Prius Fuel tracking

[jkm750]

I am writing this because I feel the fuel gauge that Toyota is totally useless. I am hoping someone who has done some programming on the prius can help out. I think it would be more useful is there was a gauge that told you how many miles you had till you ran out of gas verses a blinking square that just makes you think you are running out of gas but still have about 100 miles to go. I have looked in several places to see if anyone has asked this question. I am surprised with all the technology that they so not have a glass like cockpit like in airplanes. I love the car and all it does but feel these would be huge improvements to the car for us who like to see gauges.

[john1701a]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jkm750 @ Nov 18 2006, 11:16 PM) [snapback]351597[/snapback]</div>

I think it would be more useful is there was a gauge that told you how many miles you had till you ran out of gas verses a blinking square that just makes you think you are running out of gas but still have about 100 miles to go.
[/b]

You are far from the first person to ever want to push beyond the standard "blink at 8" capacity. Toyota intentionally programmed it that way to help deter owners from running out of gas... which was much more frequent in the old days when the gauge did in fact wait longer before blinking.

Even if you were only getting 40 MPG, indication to refill would be past the industry accepted 300-mile threshold. So you'd have to come up with a darn good argument to want more. To this day, no one has. Protecting the battery-pack from accelerated aging has always been a higher priority. Sorry.

[jkm750]

I am writing this because I feel thats the fuel gauge that Toyota provides is totally useless. I am hoping someone who has done some programming on the prius can help out. I think it would be more useful if there was a gauge that told you how many miles you had till you ran out of gas verses a blinking square that just makes you think you are running out of gas but still have about 100 miles to go. I have looked in several places to see if anyone has asked this question. I am surprised with all the technology that they they have in this car that they have not incorporated a glass like cockpit like in airplanes with all the gagues. I love the car and all it does but feel these would be huge improvements to the car for us who like to see gauges and what is going on inside the car. Maybe my alternitive is the can232. I was justreading that and think I am going to order that and put it on the touch screen. sorry the original post I did half asleep.

[panda]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Nov 19 2006, 02:16 AM) [snapback]351622[/snapback]</div>

You are far from the first person to ever want to push beyond the standard "blink at 8" capacity. Toyota intentionally programmed it that way to help deter owners from running out of gas... which was much more frequent in the old days when the gauge did in fact wait longer before blinking.

Even if you were only getting 40 MPG, indication to refill would be past the industry accepted 300-mile threshold. So you'd have to come up with a darn good argument to want more. To this day, no one has. Protecting the battery-pack from accelerated aging has always been a higher priority. Sorry.
[/b]

Hey, nice web site, John. Are all those Prius owners your family/friends?

We just bought our 2006 Prius on November 5th. I have driven over 900 miles since then, and each time I get in the car I find myself either thinking or saying to myself; "I *love* this car!"

I have filled up twice now, and what a wonderful experience that was.

The first time I filled up, there was 2 squares showing and then when I got to the gas station there was only 1 square showing. I read the manual about *not* running out of gas, and I got nervous. The second time I filled up I had 3 squares showing. What is the 'safe' limit? 1 square? 2? 1 blinking?

Thanks for the input!

Pat
a
n
d
Arlene

[sgails]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jkm750 @ Nov 19 2006, 12:16 AM) [snapback]351597[/snapback]</div>

I am writing this because I feel the fuel gauge that Toyota is totally useless. I am hoping someone who has done some programming on the prius can help out. I think it would be more useful is there was a gauge that told you how many miles you had till you ran out of gas verses a blinking square that just makes you think you are running out of gas but still have about 100 miles to go. I have looked in several places to see if anyone has asked this question. I am surprised with all the technology that they so not have a glass like cockpit like in airplanes. I love the car and all it does but feel these would be huge improvements to the car for us who like to see gauges.
[/b]

I am sorry but I don't see why the fuel gauge is a big deal. We are adults and responsible for filling our tanks. Why do you want to get down so low anyways? I always fill mine when 1/2 empty or just below. It's not good to run your tanks so low on gas with winter coming. If in doubt fill it up!!

[jstack]

If you are that low it would be hard for anyone to acuratly predict how far you could go. If it was up hill or you drive like a teenager using moms gas it could be 30 miles. If you drive smart like me it could be 200 miles.
All the prius can do is start to warn you. If you chose to wait until the last mile that's your choice.

[DaveinOlyWA]

i think the blinking bar is a safe way to fill as long as you are planning to stop within a few miles or so.

with CANVIEW you have the additional information that breaks down the tank into 2½% increments. the blinking bar on the 2004 started at about 12% so there was quite a bit left in the tank. some here reported going more than 100 miles (not realistic or recommended) before refueling.

but there MAYBE growing evidence that the newer models (probably 06 and up) may have the blinking bar starting at 6%. so i recommend the blinking bar OR when its convenient at 2 bars. even at the onset of two bars most will still have 400 miles and most likely more.

on my Corolla, 400 miles was obtained about 3 times in the 170,000 that it was in my family

[walt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jkm750 @ Nov 19 2006, 12:16 AM) [snapback]351597[/snapback]</div>

I am writing this because I feel the fuel gauge that Toyota is totally useless. I am hoping someone who has done some programming on the prius can help out. I think it would be more useful is there was a gauge that told you how many miles you had till you ran out of gas verses a blinking square that just makes you think you are running out of gas but still have about 100 miles to go. I have looked in several places to see if anyone has asked this question. I am surprised with all the technology that they so not have a glass like cockpit like in airplanes. I love the car and all it does but feel these would be huge improvements to the car for us who like to see gauges.
[/b]

The car has a variable sized bladder, not a fixed capacity tank. It doesn't know how much gas is left!

Think about your trips and when you might want to get gas at two pips.
Get gas "soon" at one pip.
Get gas NOW! at blinking pip.

[jkm750]

It is not that I am running the car out of gas or even close to that. As I like to see what is going on with the car the bar gauge is a useless device. I track my gas by miles driven. I is nice to know how many miles I have left till I run out. Kinda like when your friends with the big trucks can see that you can go 400+ on a tank of gas. My buddy has a Dodge ram that tells him DTE (distance till empty). Like I said the digital bar graph is far harder to read than an analog gauge. Toyota did so much to impress people on how well the car gets on gas millage and then they stick a digital bar graph in the car. A better use of that space could just be you have X amount of miles to go. I am sure there are other people out there that would agree.

[Frank Hudon]

check the gas tank in the wife's 2k4 Prius.