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

how do i open the gas tank door?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by jordan122342, Apr 20, 2008.

  1. jordan122342

    jordan122342 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2008
    12
    0
    0
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    sooooo....

    i feel stupid asking this......

    bought myself a new prius about 2 weeks ago, the dealer filled it with gas, driven it over 400 miles, ive got 2 blocks left on my fuel meter, and I need to go take it and fill it up... but i cant find the lever that opens the door.... where is it?

    sorry for being a n00b.....
     
  2. dbuchanan

    dbuchanan New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2008
    7
    0
    0
    Location:
    Greensboro NC
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Just open the driver's door and look inside just to the front left in front of the driver's seat - and there it will be - a black lever with white letters denoting that it is for the gas tank!:)
     
  3. mingoglia

    mingoglia Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2007
    846
    10
    0
    Location:
    Gilbert, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Did somebody not read the owner's manual? shame shame. :D
     
  4. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2004
    7,663
    1,037
    0
    Location:
    United States
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Are there any recent cars that don't have the fuel filler door lever in that same place?
     
  5. mingoglia

    mingoglia Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2007
    846
    10
    0
    Location:
    Gilbert, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Most cars don't have a fuel filler door lever. If someone hasn't owned a car with one then they may not know where it is. :) But yes, any car that I've seen that had one had it in the same place.
     
  6. Jiipa

    Jiipa MGySgt USMC (Ret)

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2008
    314
    2
    0
    Location:
    Oahu, Hawaii
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    My Miata had both the fuel filler door release and trunk release inside the center console under the arm rest.
     
  7. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,073
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Every car I've driven for the past 20 years has had one. That doesn't prove they are common, but at least they are common in the type of cars I drive.

    Tom
     
  8. mingoglia

    mingoglia Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2007
    846
    10
    0
    Location:
    Gilbert, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Perhaps domestic cars don't commonly have them? I've been driving for 16 years and the Prius is the very first car I've owned that has a fuel release. I've owned a lot of cars in that period of time. I currently own 5 cars and the Prius is the only one of the 5 that has it. The others are all domestic though, so perhaps that's the difference? I've only owned 1 vehicle that was not domestic (a Nissan)... although that did not have a release either. On edit, my '03 Porsche had a fuel release... I'd imagine European cars commonly have them as fuel prices in Europe have been high much longer than they have been in the U.S. so fuel theft via siphon is probably more common.

    Regardless, I'd imagine the thread starter and is like me and not used to a fuel door release.
     
  9. wchardin

    wchardin Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2008
    2,055
    3
    0
    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    ----USA----
    My 2006 Toyota 4Runner's fuel release is below the steering wheel, right next to the hood release, only way to see it is if you get of the car and crouch down and look. I have to remember to pull the one on the right, otherwise I look dumb at the pumps, well I look dumb at the pumps with a car that gets 15 MPG.
     
  10. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2004
    7,663
    1,037
    0
    Location:
    United States
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Well, hunh. Thanks!
     
  11. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,073
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    I did something like that last week. I reached down to adjust the steering wheel and pulled the hood release instead, so I had to get out, walk around, unlatch and then close the hood. It's always good to make sure it works once in a while. :rolleyes:

    Tom
     
  12. Drift Motion

    Drift Motion RMS13

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2005
    178
    0
    0
    Location:
    Pasadena/Riverside, CA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    lol...wow

    best post of the month?
    lol
     
  13. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2006
    7,028
    1,116
    0
    Location:
    South Jersey
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    The Intrigue has a button on the dash to pop the door so having it on the floor of the Prius is not intuitive to me. I stop so infrequently I forget where it is.
     
  14. wchardin

    wchardin Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2008
    2,055
    3
    0
    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    ----USA----
    Yeah, sometimes I play it off as checking the oil, or just making sure the engine is still there...
     
  15. My2008Prius

    My2008Prius Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2008
    96
    2
    0
    Location:
    Amelia Island / Fernandina Beach, FL
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    1985 Nissan 200SX, had the lever/push button to the left of the steering wheel under the dashboard.
    1991 Mazda MX-6 - had the lever on the left side of the driver's chair.
    1998 Toyota Camry LE - left side of the driver's chair

    That's all for the cars I've owned since '85....
     
  16. Earthling

    Earthling New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2006
    441
    11
    0
    Location:
    Somewhere, NY
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I made sure to ask to salesman at the dealer before I drove off in my new Prius.

    Why read a manual, when you can ask for the information? :)

    Harry
     
  17. abq sfr

    abq sfr New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2007
    690
    3
    0
    Location:
    Albuquerque, NM
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    You must have had a knowledgeable salesman. A lot of the ones experienced by PC members have no knowledge at all of the Prius... they just try to sell them (if there are some on the lot). I always initially read the owners manual when I get a new car... lots of stuff you will never know unless you do. Did you know about the hidden storage bins? (bottom front of console, trunk, etc).
     
  18. aaf709

    aaf709 Ravenpaw of ThunderClan

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2005
    3,862
    18
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2022 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    This thread reminds me of the Kia ads where the drivers forget which side the gas tank door is. :)
     
  19. HardCase

    HardCase SilverPineMica, the green one

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2007
    408
    10
    0
    Location:
    Kalispell, Montana
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius

    Ummmm, because salesmen frequently give incorrect information? :eek:
     
  20. legendx

    legendx New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2008
    12
    0
    0
    Location:
    Blacksburg, VA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius

    Make you sure you ask the dealer which side of the road to drive on and directions back to your house. I can't imagine asking the dealer, or anyone, how to open the gas tank. There are only like 4 places tops it could possibly be and if all else fails I'll look in the manual instead of making a fool of myself. Have some pride or at the very least some common sense.

    DYI is apparently going out of style.