Ran out of gas

jethro · 03-23-2008, 05:37 PM

The good news - it went 470 miles and not filled to the top. The bad news, I ran out of gas after the last blip had been blinking for a day.

I had some error lights after putting in a gallon to get going again and it would not start. Would not go into drive or reverse - just park or neutral and would not start. Called for the tow truck after trying for 15 minutes or so and took some time to do some reading in the manual about jump starting. It indicated that the doors needed to be opened and closed before hitting the power button in cases after the battery runs low. So that's what I did and it started right back up. No jump start required.

I could not find this requirement to open and close doors in the event of running out of gas in the manual. Could not find any mention of running out of gas in the manual, either. So, this might be a quirk. If so, can the forum mods sticky this one up?

bestmapman · 03-23-2008, 05:42 PM

Couple of questions:

1) How did the car operate when out of gas?

2) Do you specifically remember which lights came on?

3) How did you reset the lights?

4) You mention doors. Which ones did you have to open and close.

patsparks · 03-23-2008, 05:46 PM

Unbelievable!!

Maybe if something flashed on the dash when the fuel was low?
Maybe if the hand book said it is a good idea to keep the fuel above 1/4 full, maybe if the handbook said fill up imediately when the gauge flashes 1 bar?

Oh it does.

Thanks for the info jethro.

qbee42 · 03-23-2008, 06:35 PM

It takes about three gallons of gas for the Prius to notice the extra gas. That can be confusing.

Tom

jethro · 03-23-2008, 06:53 PM

bestmapman,
This is a 2008, not sure the others would show the same, but here is what I remember.

1) The car quit accelerating and moved very slow (5-10 mph at most) in electric mode. The engine was idling, but not giving power. It is possible that it was not idling and that the starter motor was turning it trying to start it. I made it about 500 ft or so like this and was barely able to get out of the urban traffic pattern and onto a parking lot.

2) The red triangle with the exclamation point flashed for a few minutes before I shut down at my destination. Then as I started the return trip, I had the triangle as before solid (not flashing). Then after a few seconds the yellow VSC light came on and the yellow engine icon. Seems like I remember another yellow one between the triangle and the VSC, not sure.

3) The lights reset on their own after opening and closing the doors.

4) We opened and closed all the doors including the hatchback after I read the manual notes on jump starting. And did not touch the brakes or the power button and I was seated in the driver seat as we did this.

Pat - I thought it might be helpful for others in case special reset knowledge is required when their car runs out of gas. And yes, the manual does give some advice on avoiding running out of gas, but no - no coverage in the event that it happens. I remember my dad giving me that same advice 40 years ago and passing it on to my kids 10 years ago.

bestmapman · 03-23-2008, 07:21 PM

It almost sounds like a different problem then out of gas. It seems strange to me that the VCS light came on.

Also, how did you reset the triangle and the check engine light?

statultra · 03-23-2008, 07:25 PM

the moderator(s) should make a sticky saying DO NOT RUN OUT OF GAS, under any circumstances.

i mean you see a blinking pip, u better get to the gas station asap, i always keep my tank above 1/4 full to relieve stress on fuel pump.

qbee42 · 03-23-2008, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by statultra

the moderator(s) should make a sticky saying DO NOT RUN OUT OF GAS, under any circumstances.

There is the old saying: "You can't fix stupid."

Tom

jethro · 03-23-2008, 08:48 PM

bestmapman,
All these lights reset themselves with the above procedure. One other thing to note - the motor battery showed only one bar at the time - maybe due to running on battery instead of fuel - since it had no fuel. That might explain the other lights, perhaps VSC is battery powered...

I'll post more if lights return over the next few days. For now, it has all evidience of being due to running out of gas.

statultra,
I would not buy a car if it had a feature that it required a tow to the dealer when it runs out of gas, or one that has components that fail on low fuel. Such a requirement as you suggest would have the appearance of inferior product. And I am positive Toyata would not put such poor reliability on the market. After all, they have a held extremely high rank in the reliability metric for a very long time.

Tom,
I'll give you that running out of gas is stupid. But you can sometimes fix ignorance by reading and learning. But those of you that are opposed to it, well, I guess they stay ignorant, too.

qbee42 · 03-23-2008, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jethro

statultra,
I would not buy a car if it had a feature that it required a tow to the dealer when it runs out of gas, or one that has components that fail on low fuel. Such a requirement as you suggest would have the appearance of inferior product. And I am positive Toyata would not put such poor reliability on the market. After all, they have a held extremely high rank in the reliability metric for a very long time.

It's not running out of gas that is so bad, it's people driving on electric after they run out of gas. Even then, you have to work at it to run the battery down, but people try really hard and several have managed to do damage. Look at it this way: It's very similar to driving without oil. Say you drain your oil but forget to refill it. You wouldn't think Toyota would design a car that you could wreck like that. Well they didn't; if you drive without oil pressure, a great big idiot light shines in your face telling you to stop. If you choose to ignore it, you get big problems. The same thing happens when you run out of gas; the dash lights up like a Christmas tree. It does that for a reason. If you keep driving with all those lights, you get whatever problems come along without much room for complaining. Better yet, don't run out of gas. A lot of cars have trouble if you run out of gas. Diesels are a royal pain if your run the tank dry. The old VW bugs would vapor lock. Even without those problems, it's hard on modern fuel pumps when you run out the tank. Just don't do it.

Tom

03-23-2008, 05:37 PM	#1
jethro Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Beavercreek, Ohio Posts: 17 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Ran out of gas The good news - it went 470 miles and not filled to the top. The bad news, I ran out of gas after the last blip had been blinking for a day. I had some error lights after putting in a gallon to get going again and it would not start. Would not go into drive or reverse - just park or neutral and would not start. Called for the tow truck after trying for 15 minutes or so and took some time to do some reading in the manual about jump starting. It indicated that the doors needed to be opened and closed before hitting the power button in cases after the battery runs low. So that's what I did and it started right back up. No jump start required. I could not find this requirement to open and close doors in the event of running out of gas in the manual. Could not find any mention of running out of gas in the manual, either. So, this might be a quirk. If so, can the forum mods sticky this one up?

03-23-2008, 05:42 PM	#2
bestmapman "Dream" Prius Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Cincinnati, KY Posts: 703 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 1	Re: Ran out of gas Couple of questions: 1) How did the car operate when out of gas? 2) Do you specifically remember which lights came on? 3) How did you reset the lights? 4) You mention doors. Which ones did you have to open and close.

03-23-2008, 05:46 PM	#3
patsparks Uneducated bird-brain Aussie Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Adelaide South Australia Posts: 4,697 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: Base Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 14	Re: Ran out of gas Unbelievable!! Maybe if something flashed on the dash when the fuel was low? Maybe if the hand book said it is a good idea to keep the fuel above 1/4 full, maybe if the handbook said fill up imediately when the gauge flashes 1 bar? Oh it does. Thanks for the info jethro.

03-23-2008, 06:35 PM	#4
qbee42 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 5,542 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 5	Re: Ran out of gas It takes about three gallons of gas for the Prius to notice the extra gas. That can be confusing. Tom

03-23-2008, 06:53 PM	#5
jethro Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Beavercreek, Ohio Posts: 17 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Ran out of gas bestmapman, This is a 2008, not sure the others would show the same, but here is what I remember. 1) The car quit accelerating and moved very slow (5-10 mph at most) in electric mode. The engine was idling, but not giving power. It is possible that it was not idling and that the starter motor was turning it trying to start it. I made it about 500 ft or so like this and was barely able to get out of the urban traffic pattern and onto a parking lot. 2) The red triangle with the exclamation point flashed for a few minutes before I shut down at my destination. Then as I started the return trip, I had the triangle as before solid (not flashing). Then after a few seconds the yellow VSC light came on and the yellow engine icon. Seems like I remember another yellow one between the triangle and the VSC, not sure. 3) The lights reset on their own after opening and closing the doors. 4) We opened and closed all the doors including the hatchback after I read the manual notes on jump starting. And did not touch the brakes or the power button and I was seated in the driver seat as we did this. Pat - I thought it might be helpful for others in case special reset knowledge is required when their car runs out of gas. And yes, the manual does give some advice on avoiding running out of gas, but no - no coverage in the event that it happens. I remember my dad giving me that same advice 40 years ago and passing it on to my kids 10 years ago. Last edited by jethro; 03-23-2008 at 06:58 PM.

03-23-2008, 07:21 PM	#6
bestmapman "Dream" Prius Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Cincinnati, KY Posts: 703 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 1	Re: Ran out of gas It almost sounds like a different problem then out of gas. It seems strange to me that the VCS light came on. Also, how did you reset the triangle and the check engine light?

03-23-2008, 07:25 PM	#7
statultra uber-Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: cape coral, FL Posts: 574 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Ran out of gas the moderator(s) should make a sticky saying DO NOT RUN OUT OF GAS, under any circumstances. i mean you see a blinking pip, u better get to the gas station asap, i always keep my tank above 1/4 full to relieve stress on fuel pump.

03-23-2008, 08:48 PM	#9
jethro Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Beavercreek, Ohio Posts: 17 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Ran out of gas bestmapman, All these lights reset themselves with the above procedure. One other thing to note - the motor battery showed only one bar at the time - maybe due to running on battery instead of fuel - since it had no fuel. That might explain the other lights, perhaps VSC is battery powered... I'll post more if lights return over the next few days. For now, it has all evidience of being due to running out of gas. statultra, I would not buy a car if it had a feature that it required a tow to the dealer when it runs out of gas, or one that has components that fail on low fuel. Such a requirement as you suggest would have the appearance of inferior product. And I am positive Toyata would not put such poor reliability on the market. After all, they have a held extremely high rank in the reliability metric for a very long time. Tom, I'll give you that running out of gas is stupid. But you can sometimes fix ignorance by reading and learning. But those of you that are opposed to it, well, I guess they stay ignorant, too. Last edited by jethro; 03-23-2008 at 08:57 PM.