1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

When to fill up

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by 4rpr15, Aug 30, 2015.

  1. Kermit262

    Kermit262 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2010
    112
    45
    0
    Location:
    Central Ohio
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Shortly after getting my first Prius (funny saying that - just bought a Prius "v" two days ago) I read on the awesome Prius Chat forums that, provided you reset your trip computer at each fill-up, if you multiply your MPG by 10, the result will be the number of miles you can conservatively go on that tank. The number 10 was chosen because it is conservative (it's an 11.9 gallon tank) and it allows you to do the mental calculation easily. So for example, if your MPG is 57.2, multiply that by 10 and you know that you can go 572 miles - conservatively. I've done this for every fill-up (152) and have never run out of gas, plus have the benefit of fewer visits to the gas station. :)
     
    4rpr15 likes this.
  2. 4rpr15

    4rpr15 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2015
    1,056
    375
    0
    Location:
    WI
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Do you mean you leave the B trip and reset the A trip?
     
  3. Kermit262

    Kermit262 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2010
    112
    45
    0
    Location:
    Central Ohio
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    It does't matter which one you reset. Personally, I always use the B trip. It's the one I reset for my fill-ups and the one that's on all the time so that I can monitor my MPG. My A trip has never been reset. I like that it displays my lifetime MPG.
     
    4rpr15 likes this.
  4. 4rpr15

    4rpr15 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2015
    1,056
    375
    0
    Location:
    WI
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Gotcha. I reset A and leave B as the lifetime display.
     
  5. HGS

    HGS Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2015
    307
    122
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two

    The trip A is reset when the 5,000 mile light is reset, from what I've read. I also read there is another way to reset the maintenance light without resetting trip A. What is the real deal about this?

    I purchased my Prius used and have not had to do this yet.
     
  6. Kermit262

    Kermit262 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2010
    112
    45
    0
    Location:
    Central Ohio
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I have never heard that. I bought my 2010 Prius new and my trip A has never been reset.
     
    4rpr15 likes this.
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I'm almost invariably in familiar territory, but still have a rule: any time I'm rolling by a Chevron and gauge is even slightly below half, I pull in and fill up. And this is maybe every 3~4 weeks, so no big deal.

    What was the question again? :ROFLMAO:
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    you can reset the 'maintenance required' message by putting trip a on the display, shutting the car off, hold down the kph/mph button and turning the car on. you will see a progress line go across the screen, and the message disappear. i don't think it resets trip a automatically.
     
  9. HGS

    HGS Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2015
    307
    122
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two

    Thanks. That's good to know it will not clear out Trip A.
     
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    if you take it to the dealer for the maintenance needed, they might clear out trip a though.:cool:
     
    fuzzy1 and Mendel Leisk like this.
  11. HGS

    HGS Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2015
    307
    122
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Going to a dealer, for me, that will never happen unless it's there for traction battery warranty work (53,000 miles to go). I can not tell you how much I dislike dealers. I enjoy working on my car and truck.

    But, thanks for the "heads ups".

    Cheers!
     
    bisco likes this.
  12. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2006
    5,963
    1,979
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton Alberta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Several members of this forum have run the car out of fuel. Search for that and you will find it's not a good idea. None of them have damaged the fuel pump (that they currently know of) but I suppose it is possible. It is cooled by the fuel flowing through it.

    When in town I fill up around half a tank. When on a trip, I fill up when it's below half a tank, I'm stopping anyway, and the fuel station looks "professional" (some of them look like they are run as a hobby). The Prius uses so little fuel I don't really care what the price is.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    All this talk about trip meters, there's one I really like, pretty bullet-proof: the odometer.
     
    fuzzy1 likes this.
  14. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It depends on how fumble-figured the oil change guy is. Or the driver.
    My 2010 was reset by shops twice. And by the driver more times than that. That is why my lifetime MPGs are based on paper fuel logs (entered into spreadsheets), not on a simple trip meter.

    My new Subaru does have a lifetime MPG display separate from Trip A/B, and far more difficult to accidentally reset.
     
  15. Kermit262

    Kermit262 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2010
    112
    45
    0
    Location:
    Central Ohio
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    All of my fuel logs are also recorded separately. But I like to keep the running lifetime total of the car's record to compare it against mine. The car reads 51.x, and actual is 49.x (I'm not at my car right now to look).
     
  16. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    7,668
    6,483
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    When to fill up
    Whenever you want to.
    The G3 has an 11.8 gallon tank.
    I usually go until the low fuel warning, and then I go another 40 miles or so and I'm able to put about 10 gallons in the tank at the first click.

    That means that for my car (a 2010) I have well over a gallon in the tank remaining
    YMMV.

    I wouldn't worry about the fuel pump.
    I'm thinking that the fuel inside the pump does most of the cooling, and Prius drivers are always making Olympic tank distance performances:
    600 Mile Club | PriusChat
    700 Mile Club | PriusChat
    800+ Mile Club | PriusChat

    In my 5 years of Priusdom I've not heard of anybody zorching their fuel pump.
    Not once.
    I have heard of more than one person sucking a tank dry...and with all of these people wanting to brag about putting all of these miles on one tank, I'm guessing that if there were a real danger of damaging the car, at least one of these members would have done so by now, so be not afraid!

    Fill it up when YOU want to. :)
     
    fuzzy1 likes this.
  17. HGS

    HGS Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2015
    307
    122
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I may be odd-man-out, I don't track my mileage, other than seeing what my individual trip was and not resetting my trip "B".

    I just don't care right down to the mile what I'm getting. As long as it's somewhere around 40 to 55 depending on that day, I'm happy. I sit in the car while my wife shops (with the air conditioning on), and that brings down the mileage. I bought this car because we're moving and I will have a 35 mile commute each way to work. My 4x4 truck gets about 14 mpg. My fuel savings will pay for the Prius.

    Also, I like high tech stuff, so this car is right up my alley. Waiting for a self driving car. Wish I had the lane keeping and auto brakes option.
     
    lar.smith42 likes this.
  18. 4rpr15

    4rpr15 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2015
    1,056
    375
    0
    Location:
    WI
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Sitting in the car with the AC on? How do you mean it helps mileage? I am new to the Prius ...:)
     
  19. HGS

    HGS Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2015
    307
    122
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Sitting with the AC on makes the gas mileage worse. Over all, the Prius AC is very efficient. On auto with low demand it draws as little as 650 watts of electrical power. When the traction battery gets to about 40% the ICE starts up to recharge the TB up to about 45 - 50%. When the battery is back down to 40% it goes through the cycle again.

    I am attaching a picture of my EngineLink HD IPad app that I monitor. It shows the AC horse power demand on the battery.

    image.jpg
     
    bisco likes this.
  20. 4rpr15

    4rpr15 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2015
    1,056
    375
    0
    Location:
    WI
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Gotcha thanks!