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Ran Out of Gas With 5 Pips Showing

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by brucesax, Apr 13, 2010.

  1. brucesax

    brucesax Junior Member

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    My car died on me today. I pulled into a parking lot within .25 miles on battery only. Totally shut down with a dash full of warning lights. Had to have AAA carry car to dealer on rollback. Code showed out of gas but had 5 pips showing. Turned out to be a leaf blocking the sensor which told car that it was out of fuel. Fixed and recharged 2-hours and $105 later.

    Strange situation but good techs and Dealer.
     
    #1 brucesax, Apr 13, 2010
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    A leaf blocking the sensor...no way. I don't buy that explaination one bit. The fuel level sensor is much more complex than that and I can't imagine any way a single leaf, even if it did, somehow, get into your tank, could cause that problem.

    I'd be looking for a better explanation. What was/were the actual code(s) pulled?

    Do you think you should have been out of gas? How far had you gone on the last fill at what MPG?
     
    #2 efusco, Apr 13, 2010
  3. ljbad4life

    ljbad4life New Member

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    Maybe the leaf clogged the line (and not the sensor). which would starve the engine of gas and essentially shut the engine down. The sensor would still show the correct amount of gas, but the gas could not get past the clogged fuel line.The most pertinent question is how would such a large item get into your gas tank? sounds a little sabotage-esque to me
     
    #3 ljbad4life, Apr 13, 2010
  4. derkraut

    derkraut Member

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    Yup; something doesn't compute here. Did the dealer tell you about the "leaf" issue? Something's rotten in Denmark, I think. For $107.00, I would go back to that dealer and ask for a more detailed explanation, and get the specific code readouts.
     
    #4 derkraut, Apr 13, 2010
  5. Mylar

    Mylar Member

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    The leaf could have entered the fuel system from a contaminated fuel tank at the filling station. Seems very logical to me :)
     
    #5 Mylar, Apr 13, 2010
  6. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

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    The only way to find out if there is a leaf in the tank is to take the gas tank completely apart. No way they will charge only $105.


     
    #6 bedrock8x, Apr 14, 2010
  7. hschuck

    hschuck Member

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    The blockage could have been downstream from the tank and much more assessable.
     
    #7 hschuck, Apr 14, 2010
  8. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Welcome to PC bruceax ... sorry for your experience. Any chance that the tech mentioned how a leaf got in there? I mean this IS spring time. Maybe if this were Autumn? / Fall? ... and refilling your tank at a station with trees near by? on a windy day so they'd be blowing your way? I duno. What do YOU think.

    .
     
    #8 hill, Apr 14, 2010
  9. Tom Banjo

    Tom Banjo New Member

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    Gas from the gas station tanks goes through a filter in the pump prior to getting in your car. Most gas nozzles are fairly tight fitting, as many states require the fumes to be prevented from esacaping during filling. That is not to say a leaf can't get in a tank, but it is unlikely.

    I do not know where or how many filters there are for the Prius gas system, some cars have two, one at the tank, and another near the engine. More likely sediment or the unidentifiable remains of a leaf blocked something. I doubt they pulled a whole leaf out of anywhere in the fuel system.

    In any case, most likely would not be a warranty issue, so $107 might be cheap. It is possible they have no idea and that is a story to explain why it happened. If it happens again, obviously, you have lots of leaves in your gas tank.
     
    #9 Tom Banjo, Apr 14, 2010
  10. brucesax

    brucesax Junior Member

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    I reviewed the repair ticket this morning after all of the comments. It states "Cleared leaf from airflow meter and cleared codes."
     
    #10 brucesax, Apr 14, 2010
  11. priushippie

    priushippie New Member

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    It must have been a Nissan Leaf! I new they would be trouble for the Prius!
     
    #11 priushippie, Apr 14, 2010
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  12. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Well that's a whole different issue and is not related to running out of gas.

    Tom
     
    #12 qbee42, Apr 14, 2010
  13. Politburo

    Politburo Active Member

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    Leaf still shouldn't have gotten by the air filter though..
     
    #13 Politburo, Apr 14, 2010
  14. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Sounds like carelessness when installing the last engine air filter: not completely securing the cover (which can be caused by putting in the filter upside-down), or maybe making a hole in the filter.
     
    #14 richard schumacher, Apr 14, 2010
  15. brucesax

    brucesax Junior Member

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    Careless filter installation sounds plausible to me. I just purchased the car 5-months ago and the previous owner had just had a oil / filter service prior to purchase.

    I was told that the code read out of fuel. But, in further inspection, they found the leaf as the true culprit.

    The techs and dealer performed the service late in the day , which they did not have to do.

    Positive techs but a very sensitive car.
     
    #15 brucesax, Apr 14, 2010
  16. Codyroo

    Codyroo Senior Member

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    You beat me to that one!
     
    #16 Codyroo, Apr 14, 2010
  17. CharlesJ

    CharlesJ Member

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    #17 CharlesJ, Apr 16, 2010
  18. KTPhil

    KTPhil Active Member

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    "Airflow meter" in the fuel system?

    Or was it a leaf in the mass air flow sensor? And how did it get past the air cleaner?
     
    #18 KTPhil, Apr 16, 2010
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