NO fix for Prius Gas Tank Filling Up Issues

[9G-man]

[quote=dar;658002]

Originally Posted by 9G-man

Sorry you are dissatisfied with your Prius, but I'd like to help.
This car impresses me daily, and I want you to be delighted with your car as well.

As we all know the Prius gas tank is a little different. Here's how you handle it.

I do know how to calculate gas mileage ... pretty basic math and work with the electronic system! I am not an idiot ... I am VERY dissatisified with my 2008 Prius and I have been trying to speak to others that have been dealing with this issue. I am getting a bit tired of owners using this forum to personalize and belittle this issue. Those that are doing this, have not NOT expereinced this issue.

I am VERY happy for ALL Prius owners that are NOT experiencing this issue ... consider yourself fortunate ... if you have not had this problem, you do not need to continue to badger those of us that have.

This specific issue has NOTHING to due with an individual gas pump, yes pump flow is an issue. Some of us, no matter how SLOWLY gas is pumped into the tank ... the tank is "full" far too soon. Also, Toyota Corporate has admitted in writing ... this issue is due to a DESIGN FLAW, the bladder and 6-7 gallons is a "normal" fill up.

Toyota does encourage owners with this issue to contact their corporate office in California. You can also write to the BBB and the National Center for Dispute Settlement regarding this issue.

Looking at the posts, there is truly NO FIX for Prius gas tank filling up issues. No one has a neat trick that makes fueling easier ... you either can "fill up" ... the majority seem to go with the first click 6-7 gallon, a few seem to get 10 gallons in ... and there are those that cannot even get the 6-7 gallons in their cars.

Buddy, I tried to give you some genuinely good advice, I didn't once try to badger or belittle you. I'm glad you can calculate gas mileage, but I didn't give you any suggestions regarding that. My suggestion related to your original concern and question which was about anticipated range on a tank of gas. And I gave you a fool-proof way to determine it.

When mine was new I had it "burp" once and found the solution to that (and shared it with you ) and I also had a gas-pump related problem once with it cutting off repeatedly. Never went back to that station.

Good luck, fellow.

[9G-man]

Originally Posted by ctsa

I drove my '08 off the lot a week ago today. I am having nothing but problems trying to put gas in. I have tried several stations in and out of town. I made a 450 mile round trip this weekend out of town and visited several different stations. Each time, I had the same problem. I am forced to try to get gas in by one little blip at a time. It will never stay on long enough to try to put it on the lowest setting. I barely pull the trigger and poof...off it goes. Additionally, after 840 miles of driving...the fuel guage has never had more than 1 pip off the screen. In other words, it has always showed me full even after 300+ miles of driving.

If you drove only 450 miles and made "several" stops for gas, how could you possibly expect to get much into the tank at each stop?
You haven't used much gas between stops. And thus the gas gauge wouldn't be showing much movement either. Run you car until you get the low fuel warning and then fill it up. See what'll go into it then

[SGMRHH]

How are you getting such good milage? I live in Las Vegas and with the heat need the AC on, does that make that much differance? I am getting 39-42 MPG.

[ctsa]

Originally Posted by 9G-man

If you drove only 450 miles and made "several" stops for gas, how could you possibly expect to get much into the tank at each stop?
You haven't used much gas between stops. And thus the gas gauge wouldn't be showing much movement either. Run you car until you get the low fuel warning and then fill it up. See what'll go into it then

I made several stops to pump about .5 gallons at each since all of you superior gas pumpers claim the problem has to do with pumps. I decided to try out this theory by pulling off on several exits to see if different pumps would make a difference. Low and behold...it did not. It is a design flaw and for those of you who seem to think it is operator error, you can play hide the salami with your pet gerbil and leave this discussion to those of us dealing with the issue. Again, if you aren't having this issue...YOU ARE LUCKY...not smart.

[PaulHS]

After reading this thread several times I concluded that several different problems were being described. Some seemed to be gas gauge problems, some seemed to be gas tank / bladder problems, and at least one, ctsa, seemed to be both. Several posters blamed various pumps or nozzles while others felt the problems were overstated or "normal" for Prius fillup behavior.

My problem falls in with the majority where a fillup from virtual empty results in the gas gauge reading full but the gas pump reading substantially fewer gallons than expected. My car has had no other problems; no burping, no pump a gallon, rest, then pump again. I pump at the slowest rate and stop at the first click.

I do have an advantage which eliminates certain variables.(Or so I thought) I belong to a fuel distributorship and fill up at the same location and the same pump every time.

I resolved that on subsequent fillups, I would try using different combinations of suggested solutions hoping for improved results: Pump slow, pump fast, push nozzle in, pull nozzle out, etc.

Filling up during the warmest part of the day to soften the bladder would be my only constant.

~HOWEVER~

The Fates threw me a couple curves. When the gauge reached one pip remaining I headed for the pump at 3:00 in the afternoon. There was a car at the pump I usually use. I pulled around to the other pump. Expecting the normal 7.5 gallons fill, my first combination was to pump 5 gallons at top speed, with the nozzle pushed completely into the filler tube, hoping to expand the bladder, then stop, remove the nozzle most of the way and pump the remaining 2.5 gallons as slowly as possible. Surprise! For the first time EVER I pumped another 5 gallons into the tank for a total of 10.0.

I thought I had hit the right combination the first time. Much later, however, another variable occurred to me. All my previous fillups were from the pump where the car is facing slightly downhill, whereas the car was facing slightly uphill at the last fillup.

Obviously, most gas stations have a flat fillup area unlike mine, but the incline/decline factor may be significant when attempting to resolve a malfunctioning bladder problem. I don't know yet if that had anything to do with the improvement, or if it was due to any or all of the other elements of the combination. But at least for this fillup, I pumped a much better tankful.

Now I have a different problem. I drove 174 miles (at 62mpg) before the first pip disappeared.

Paul

[Prius 06]

Originally Posted by PaulHS

After reading this thread several times I concluded that several different problems were being described. Some seemed to be gas gauge problems, some seemed to be gas tank / bladder problems, and at least one, ctsa, seemed to be both. Several posters blamed various pumps or nozzles while others felt the problems were overstated or "normal" for Prius fillup behavior.

My problem falls in with the majority where a fillup from virtual empty results in the gas gauge reading full but the gas pump reading substantially fewer gallons than expected. My car has had no other problems; no burping, no pump a gallon, rest, then pump again. I pump at the slowest rate and stop at the first click.

I do have an advantage which eliminates certain variables.(Or so I thought) I belong to a fuel distributorship and fill up at the same location and the same pump every time.

I resolved that on subsequent fillups, I would try using different combinations of suggested solutions hoping for improved results: Pump slow, pump fast, push nozzle in, pull nozzle out, etc.

Filling up during the warmest part of the day to soften the bladder would be my only constant.

~HOWEVER~

The Fates threw me a couple curves. When the gauge reached one pip remaining I headed for the pump at 3:00 in the afternoon. There was a car at the pump I usually use. I pulled around to the other pump. Expecting the normal 7.5 gallons fill, my first combination was to pump 5 gallons at top speed, with the nozzle pushed completely into the filler tube, hoping to expand the bladder, then stop, remove the nozzle most of the way and pump the remaining 2.5 gallons as slowly as possible. Surprise! For the first time EVER I pumped another 5 gallons into the tank for a total of 10.0.

I thought I had hit the right combination the first time. Much later, however, another variable occurred to me. All my previous fillups were from the pump where the car is facing slightly downhill, whereas the car was facing slightly uphill at the last fillup.

Obviously, most gas stations have a flat fillup area unlike mine, but the incline/decline factor may be significant when attempting to resolve a malfunctioning bladder problem. I don't know yet if that had anything to do with the improvement, or if it was due to any or all of the other elements of the combination. But at least for this fillup, I pumped a much better tankful.

Now I have a different problem. I drove 174 miles (at 62mpg) before the first pip disappeared.

Paul

We are having a simular problem with our 06, the first pip still being on and have about 180 miles on it now.
I'm a little worried that the sensor is broken. I'm getting 52mpg right now.

[qbee42]

Originally Posted by PaulHS

<snip> My problem falls in with the majority where a fillup from virtual empty results in the gas gauge reading full but the gas pump reading substantially fewer gallons than expected. My car has had no other problems; no burping, no pump a gallon, rest, then pump again. I pump at the slowest rate and stop at the first click. <snip>
Paul

I think you have hit the majority of the problems on the head. This is mostly an issue of expectations, where the capacity of the Prius tank falls short of the published 11.9 gallons. If Toyota had listed the capacity as 10 gallons the problem wouldn't exist for most owners.

Tom

[PaulHS]

Originally Posted by qbee42

I think you have hit the majority of the problems on the head.

My comment was based solely on the posts within this thread. Perhaps you are making a broader reference. But that sounds as if your point is that misery loves company.

This is mostly an issue of expectations, where the capacity of the Prius tank falls short of the published 11.9 gallons.

But it's not necessarily an unreasonable expectation. I'd be dissatisfied in the same way if my best FE was always substantially below the EPA ratings. At least with the FE, I could hope to improve my driving skills.

If Toyota had listed the capacity as 10 gallons the problem wouldn't exist for most owners.

If only, if only. Not a compelling argument. No, as soon as some Prius owners began reporting 12 gallon fillups, while others got 7.5, there would be the same dissatisfaction.

Paul

[KAR IDEA]

Originally Posted by PaulHS

Now I have a different problem. I drove 174 miles (at 62mpg) before the first pip disappeared.

Wow, that's great! The farthest I've driven on the first pip was 145 miles.

I always wait until the "Add Fuel" warning comes on. Then I fill up and usually get between 7 and 10 gallons. Lately, I've learned to drive my Prius by listening to it (using the force...) and altering my driving habits, and I've been getting over 400 miles on a tank, for the last 11 tanks, regardless of how many gallons the fill up was. The weather has probably had an influence on this as well. I have always just taken it on faith that the Prius warns me to add fuel, way in advance of actually needing it. I still believe that.

Regardless of whether my tank bladder is full or not (or whether it can ever be filled to capacity), I'm happy getting 400 plus miles out of 8 or 9 gallons.

http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/Hybrid13.pdf

Dave

[bbald123]

Originally Posted by PaulHS

My problem falls in with the majority where a fillup from virtual empty results in the gas gauge reading full but the gas pump reading substantially fewer gallons than expected. My car has had no other problems; no burping, no pump a gallon, rest, then pump again. I pump at the slowest rate and stop at the first click.

These are the exact circumstances in which I would expect you to have a problem filling. The bladder will be collapsed to the maximum extent possible with air filling all the "wrinkles" in the top of the bladder.

As gas is added, even if added slowly, the bladder will re-expand unevenly trapping air. As the tank gets near full, either the air will stop the fill prematurely or it will be slightly pressurized and cause a burp. Your slow fill makes sure the burp doesn't happen. Then when you drive a while the fuel sloshing allows the trapped air to escape through the charcoal canister.

There is no real advantage to draining the tank. In fact, there are distinct disadvantages. I fill at between 350-400 miles (3 pips-ish) and have had only one problem that I've layed at the feet of an over eager full detector on the pump.