Fuel Gauge is too conservative?

[hawkmoon77]

I have now had two fillups. Both fillups were done after having only one bar left on the fuel gauge and driving that way for 20 to 30 miles before heading to a gas station. Each fillup was less than 9 gallons of gas. With a 11.9 gallon gas tank, that means I still had one-quarter of a tank left, or approximately 150 miles remaining even though the gauge had been on one bar for a good while.

Now, I've always interpreted one bar to mean: "fill up the next convienant chance you have", and a blinking bar to mean: "fill up now!"

Has any one else filled up with one bar left, and was only able to squeeze in under 9 gallons? This seems way to conservative on Toyota's part.

[HTMLSpinnr]

There's another controversial thread in this forum about running out of gas. There's at least 2.1 gallons average available when the pip first flashes.

[zencat]

On my last tank I drove on a flashing pip until the miles to empty showed 0, and then I drove a few miles after that. Tank: 9.5 gallons.

[wave_slider]

I filled up with one pip left and it took 8.8 gallons. I think they made it that way to protect the "procrastinating" driver. If you run out of gas completely you can damage the system. I think that it's a good idea for them to make the tank conservative.

Typically your gas light comes on with anywhere from 1.6 gallons left in a Yaris to 3+ gallons left in a Tacoma truck. It seems like it falls somewhere in the middle and IMO it is a good thing.

[greylar]

In the case of the GIII Prius it is a little weird that you can drive 100 miles on the flashing pip. I wanted to get a 600 mile tank but just can't stand to drive it with the pip flashing so I guess I will just be satisfied with 500. Either that or I will have to figure out how to get 60mpg out of a tank. Which isn't very likely since my average day involves short trips at high speed.

G

[tumbleweed]

Apparently they (Toyota engineering) want us to leave enough fuel in the tank to keep the fuel pump from overheating. Not a good design in my opinion but that's how it is. I think I'll get used to it, I usually fill up at 1/4 tank or before anyway, I'll just remember I have a large reserve.

[wvgasguy]

All three of my hybrids have had this 2 gallon "reserve" built in. I don't really see it as a problem now that we all know. In the early days (for me, 2007 with a TCH) we were guessing about the range. But enough people are immediately testing this to prove it's not varying between vehicles. I would not feel uncomfortable with waiting until the car shows empty before filling up.

[jay_man2]

I wonder what Gladys Knight thinks about the pips flashing?

[alfon]

2010 prius III with Navi

In our car when the first click off from the gas pump at slow speed you can still put in 2.3 to 2.4 gallons of gas until you get completely up to the neck.

The tank is well over 11.9 gallons, in my opinion.

Alfon

[hawkmoon77]

I appreciate the toyota ereserve, but 2 gallons? That's over 100 miles - which in my eyes, is no reserve. The reserve should be a gallon at most. The flashing light should indicate that you are on reserve.

My point is that it is not an accurate gas gauge if it does not a measure your gas. 12 gallons, 12 bars, it would be very simple.

I consider it a luxury feature that I do not have to alter my plans by stopping at a gas station as often as other drivers. But to be able to only put in 3/4's of a tank really reduces the benefit. The only alternative is to do a lot of work to measure the estimate miles to empty, all the while completely ignoring the flashing gas gauge. And how do I explain to passangers to ignore the flashing light? It would make them very uncomfortable if I drove 50 miles with a flashing gas light. DO I explain that I could drive another 50 before running out?

I don't know anyone that woudl feel comfortable driving close to 150 miles with one bar left, yet that is exactly what Toyota makes you do. OR they make you fill up between 1/2 and 3/4 of a tank, which I find particulalry annoying, especially in the hotter and colder months. I don't suppose there is a way to adjust the gauge so that one bar left DOESN"T mean that you have 1/4 of a tank left?