How much gas is in the tank at the last bar on the fuel gauge?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(noelty @ Jul 14 2007, 09:00 AM) [snapback]478606[/snapback]</div>

It turns out that the Prius uses a rubber bladder for its gas tank. This means that fillups are highly variable depending on temperature, pumping speed of gas, pump used, and type of music on the radio (ummm. . . maybe not the last one). Basically, this means that you can never know how many gallons of gas are in the tank, and it's probably quite rare that it reaches it's nominal 11.9 gallon capacity under "normal" pumping conditions.

It is possible that this is the most discussed topic on this discussion board, so if you search around a bit, you can find out more about it. I basically just ignore the issue and accept that, functionally, I have a tank that's smaller than 11.9 gallons.

 

Total capacity and usable capacity are always different for fuel tanks, even ones without the bladder. For the U.S. version of the Prius, the total or gross fuel tank capacity is 11.9 gallons. The usable capacity is less. I use 10 gallons for my standard, although you can use a bit more than that. I prefer to not push my luck. If Toyota had simply stated the usable capacity at 10 gallons, there would be none of this complaining. The problem is one of false expectations.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(noelty @ Jul 14 2007, 10:15 AM) [snapback]478611[/snapback]</div>

Read the fine owner's manual. It has ALL the specifications of the car, plus a whole bunch more information.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chuck_k @ Jul 14 2007, 10:17 AM) [snapback]478637[/snapback]</div>

And yet it manages to present some info in misleading ways, thus these endless how-much-gas-is-left discussions, or how much oil is *really* needed during an oil change.

 

Do a search in Priuschat on "Guess Gage" for the full answer.

 

FYI, according to countless posts in this forum, more Prius drivers run out of gas than drivers of other cars.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jamarimutt @ Jul 14 2007, 07:02 PM) [snapback]478799[/snapback]</div>

yeah. It's amazing how many people think driving a hybrid means "I have to squeeze every mile out of it before I fill it with gas, even if that means running out of gas in the middle of the road!"

 

Just remember that all gas guages provide relative results. What is one bar in my car is most likely different than one bar in yours.

The bottom line is that on one bar, you better be looking for a gas station quick.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jamarimutt @ Jul 14 2007, 07:02 PM) [snapback]478799[/snapback]</div>

Can you provide scientific evidence of this?

 

Technically speaking the last bar should be 1.2 gallons, but I wouldn't count on that at all.

 

typically I find that I can go about 500 miles between fill ups. This gives me a few miles on blink and I consistently fill up with apx 10.5 gallons.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jewelerdave @ Jul 24 2007, 12:54 AM) [snapback]484008[/snapback]</div>

The distance these things can travel is amazing. I'm a taxi driver and get about 600km per half tank. I try not to let it go under the half though. Also i Believe the Prius sold in europe has a different size tank to the prius sold in the US. and THAT tank is of different size to the one sold in Asia etc. Could be wrong. Has happened before.

 

Here is another point to consider when discussing how much fuel remains with one bar. Yesterday I was at one bar and ended up adding $10 worth of fuel at $3.29/gal. That's why I added only $10 worth - the station was $0.16/gal more than Traverse City, but I needed the gas. Anyway, the $10 addition failed to move the one bar to two bars, so remember that small additions of fuel will not always register.

Tom

 

It seems that every Prius is different to me.

I always take my current MPG and multiply it by 2 when my light starts blinking as long as my MPG is not on a downward trend.

Even on my long trips to Texas and California I have not run out of gas using this caclualtion I have had times of more then 110 miles on blinking bar.

On long trips I always keep an extra 3 gallons of gas just in case I run out.

3 gallons is the point that I have found that is enough to get the guess gauge to change at least on my car. I put 2 gallons in once and it didn't change.

The most I have ever filled up is 11.8 gallons and using my calculation methods I usualy fill up with 11 to 11.4 gallons.