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

fuel filler restriction

Discussion in 'Prime Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by jbcarey, Jan 16, 2020.

  1. jbcarey

    jbcarey Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2011
    45
    7
    0
    Location:
    Poughquag, NY
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    is there a flapper valve in the fuel filler tube? The other evening I stopped for fuel and the tank was still showing one bar, low level had not been tripped, as soon as I started to fuel, it shut off and was spitting out of the filler.
    the next day I stuck a long screwdriver into the filler tube and thought I felt something give way, I did not have a borescope to look but wonder if there is a flapper valve that may have gotten moist from condensation and froze.
    I went back to the gas station and filled up with no problem.
    if there is is a flapper valve I need to know.
    Thanks
    Jeff Carey
     
    #1 jbcarey, Jan 16, 2020
  2. FuelMiser

    FuelMiser Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2008
    1,268
    860
    0
    Location:
    Monument, CO
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    There is definitely a "flapper" in the fuel filler system. Read the Gen 4 Hatchback section for many discussions of the fuel filler system. This is the reason there is a warning about making sure you complete the filling operation within some time limit (30 minutes?) of opening the fuel filler cap. Otherwise the system closes back up.
     
    #2 FuelMiser, Jan 17, 2020
    jerrymildred likes this.
  3. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,491
    14,100
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    According to my manual it can take a few seconds before the tank is ready:
    And you have to finish within 30 minutes or the valve will close as @FuelMiser already pointed out.
    It's conceivable that the valve is hanging up for some reason. If you didn't start fueling super-quick (unlikely since my "ready to fuel" message comes up almost instantly) or wait a half hour after opening the fuel door, I'd take it to the dealer if it did it again.
     
    #3 jerrymildred, Jan 17, 2020
    Salamander_King likes this.
  4. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,964
    8,840
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    This issue has been brought up on different threads several times now. I can't find the thread now, but if I find it I will post it. This seems to happen most often when you accidentally "bump" the fuel door lock mechanism with the fuel pump nozzle. The car shut off the internal valve thinking the fuel door is now closed. You can reopen the valve by pressing the fuel filler door opener switch again as indicated in the manual.
     
    #4 Salamander_King, Jan 17, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2020
    jerrymildred likes this.
  5. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,964
    8,840
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    #5 Salamander_King, Jan 17, 2020
    jerrymildred likes this.
  6. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,491
    14,100
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Very good point. I forgot to mention that possibility because here in FL we don't have those humongous whatchamacallits on our pump nozzles. We have just basically a splash shield that doesn't come anywhere near that button, so I forgot all about it.
     
    #6 jerrymildred, Jan 17, 2020
    Salamander_King likes this.
  7. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,964
    8,840
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I think in the thread I mentioned above, someone who has 2019 PRIME showed us that Toyota have made an improvement on that fuel door locking button by installing a "guard" around it. So it is less likely to "bump" the button accidentally on later models. But OP has 2017 PRIME, so there is no guard on the button.
     
    #7 Salamander_King, Jan 17, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2020
    jerrymildred likes this.
  8. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,964
    8,840
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    #8 Salamander_King, Jan 17, 2020
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)