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

Prius C: faulty fuel gauge

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by eggwah123, Jan 30, 2014.

  1. eggwah123

    eggwah123 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2014
    7
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    N/A
    My Prius C got a faulty fuel gauge and suddenly lost power in the middle of the road. Very dangerous situation. Anyone have the same issue?

    Please see this post for details:
    Prius C hybrid system failure | PriusChat
     
  2. vernon birdman

    vernon birdman Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2012
    330
    141
    0
    Location:
    Vernon BC Canada
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    I have not had this issue. My only gripe about the fuel gage is that it never shows that it is completely full. This is apparently common on the C.
     
  3. clgutierrez

    clgutierrez Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2012
    51
    17
    0
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Mine (one a half year old) always showed full when filled up, however the last two fill ups left one pip not lit. That coincided with using a specific gas station not tried before that seems to pour the gas too quickly.

    Maybe that is the issue you are experiencing?

    Sent ?
     
    ztanos likes this.
  4. vernon birdman

    vernon birdman Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2012
    330
    141
    0
    Location:
    Vernon BC Canada
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    It doesn't seem to matter what station that I use (or even if in Canada or USA). It showed full for about the first 5 or 10 fill ups and then would only show one line below full since. My c is now nearly 2 years old.
     
  5. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2013
    5,884
    3,486
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Maybe you need to top the tank off, try filling it slowly.
     
  6. jhinsc

    jhinsc Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2010
    1,167
    259
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Not seeing how a faulty fuel gauge and loss of power are linked. Unless the faulty gauge led you to believe you had gas in the tank when you really didn't? Seems like they're two separate issues.
     
  7. ewaboy

    ewaboy Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2012
    693
    205
    0
    Location:
    Hawaii
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Mine shows top line sometimes - other times it shows one below. Stopped worrying about this - happens at random and the amount of gas going into the tank is pretty much the same.

    I try to go to only one station in the neighborhood - I can't remember the last time I filled up at another station. Then again - I can barely remember my last fill up...:D
     
  8. Carrollights

    Carrollights Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2012
    56
    48
    0
    Location:
    WV
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    I find that the fuel gauge will be one bar from full when the weather is colder and when the temp warms up and I fuel up all bars are lit
     
    ewaboy likes this.
  9. Phil 29 Palms CA

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2012
    119
    44
    0
    Location:
    Twentynine Palms, CA.
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I am retired and drive few miles a month. I purchased my Prius C 2 (moonglow) 7-21-12. I have only 2,472 miles on the odometer. I refuel about once ever 2 months. I time my refueling when the top 6 fuel light bars are OFF and the 4 bottom bars are ON. At this time, I put exactly 5 gallons in the tank. I know using this method my tank never over flows and when I leave the gas station I always have 10 fuel bars ON. I never had a problem not having 10 fuel bars ON after refueling... My average MPG for 2,472 miles is 61.8 MPG. I love my little car!
     
  10. ewaboy

    ewaboy Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2012
    693
    205
    0
    Location:
    Hawaii
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Your technique for consistent fill ups seems sound. Next time I'll try to fill up before the last bar blinks and see if it makes a difference. I usually wait till the last bar but I've had occasion to fill up before that and it may be those times when all ten bars lit up. Thanks. (Just hit 20,000 miles - just short of two years). I retired in October - I'll see if I drive less - maybe I'll check my Fuelly stats.
     
  11. mahout

    mahout Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2010
    655
    116
    0
    Location:
    NC
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Depending on the wiring circuits it is possible for no fuel level indiacted can cause the engine to shut down. No gas is a serious concern for the injectors for example.
    As for the fuel gage not showing full after a time the float can be compromised such that it really isn't able to rise with the gas or you really aren't filling the tank. Try at least once to fill the gas til the gas overflows and see if the display reads full.
     
  12. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2013
    3,339
    1,149
    40
    Location:
    Cumming, Georgia
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    I always wait until empty (as verified by my fuelly account) and I have never seen the fuel gauge not show 10 bars when full.
     
    Fahfoofnik likes this.
  13. Rob.au

    Rob.au Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2012
    960
    441
    0
    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    i-Tech
    When my c was new it would normally show all bars when I filled up, but since then the top bar rarely lights.

    That said, on my most recent fill up at a recently renovated petrol station, it at first only lit 9 bars, but by the time I got home it was at 10 and it stayed there for about 50km of driving.
     
  14. dick_larimore

    dick_larimore Member

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2009
    162
    70
    0
    Location:
    Central Indiana
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I have driven my C4 for about 22k miles and typically fill the tank at 2 bars or just after the display switches to 1 bar. The fuel gauge has always displayed the top bar after filling. I always drop the auto lever in the fuel nozzle to the lowest flow rate when the tank is nearly full. The faster fuel flows into the tank, the quicker the auto shut off will trip. I never attempt to add more fuel after the nozzle shuts off automatically.