Fuel tank capacity

Caroline58 · 03-01-2007, 08:17 AM

Hello everyone - I've had my new Prius a week and love it! But I hope someone can throw light on the fuel tank capacity.

My manual and the Toyota UK website say that it has a capacity of 45 litres (or 9.9 UK gallons). The last pip on the fuel gauge began blinking yesterday and I drove another 15 miles maybe before stopping to fill up. Going by my mileage (about 425 miles) and mpg (45 to 50), I felt that I was cutting it a bit fine but should have a reasonable amount of fuel left. But I managed to fit 44.69 liters in the tank! How can I have been driving fast on a motorway with almost no petrol in the tank! Or does it really hold more than 45 litres?

richard schumacher · 03-01-2007, 10:25 AM

You can drive as fast as you want until you actually run out of fuel :_) As to how you got 44.7 litres into the tank, all of the planets must have been in alignment. Others have learnt the hard way that when the last pip starts to flash you really are about to run out, no matter how much you put in at the last fill or how far you have driven since.

brick · 03-01-2007, 02:52 PM

If you are in the UK, then supposedly you are in a completely different boat relative to us North American folk. Our fuel is contained within a flexible bladder, which changes size with temperature and age. As a result it's nearly impossible for us to accurately estimate our true maximum cruising range for any given tank full. But I **think** you just have a standard tank. There is still some variability there but it is much less than with the bladder.

One possibility is that you were really on fumes. The other possibility is that your tank had been filled somewhat higher than the rated capacity. That is easily done in most cars by letting extra fuel flow into the filler neck. NOT recommended, mind you, but the capacity is there. It could be that this time the pump shut off later than it should have.

**Tideland Prius** · 03-01-2007, 03:05 PM

not sure. Given that you don't have a fuel tank bladder, you should've pumped 35 or so litres (given that Toyota has a 10 litre reserve when the low fuel light comes on).

It's possible that you either had a faulty fuel pump or you filled the fuel filler pipe too (but I doubt that could hold 10 extra litres).

My advice is to check this tank and see if you could go farther than 425 miles, then you'll know if you had extra fuel in the tank.

I remember pumping nearly 7 US gallons in a tank when I had 4 bars left. I carefully watched that tank and it turned out to be my record tank lol.

ken1784 · 03-01-2007, 11:06 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Caroline58 @ Mar 1 2007, 10:17 PM) [snapback]398363[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

does it really hold more than 45 litres?
[/b]

The tank specification of the Japanese Prius is the same, 45 liters.
It does not have a bladder and it holds about 50 liters on the level ground.
Our experience is it has about 6.5 liters when the last pip starts blinking.

We saw about 60 liters pumped when rear left wheel was jacked up.

Ken@Japan

03-01-2007, 02:52 PM	#3
brick Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 895 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 10 Thanked 21 Times in 15 Posts Friends: 0	If you are in the UK, then supposedly you are in a completely different boat relative to us North American folk. Our fuel is contained within a flexible bladder, which changes size with temperature and age. As a result it's nearly impossible for us to accurately estimate our true maximum cruising range for any given tank full. But I think you just have a standard tank. There is still some variability there but it is much less than with the bladder. One possibility is that you were really on fumes. The other possibility is that your tank had been filled somewhat higher than the rated capacity. That is easily done in most cars by letting extra fuel flow into the filler neck. NOT recommended, mind you, but the capacity is there. It could be that this time the pump shut off later than it should have. __________________ Improvements: Analog Tach, ScanGauge II, RadioShack EV Button, Turn Signal DRLs, dogfriend Seat Mod, some bits of pipe insulation stuck in my grill, and whatever I'm forgetting. 53.4mpg @ 54,000mi

03-01-2007, 03:05 PM	#4
Tideland Prius Moderator of the North Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 19,606 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: N/A Package: Technology Package (Canada) Thanks: 227 Thanked 344 Times in 243 Posts Friends: 23	not sure. Given that you don't have a fuel tank bladder, you should've pumped 35 or so litres (given that Toyota has a 10 litre reserve when the low fuel light comes on). It's possible that you either had a faulty fuel pump or you filled the fuel filler pipe too (but I doubt that could hold 10 extra litres). My advice is to check this tank and see if you could go farther than 425 miles, then you'll know if you had extra fuel in the tank. I remember pumping nearly 7 US gallons in a tank when I had 4 bars left. I carefully watched that tank and it turned out to be my record tank lol. __________________ 2005 Tideland Pearl Premium Package 25/10/04 VVT-i Emblem, Sport Pedals, All-Weather Mats, Cargo Mat, EV Mod, JDM Prius Footwell Lighting, DICE iPod Kit 2008 Deep Black smart fortwo passion coupé - sold (6.1L/100km) 2010 Blue Ribbon Metallic Technology Package 29/08/09 All-Weather Mats, Homemade Console Pads, LED lighting "Ask an Expert" on Facebook I am not employed by Toyota, and the opinions expressed by me as a Prius Expert are not those of Toyota.

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03-01-2007, 08:17 AM	#1
Caroline58 Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 3 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Hello everyone - I've had my new Prius a week and love it! But I hope someone can throw light on the fuel tank capacity. My manual and the Toyota UK website say that it has a capacity of 45 litres (or 9.9 UK gallons). The last pip on the fuel gauge began blinking yesterday and I drove another 15 miles maybe before stopping to fill up. Going by my mileage (about 425 miles) and mpg (45 to 50), I felt that I was cutting it a bit fine but should have a reasonable amount of fuel left. But I managed to fit 44.69 liters in the tank! How can I have been driving fast on a motorway with almost no petrol in the tank! Or does it really hold more than 45 litres?

03-01-2007, 10:25 AM	#2
richard schumacher Destination: Eschaton Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: United States Posts: 5,508 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: N/A Package: #6 Thanks: 99 Thanked 93 Times in 66 Posts Friends: 0	You can drive as fast as you want until you actually run out of fuel :_) As to how you got 44.7 litres into the tank, all of the planets must have been in alignment. Others have learnt the hard way that when the last pip starts to flash you really are about to run out, no matter how much you put in at the last fill or how far you have driven since.