gas gauge question

This is a very common question here and has been discussed numerous times. You could do a search and find all the info you seek.

BTW, what part of WV are you from???

 

Yes, the gas gauge is non-linear and not very consistent. Another factor is that your Prius gas tank is lined with a "bladder" that minimizes vapor release (ergo the PZEV rating). The bladder gets stiff in cold weather and limits tank capacity (assume about 10-11 gallons in warm weather and 9-10 gallons in cold weather) which is rated at 11.9 gallons.

There are several indicators of "Low Fuel", your Prius will beep at you when you reach the low fuel state and the remaining tick" mark will blink.

Remember, running out of fuel is not a good thing so be conservative. Don't rely on electrical power after your fuel runs out. The software doesn't handle the condition well and may stress your traction battery.

JeffD

 

Search on "guess gauge" and "bladder" and you'll get all kinds of threads on this.

One important thing is that you may notice a trend in terms of how many miles you drive before each pip disappears, but sometimes your actual experience will go against the trend. So you might usually be able to go 30 miles on the last pip, but that doesn't mean you will always get 30 miles on the last pip. If you make a habit of filling up as soon as it starts blinking at the latest (many folks prefer to fill up at 2 pips or as soon as they reach one pip rather than waiting for the last pip to blink) then you will not run out of gas.

 

To assist you in reading other posts about htis phenomenon, be aware that many people here at PriusChat refer to the "ticks" as pips.

This doesn't seem to be true. Assuming the gauge is working properly, you can typically count on 10 pips indicating a mostly full tank. In general 1 flashing pip indicates a nearly empty tank, though "nearly empty" could mean anywhere from a few ounces to a few gallons. Beyond that many people around here have indicated that trying to determine how much fuel is remaining by counting pips is rather unreliable. There are a variety of reasons for this.

This behavior sounds typical. On the other hand a few people have reported fuel gauge problems here that turned out to be actual problems that the dealership managed to fix. If you find that after 300 miles you still have all 10 pips, or if you run out of gas with 2 or more pips still displayed on the gauge, I'd definitely have the dealership look into it. Given the description you've provided, I personally wouldn't have it checked, but only you can make that call for yourself.

I'll have to look back at my manual to see if I can provide you with page numbers, but there are 3 indicators that you've reached a dangerously low fuel level.

1) The only remaining pip will blink.

2) A beep will sound. Note that this is very short duration and not terribly loud. If you have the radio on it is easy to miss.

3) The words "Add Fuel" will show up briefly on the top of the Multi Function Display (MFD) screen. Again note that this is very short duration and if you don't happen to be looking at the MFD when it happens it is easy to miss.

So if you don't hear the beeb, and you aren't looking at the MFD when it first occurs, your only indication will be to notice the blinking pip.

Some here have claimed more than 100 miles on the blinking pip before running out of gas. Others here have claimed running out of gas less than 50 miles after the blinking pip.

Personally, I figure:

More than 2 pips = plenty of gas.
2 pips = get gas if it is convenient
1 pip = get gas even if it is inconvenient.
1 blinking pip = GET GAS NOW at the nearest gas station.

 

Here is the search result for "gas gauge": gas gauge siteriuschat.com - Google Search

Tom

 

I think you pretty much hit the nail right on the head with that statement. The sooner learn to think of it like that the less chance you have of running out in the middle of nowhere in rotten weather. Many people suggest filling as soon as you get to 1 pip/tick or even as early as 2 pips/ticks in colder winter-like weather.

 

The Google search is more efficient than the site's search box. Both are located toward the top right of the page.

 

I just purchased a 2009 Prius and I am noticing that when I run low on fuel and my pips are down to one and blinking I can add $6.00 worth of gas and it doesn't change a thing. I actually added $5.00 today at 10:00 am, drove approx 15 miles, added another $6.00 and my car still shows only one pip and is blinking. I know that my car has at least 5 gallons of gas in it. Has anyone experienced this with their 2009 Prius? It is concerning considering I commute 70 miles a day.

 

I don't think there has been an automotive fuel gauge for the last decade, that has been accurate. They all have been nonlinear and only designed to be an estimate.

Always best to fill up when you reach a quarter of a tank anyway. Waiting until you get the blinking low fuel light could leave you stranded, because sometimes you can go 50 miles and other times only around 10 miles before running dry.

 

You have to add at least 3 gallons at a time for the guess gague to notice it. If you add less than 3 gallons at a time you can fill the car and still only show 1 tick.

 

If you want the Prius gas gauge to recognize fuel additions, you must add at least 3-4 gallons at a time.

Keep this in mind if you should be unlucky enough to run out of fuel. If you don't refuel with at least 3-4 gallons before trying to start the Prius, the car may not recognize that you've added fuel and may refuse to start.