1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Does the C-two have a low fuel light?

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by goldnrod24, Jul 8, 2017.

  1. goldnrod24

    goldnrod24 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2017
    27
    20
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Hi folks, new owner here.

    I took my new '16 C-two for its first road trip this weekend. I was surprised to find that no low fuel light illuminated as the tank was emptied. I ended up putting in 8.87 gallons after a nervous drive with the trip range showing 1 mile remaining. My calculation show that I was down to about a half gallon..... if the fuel tank's capacity is truly 9.5 US gallons.

    Today, I turned the car one and there was no light illuminated. The manual refers to a warning light that comes on with 1.3 gallons left. Is this true on the C-two?

    Thanks for your input.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,703
    48,947
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    did the last bar on the gauge start blinking?
     
  3. goldnrod24

    goldnrod24 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2017
    27
    20
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Not that I noticed. That said, I was looking for the orange gas pump.
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,703
    48,947
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    is that what the manual shows?
     
  5. goldnrod24

    goldnrod24 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2017
    27
    20
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Manual shows orange gas pump.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,703
    48,947
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    is it still under warranty? or maybe it doesn't come on until you hit zero dte.
     
  7. goldnrod24

    goldnrod24 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2017
    27
    20
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,703
    48,947
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    distance to empty = trip range.
     
  9. goldnrod24

    goldnrod24 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2017
    27
    20
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Hmm... I was at 1 mile dte for more than a mile. No light. And added all but .6/gallon of fuel. Too close for comfort for me.
     
  10. skayaks

    skayaks Active Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2012
    123
    106
    0
    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    As bisco noted - the blinking last bar happens when DTE = 0, and it is not unusual to be able to drive several miles with DTE = 1.
    But the behavior described does seem odd. On my '13 C2 I don't get a warning light - just a continuously blinking last bar on the fuel gauge, and a one-time beep. (The beep happens again after shut down and restart.)
    But that almost always happens when there is still ~1.5 gals left in the tank.
     
    bisco likes this.
  11. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2013
    3,339
    1,149
    40
    Location:
    Cumming, Georgia
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    For the most part, I ignore the DTE and use it only as a guideline. I've had my last bar blink with it showing 12 miles remaining. So far *wood knock* the blinking last bar/beep has given me *insert miles equivalent to your mpg for that last period of time* miles every tank. I generally go 50 miles as I don't want to run completely empty... I don't like to push it "that" much.
    That being said, I don't recall a fuel light... However, adding 8.87 and still showing DTE=1 could be valid... depending on how much fuel you put in. If you look at my fuelly, you can see that I've put in more than 9.5 gallons a few times. :D So if you were right there at that mark, I could see it happening.
     
    bisco likes this.
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,703
    48,947
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    we definitely need some 2016 owners to chime in. .6 gallons left seems low, but maybe they've changed the safety reserve amount. what does the o/m say?
     
  13. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2013
    3,339
    1,149
    40
    Location:
    Cumming, Georgia
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    But that's what I mean, Bisco. He could have had more than .6 left in the tank and the difference could be from the difference the pump, he could have put more fuel in this time than last time, there are a few other things that could sway it one way or another... That being said, I still don't think that it would be ~1.3 gallons like the OM says. (I can't remember the exact number, bu I remember it's less than 1.5g).
    But even going up to the next dollar could add in .5 gallons depending on when the click happens, so it's hard to say. We need more information and more pump data.



    I don't see a fuel light in this, so my guess is the flashing last bar is your fuel warning.
     
    bisco likes this.
  14. Sean Nelson

    Sean Nelson Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2014
    421
    182
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Yep, no discrete warning light on my 2012 Prius C, just the last blinking bar on the fuel gauge. When that bar starts blinking my top priority is getting more gas in the tank. It's very rare indeed that I let the tank empty that far.

    I really don't understand why people try to push the car further and further when that last light starts to blink. It's just asking for grief IMHO. You're obviously going to have to fill up soon, what does delaying that buy you other than the possibility of having to walk that last mile to the gas station?

    In the city where there are plenty of gas stations, there's really no excuse for not going to one. If you're in a rural area where gas stations are scarce and that last bar is blinking, then IMHO you've already made the error of not planning ahead.
     
  15. everdave

    everdave New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2016
    13
    4
    0
    Location:
    Earth
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius c
    Model:
    One
    my 2015 i don't remember if it beeps but at like 50 miles left it popped up a message warning me
     
  16. reas0n

    reas0n New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2017
    9
    5
    0
    Location:
    Astoria, NY
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius c
    Model:
    One
    On my 2016 C one I do have a fuel warning light. It's located above the traction control indicator. This light does not come on when I start the car. IMG_2248.JPG IMG_2249.JPG
     
    bisco likes this.
  17. Sam Spade

    Sam Spade Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2016
    2,036
    1,023
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    The fact that it does NOT come on during the "test" interval probably means that it really is NOT equipped in that particular model.

    It is not unusual for the same displays to be used in many different models......with some of the features not functional in some of them.
     
  18. reas0n

    reas0n New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2017
    9
    5
    0
    Location:
    Astoria, NY
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius c
    Model:
    One
    In my case it did come on when I was low on gas though. Seems like an odd feature to drop.
     
  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,674
    38,219
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Just keep an eye on the gas gauge?
     
    Sean Nelson likes this.
  20. Sean Nelson

    Sean Nelson Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2014
    421
    182
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Yeah, why exactly is this so difficult? The fewer bars you have the more attention you pay to it. Don't let it get down to only 1 bar left, and for gosh sakes if it does get that low then your top priority should be to fill it up again.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.