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How Much Fuel is Left at Warning Level?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by ngc4565, Jan 26, 2012.

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  1. ngc4565

    ngc4565 Member

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    How much fuel is left when the warning sounds in a Gen III Prius? We hit the warning for the first time last weekend. The MFD was reporting 25 miles to empty, yet we were only able to add 9.7 gallons. It would appear that there were actually two gallons left in the tank. Are other Gen III drivers seeing similar results?
     
    #1 ngc4565, Jan 26, 2012
  2. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Yup, that's in the ballpark. Mine typically takes 9.2 to 9.7 gal. LOTS of threads on "how long can I really go?" so check them out as running dry can be worse than a non-hybrid.
     
    #2 fotomoto, Jan 26, 2012
  3. ngc4565

    ngc4565 Member

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    I understand the danger of running dry, but the real question is whether or not it is ok to run it until the warning sounds. I always do this with my Civic. Two gallons seems like more than enough of a safety cushion for finding gas, but at what point might one encounter the possibility of overheating the fuel pump?
     
    #3 ngc4565, Jan 26, 2012
  4. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

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    In a nutshell, you have about 2 gallons left, give or take a quart. You can drive about a100 miles give or take 10 miles. You should goto a gas station within 75 miles after the last pip started flashing.
     
    #4 cproaudio, Jan 26, 2012
  5. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    This is about normal, as found in this thread: [WARNING] Running out of gas (Gen III). Note that the real story of what happens when fuel runs out is buried deep in the thread.

    Beware that is is a typical case, not a worst case. I don't recall the earliest a Gen3 has run dry, but PC does have a Gen2 user who ran dry just 7 miles after the warning, and a Gen1 user who ran dry before the warning with two bars still showing on the gauge.

    The typical Gen3 Prius fuel range after the low fuel warning appears typical of all my old non-hybrids except one. That one ran dry with the fuel needle still above 'E'.

    I have no idea when the fuel pump might actually overheat.
     
    #5 fuzzy1, Jan 26, 2012
  6. ToSeek

    ToSeek New Member

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    I drove my Prius about 15 miles after the warning beep before stopping for gas, then filled up with 9.8 gallons.
     
    #6 ToSeek, Jan 27, 2012
  7. ToSeek

    ToSeek New Member

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    That link goes right back to this thread. The thread is actually here.
     
    #7 ToSeek, Jan 27, 2012
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  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    ^^ Fixed my post.
     
    #8 fuzzy1, Jan 27, 2012
  9. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Gen 3s don't have a bladder so will be much more consistent about when they run out of gas than Gen 2s.

    The fuel pump is cooled by gasoline being pumped right through the pump motor, it will overheat when you start pumping air.
     
    #9 xs650, Jan 27, 2012
  10. ngc4565

    ngc4565 Member

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    This seems like a really good thread on this topic: Pumped 11.5 Gallons today

    I sense that running it down to that last bar is not a problem at all, and there are still two gallons remaining when the warning sounds. My experience with several cars of different brands suggests that they all lie about miles to empty once the fuel level goes below a certain level.
     
    #10 ngc4565, Jan 27, 2012
  11. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Just enough to get to a gas station (that will be closed). -I- fill up much before the warning. Whether a GII or a GIII.

    I -still- don't understand why so many of you push the "fuel to empty" scenario. Is there an unreported large number of muggings at gas stations? ;)
     
    #11 David Beale, Jan 28, 2012
  12. ngc4565

    ngc4565 Member

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    It's really not so much about pushing the limit as it is about knowing what the real limit is. Armed with that knowledge you can push the limit if circumstances demand it. There are certain advantages to running the tank full cycle as well.
     
    #12 ngc4565, Jan 29, 2012
  13. Old Drum

    Old Drum New Member

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    I have pout in about 9.7, too.

    I would be embarrassed running out of gas in my Prius.

    It is good to know I have about a gallon and a half left, but I really don't want to find out.
     
    #13 Old Drum, Jan 29, 2012
  14. ockevin

    ockevin Active Member

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    I drove mine until it read 0 miles till empty. I was looking for a gas station and the gps found 2 that were no longer there. I drove another 5 miles to the next gas station and I filled up...only 9.7 gallons to fill it up. I even topped it off good to be sure.
     
    #14 ockevin, Jan 29, 2012
  15. Judgeless

    Judgeless Senior Member

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    There are over 1,000 threads on this.
     
    #15 Judgeless, Jan 29, 2012
  16. ngc4565

    ngc4565 Member

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    This illustrates my basic point of understanding where the limits really are. You went looking for gas immediately, perhaps with a heightened state of anxiety, but for no good reason.
     
    #16 ngc4565, Jan 29, 2012
  17. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    Since the original thread is linked within and links to some very repeatable test results, closing this thread.
     
    #17 HTMLSpinnr, Jan 29, 2012
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