How many gallons in a reserve tank when the last pip start blinking?

Yep I was just lucky - I drove about 40 miles on the flashing pip before running out of gas today. It started flashing around 460 milesand the I ran out at 503. Thnakfully I was in the city on the freeway with 1 mile to go to the next exit. I put it in neutral and coasted to the berm over the crest of a hill.It was all downhill the rest of the way to the exit and I continued to coast all the way to the stoplight at the top of the ramp. From there, it was a 1/4 mile drive on the battery to the filling station. I've never enjoyed running out of gas before this - being able to drive on the battery is cool!

 

fill er up! I ran out of gas after about 15 miles after the bar starting blinking.

 

What reserve tank?

There is no reserve tank.

 

That sounds about right, I filled up within 3 miles of last pip blinking and could only fit 8.8 gallons.

 

I have not gotten a blink yet ... do not trust the darn fuel tank or guage. I had one tank with only 300 miles on it and one bar left ... on the other extreme I had 442 on another tank with four bars left ... :-0

 

I went 80 miles today on the flashing pip before running out. I was stupidly counting on the 11.9, and by my calculations, it only had 10.9. Not sure I like this bladder thing, but being able to park the car after running out is very cool!!

 

ok, so my wife and I are BAD. We've had the car a month and have hit the blinking pip about 5 times. Usually this happens when we are 20-25 miles from our destination (710 miles a week, same route). So, the most we've put in in 9.6 gallons, the least is 9.01 gallons. Yeah, it's probably gonna come back and bite us.

 

The cold winter season is upon us all
As we look at our pips the faster they fall
And as such, your mileage will vary
So fill up you tank and be super chary

 

Yep, trying to do 11.9 * MFD indicated mpg or counting on a specific # of miles on the last pip is a recipe for running out of gas. The consequences seem not worth it, to me.

Get gas soon after hitting 2 pips and immediately get gas when down to 1.

 

Is there a bladder upgrade available? I guess I am just being greedy ... lol.

 

What you got is all you get.

 

I must be really lucky, because the fuel gauge in my Gen II Prius is very consistent. As soon as one bar/brick is left on the display, I drive for another 70km and then fill up, which usually works out to having 2 - 4 litres of fuel left, because I always seem to manage 41 - 43 litres filled up at the petrol station, of the 45 litre capacity tank/bladder. I haven't yet managed to get the last brick to blink as yet, as I always fill up following the above routine. It might be possible to squeeze another 50kms out, but I am not real keen on pushing my luck lol.

But as I said, our Prius seems to be dependably consistent, runs like a swiss watch. I average between 750km and 900km per fill up ( per month ), which considering my Prius is 5 years old, with 89,000km on the clock, to me, this is pretty damn impressive when you consider that all my driving is city cycle. I will mention also, that where we live in Asia, the temperature is warm for 85% of the year, between 25C ~38C and the winter is very mild, ( 10C ~ 18C ) which seems to favour the Prius design condition, out here in Hong Kong.

 

Does your car have a bladder? Not all GenIIs did.

 

Howdy F8,
our GEN II is a Hong Kong authorised delivery, so I am assuming it is pretty much identical to the Australian/NZ and UK right hand drive models.
So this fuel bladder that I have read so much about on these forums, is that a North American design difference ? I am kinda hoping that my GEN II just has a conventional plastic petrol tank with a standard fuel sender... As I don't experience any major variation in how much fuel goes in during each fill up, and while my MPG is within a reasonably consistent / predictable range, I am assuming that our GEN II just has a normal tank ?

Interesting to know that not all GEN II's had bladders fitted, thanks mate.

 

If anyone has the answer to this would like to know as well since i have an aussie spec. I have taken it to the flashing pip once but from what i have read people have run out of fuel prior to this.

Regards

 

The Gen II Prius with the fuel bladder is North American only. Your Prius has a conventional tank.

Tom

 

Skyhook, Tom pretty much answered the question. I'm glad you don't have to deal with the bladder issues like we American's have to.

 

Yes there's no fuel bladder on the Australian model so the fill volumes are fairly consistent. I've had mine down to the flashing last pip lots of times. If I refill soon after it drops to 1 pip it takes about 40 to 41L and if I refill soon after it hits the flashing pip it takes about 43L. And yeah this is pretty consistent so I generally feel safe enough driving to the last pip.

The main inconsistency for me in the fuel gauge is that it seems like it doesn't count the first 6 or so liters from full. After filling up I usually go 200 to 250 km before the 10th pip drops, so it's like that one counts for about 10L or something and all the others count for about 3.8L.

 

I have a new Prius (2010) and filled up when the gauge dropped to 1 bar (not blinking).

Odometer read 400 miles. Fillup was only 8.7 gallons - but tank capacity is supposed to be 11.9 - what's up with this kind of variation?

That means the last bar represents about 3 gallons. The good news is that I got about 45 mpg on my first 400 miles - but where are those other 3 gallons?

 

11,9 gallons is only possible if you completely filled your tank with is not recommended. topping off will ruin the components in the fuel delivery system and its simply not worth it to get an extra 40-50 miles out of tank that goes 100 miles farther than your previous car.

also; now this information apparently varies A LOT. but when i had my 2004, i have CANVIEW which monitored tank levels by percentage and the blinking bar always came on at 12%. which would imply about a 1½ gallons left.

so if you take a gallon underfill, "reserve" that would pretty much add it up for you