage by tank size - 1 Gal and compare with the odometer/trip meter. I always reset the meter.

Risk is by definition the lack of information so to mitigate is to get informed.

Toyota is obviously trying to stave off ruining the battery so its giving you the driver the risk opportunity.

Just my 2 cents

 

This post is odd if I run out of fuel in my smart I wouldn't be posting about the fact it won't limp to the side of the road. Even as a kid in a clunker that the fuel gauge didn't work I never ran out of fuel I just filled up based on milage.

 

This is an idiotic change by Toyota. If they want to protect the traction battery all they have to do is limit the SOC that it will run down to before shutting down. Geez, it ain't that difficult. Yet all the scared-to-death-that-they-might-run out of gas types seem to have missed that...

So I take it the 2010 still has the same crappy digital gauge? Hey, if Toyota wants to make this like a regular car when it runs out of gas, at least give us a decent gauge...you know an analog one that can read below 1/8th tank.

Hope this gets fixed in the mid-generation update. Toyota took a major step backward with this change. I guess they decided they needed a new albatross to replace the bladder.

 

I didn't realise we had any PC members with insider knowledge of the ECUs firmware? You don't have a clue (and nor do I) how difficult a limp mode change would have been to implement. The speculation here, is that the limp mode of the previous generation was an accidental "feature" - and one that could damage the HV battery. Who knows, to actually implement a proper limp mode, may have needed a complete rewrite of the software.

 

Re: [WARNING] Running out of gas

Steve44's point was, he found the average MPG's on a tankload in the Gen3 is harder to see than on the Gen2 car (consumption screen).