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Car's ICE turned itself off and refused to start

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Vagabond, Jan 31, 2006.

  1. Vagabond

    Vagabond Active Member

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    Car's ICE turned itself off on the freeway and refused to turn itself on again.

    I was able to coast on electric power and to a gas station, I figured the car ran out of gas so I filled it up and it only took a little more than 9 gallons, so I know I had gas. All the lights on my dash lit up and after a little I hit the power button and the ICE turned on to recharge the battery. I've heard of 04's turning them-selves off, but late 05's? From what I was able to find, the car was built in October 05.
     
    #1 Vagabond, Jan 31, 2006
  2. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    With the variability of the bladder and guess gauge, and the fact that it started after you filled the tank, it seems plausible. What did your gauge say?
     
    #2 Bill Merchant, Jan 31, 2006
  3. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    I concur with Bill.
    But if you wish to ease your mind, take the car to the dealer and have them check the diagnostic codes. If there are any, it may say you ran out of gas or ??? :eek:
     
    #3 Sufferin' Prius Envy, Jan 31, 2006
  4. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I third it. You ran out of usable gas. There's around 1.5 gallon unusable reserve in the tank and given the variability of the bladder, filler neck, etc it's quite plausible that you were out of gas and could onlyget about 9 gallons back in.

    How long had that last fuel bar been blinking when the car quit?
     
    #4 efusco, Jan 31, 2006
  5. micheal

    micheal I feel pretty, oh so pretty.

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    If you coun't on having 11.9 gallons of gas in the tank when you fill up, you will run out of gas. Unless you do like some and keep on pumping long after the first click.

    A good rule of thumb is to figure you have roughly 10 gallons in the warmer months and 8-9 gallons in colder months (depending on how cold it is).
     
    #5 micheal, Jan 31, 2006
  6. tomdeimos

    tomdeimos New Member

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    I pump till my tank is full. I have put in 12.4 or more gallons more than once. I still would never count on having 11.9 gallons. The bladder shrinks in winter and my biggest fillups then are way less.
     
    #6 tomdeimos, Jan 31, 2006
  7. Vagabond

    Vagabond Active Member

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    It was blinking for about 10 miles, tops. What exactly do you mean that some gas is unuseable? The fuel pump can't draw it out due to the shape of the tank or something?

    I'll test this theory and head back to the pump later today, and see what how much gas it will take in without filling the filler neck all the way.
     
    #7 Vagabond, Jan 31, 2006
  8. Vagabond

    Vagabond Active Member

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    Also, do I need to take the car to the dealer to get the ! removed or will it go away after the trouble code has passed?
     
    #8 Vagabond, Jan 31, 2006
  9. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    It'll go away after 3 restarts.

    And yes, the shape of the tank can prevent access to some of the fuel.
     
    #9 efusco, Jan 31, 2006
  10. Vagabond

    Vagabond Active Member

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    Good to know.

    So I ran out of gas. How embarasing. I guess the wise thing to do it treat the tank as a 9 gallon tank. Did anyone confirm that filling the filler pipe is bad for the filter on the top of it?
     
    #10 Vagabond, Jan 31, 2006
  11. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Yes, there's a charcoal vapor canister and overfilling the filler neck can flood that making it useless.
     
    #11 efusco, Jan 31, 2006
  12. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    The wise thing to do is to assume *nothing*. When the last pip starts flashing, it means "buy gas now, dammit".
     
    #12 richard schumacher, Jan 31, 2006
  13. macoldschool

    macoldschool New Member

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    This is weird? Were you on the 91fwy in the #1 lane? near the 241? I was just going to post about seeing a stranded prius on the freeway on the way home, and what is scary sight it was. Glad to hear you made it off the freeway ok.
     
    #13 macoldschool, Feb 1, 2006
  14. Vagabond

    Vagabond Active Member

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    605 north-bound actually.
     
    #14 Vagabond, Feb 1, 2006
  15. Vagabond

    Vagabond Active Member

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    605 north-bound actually.
     
    #15 Vagabond, Feb 1, 2006
  16. silentak1

    silentak1 Since 2005

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    The exact same thing happened to me. I ran out of "usable" gas, filled up about 10.5 gallons. Just like you, i was able to cruise on EV mode about 1 mile to a gas station.
     
    #16 silentak1, Feb 2, 2006
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