Please report your safety related problem to NHTSA !!!

I don't consider this a safety issue. There was a TSB that in some way also affected the gas gauge I think but it was quite a time back. And not that many people are reporting running out of gas with the tank showing a "substantial" amount left. In fact, I've only read one. Most people running out of gas are running with one pip blinking.

I also used to run my previous cars to E (and sometimes beyond.)

Yes, the bladder isn't as accurate as a tank. For the economy and cleanilness, I'm willing to accept it and change my driving habits.

When the car shows one pip on the tank...fill up. If the pip starts to blink, fill up immediately.

It's that simple.

You'll be filling up less often, so who cares if you run the last drop of gas out of the car or not.

And if you so, you can still drive a bit on battery. But I wouldn't chance it.

 

well, one (of the two threads) you refer to appears to be a dealer competency issue, and on top of that not a gas gauge issue. the car misbehaved after fueling, which does not constitute an instance of running out of gas with two bars.

the other is a completely different issue altogether, but also seems that the dealer was rather useless being that they couldn't provide details on what was wrong with the car or apparently what they did to correct it, though that was not mentioned in the thread.

noone has gotten to the bottom of either, and likely the cause of each is different. this is no consistent problem.

no need to be alarmist here.

manufacturers are the ones reponsible for initiating recalls, whether they're required to or not is at the discretion of the nhtsa. and tsb's are released to the dealerships when technical support notes a certain number of cars coming in with the same problem and the same fix- they state what the symptoms are, what the problem is, and how to fix it. they don't issue a tsb for something as rare as this.

 

I also do not believe this is a TBS issue. And it is not because I am a Prius "nut" or fanatic but just because I don't believe it is a safety issue. You say you have run previous cars down to empty and beyond. Why would anyone do that with any car??????? I have been driving a Prius since 2001 and have never had a fuel filling problem or any other "safety" issue with the cars. Maybe I am lucky. I agree with the doctor. Wait until you have driven the car for a while and see if you have any problem then let us know. Until then I see no reason to try to start a letter writing campaign.

 

what problem ? the only "problem" with the gas gauge is your inability to read it. Hint : when there is one pip showing on the gas gauge, fill it up.

 

Sorry, but I wouldn't waste my or other people's time reporting that I ran out of gas because I couldn't figure out that I should add gas when the gauge gets to 1 pip.

Thanks,
Shawn

 

The gas gauge is a bit wonky, especially at the TOP end (shows full for 100+ miles). Fill when you have 2 or less, and if it's blinking, fill NOW. This is no different than in my lemon of a 2000 Volvo, which also showed a full tank for proportionally too long. The issue isn't that people run out of gas because they run out on 2 pips, it's that they think they can somehow "outfox" the gas tank by knowing their "realtime mileage" and make assumptions about how full "full" was when they last filled and calculating that "full" meant over 11 gallons in the tank. Gas gauges are by design not terribly accurate; just because it's electonic "pips" instead of a little red mechanical arm bouncing around doesn't make this a safety issue.

Fill when you're below a quarter tank and you won't run out of gas. Period. This really isn't a safety issue. Period.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(edselpdx @ Aug 5 2006, 04:30 PM) [snapback]298328[/snapback]</div>

Pretty much in agreement, BUT: When you say gas guages are BY DESIGN not terribly accurate (and I assume you're talking about all cars, not just the Prius?), are you really saying that the innaccuracy of gas guages is purposeful intent on the part of car manufacturers? For what possible reason would they want to do that? Not doubting you (well maybe a little), just stunned and curious!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mynew06 @ Aug 5 2006, 02:04 PM) [snapback]298342[/snapback]</div>

You have correctly attacked the grammar of my post. I just mean that none of them are designed well...not that they are INTENDED to make you run out of gas. I've never run out of gas in xxx decades of driving (number intentionally left blank to protect my youthful identity).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(edselpdx @ Aug 5 2006, 05:12 PM) [snapback]298347[/snapback]</div>

Gotcha. (You may be protecting your youthful identity by not printing the decades you've been driving, while simultaneously giving it away with the "Edsel" in your user name!)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mynew06 @ Aug 5 2006, 02:21 PM) [snapback]298355[/snapback]</div>

Hey, the "edsel" was the name of my dog, who was, of course named after a red and white 1960 Edsel Ranger hardtop that I test drove, but never bought... The car WAS older than me, though.

 

This whole thread is silly.

To me, it just sounds that he's annoyed that he can't continue to do his "run it below empty" foolishness. Tough.

 

zzz

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ Aug 5 2006, 02:37 PM) [snapback]298366[/snapback]</div>

I have to agree here. There's no safety issue. Seems like virtually everyone who has run out of gas has done so due to user error: continuing to drive and not get gas while on the last blinking pip. Solution: fill up ASAP when down to 2 pips and do NOT wait if down to the last one.

I've not run out of gas in my Prius yet (at almost 9000 miles yet) or any car I've ever owned or driven.

If there were a widespread issue where the car would run out of gas while indicating say 1/4 or 1/2 tank, then that might be something.

 

I've run out of gas 2 times and almost a third time. I just don't see any problem. I ran out with my other cars too.

In the case of the Prius the 2 run outs were done on purpose to check how the gauge in my car works.

Gauge alway read as expected all the way down to empty. Got down to last blinking pip and was out and stopped within 20 to 40 miles. Both times.

Third time when I got really low, I know it was about out not because the engine stopped but because I pumped in over 12.4 gallons.

Gauge told me I was almost out too and was blinking. I was on a trip and the gas station I had planned to fill up at was closed and I had to try to make the next one.

As others have said. Everything should work if you fill by the 1 bar point, or immediately if it gets to blinking.