So how much gas DO I have left???

In answer to how far you can go: nobody knows. It can be different for each tank and depends on weather, amount of fuel you got in the tank at last fill, and how/where you drive. The Prius gas gauge being named "The Guess Gauge" is well deserved unfortunately.

 

I have filled up 5 times now only 2 times to the blinking light. Both times put almost exactly 10 gals in (10.06 And 10.04) but don't know how much was left. Winters are not as cold in east texas as elsewhere so bladder is not affected as much here. I don't think I'm going to run dry to find out how much is left. Just fillup when the light is blinking or before.

 

You should really fill up when there are at least two bars still lit. Sure, you can go some more, but why? The "guess gage" has a mind of it's own and is basically a good estimate.

I have never seen mine below two bars.

 

Mathematically, you might have 100 miles, reality might be entirely different. And is it worth running out of gas to find out? Realize you are making the following assumptions

1) Your current mileage was going to continue at the MPG you were getting.

2) You filled your tank to capacity (whatever the capacity was given the bladder, temperature, etc) when you went to the gas station after your light was blinking.

3) The "guess gauge" is calibrated properly and is reading your fuel level accurately.

My question to pose to you is this. Did you calculate your mileage from the pump and odometer and compare it to the computer? Were they close or way off? It may be that the gas pump in question shut off prematurely and you could have put in another 1.5 gallons of gas. That being said, it is better to not fill past the initial shut off (there are many threads about barfing gas tanks and spilling fuel into the carbon canister and having to spend hundreds of dollars to replace it).

Just be careful monitoring the guess gauge/range for this current tank, if the car didn't get a full tank, you might have much less of a range.

 

Maybe, maybe not. The only way to have known for certain is to have run out of gas.

I've seen some people post that they got more than 11.9 gal. at the BLINKING pip. I've seen some people claim less than 8 gal. I've never gotten more than 10.6 and I haven't gotten more than 9.3 since winter started. My average fill up over 65 fill-ups has been 8.47 gal, but many of those fill-ups were with 2 pips and a few fill-ups had more than 2 pips.

Yes.

I've never run out yet, so I don't know. If/when I get to the blinking pip I get to the nearest gas station I can find. Usually less than 4 miles.

After the blinking pip, things get very unpredictable. Some claim to have managed over 100 miles, others claim to have run out in less than 20. I wish you luck in your endeavor, but you might want to consider carrying a spare gallon with you, just in case.

 

Do you feel lucky, punk? <said with a Clink Eastwood accent> You don't know, I don't know, no one knows. When the gas gauge says to get gas, get gas, and stop trying to guess.

Tom

 

+ 1

I don't know why people are so fascinated by trying to extend the range. I don't think its worth the risk. I typically go about 350 mi and then refill.

 

One interesting POV is this:
1. You know how much gas you put in at the last fuelling;
2. You can use the MFD to get an accurate (within 5%) record of usage.

So you should always be able to take (last fill)*(MFD MPG) and go that many miles before you're back to the fuel state of the last fill.

Having said that, I tend to wait until the blinking pip to refuel (at least in-town, where there are stations every mile or sooner) and usually believe that I have 30-60 miles left when the last pip is blinking. Haven't run out of fuel yet...

 

in general you should never assume that you have more gas in your tank then what you previously pumped into it.
I once ran out of gas and on a chilly night, wasn't even able to squeeze 10 gallons in there from completely empty.

 

Best not to guess! I ran out of gas on the interstate, immediately took an exit (no station at the interchange), drove about a mile (yes, all of this on battery only) and the poor thing gave out about 75 yards (downhill) from the gas station - A very nice local in small town NC immediately pulled up behind me, took his gas can out of the back of his pickup, put in probably 2 gallons, and wouldn't take any money for his trouble and gas (lucky me). NOW when the darn thing beeps the first time, I bat it like a drug-crazed turtle to the first station I can find.

 

What is a drug crazed turtle like?

 

Pat - What the heck is this thing?

Pat Sparks' 1967 Lightburn Runabout

 

From my readings here on PC, I've heard that the Prius does not take kindly to being driven after it runs out of gas - with issues like potentially killing your battery pack! (and voiding the warranty too!)
It's nice that it doesn't stop dead if you do run down to 0 dinosaurs; so you can coast to the side of the road; but I definitely wouldn't recommend trying to run "EV mode" to the gas station. And it's decidedly un-nice that it is capable of being driven so much further on zero that it breaks things

When the last blip is lit, it's time to fill up. Now.

 

Ready, willing, anxious, paranoid, and looking for gas regardless of the cost! -- and no, using electric only after running out of gas is NOT the thing to do to our Prius friends (There's something in the Bible about I do the very things I don't want to do!?!) Yes, we're all sinners. Sorry.