Wrong gas

Notice the 15.... that's 15% something else that isn't normal gasoline = ethanol.

E85 = 15% gasoline 85% ethanol.

Regular 15 is the opposite of E85.

Non-issue.

 

Whereas E10 is 3% less energy (3% less MPG than E0) then E15 is about 4.5% less energy then E0, so you might see a little less MPG. The MPG loss would make the lower price at the pump more of a break-even proposition in the final analysis.

That dealer really seems to be pushing ethanol, I'd be curious as to brand name?

 

I made the same sort of mistake a couple months ago at an unfamiliar station in Minnesota. The labelling wasn't that obvious, and I thought it was a mid-grade, 88 octane, that was for some reason a couple cents less than regular unleaded 87 octane. I did see the EPA label about only use in cars made after 2001 or flex-fuel vehicles, but by the time I figured out why that was there, I had filled the tank. I got somewhat better mpg on that tank than on the few before or after, and a large chunk of it was highway driving at that. I worried a little at first, but after a little reading around the web, decided a tank wasn't likely to harm anything.

 

That IS moderately confusing pump display. In particular because one of the options says "unleaded", which kinda infers the others aren't? Which (as already noted) is bogus. But anyway:

The two on the left are out, the left one doubly so: hard to read the ethanol percents, but they're getting up, around 50%? The second from the left is 15% ethanol, pass on that too.

The third from left is the one you want, good old regular unleaded, with 10% or under ethanol. The next two won't hurt, are higher octane, just a waste of money with the Prius: their main claim is the ability to resist ignition better. They're for high compression engine, and required only if spec'd in owner's manual.



The prices are good clues too.

 

Whew! thanks for clearing things up with you photo.

I was going to ask you about your time machine, then welcome you to to the 21st century.

 

Exactamundo!! But, I also don't think one tank will hurt.
From my owner's manual:

 

IIRC Bob Wilson experimented with having high percentage of ethanol mixes in his old Gen III , and found that it would run more poorly as the percent approached 50% ethanol, at which point the engine started throwing codes.
I Agree that 1 tank of E15 will not damage your car. I also found those high % ethanol blends in Minnesota, I think it was, which were offered at very low prices but which had, as pointed out above, correspondingly lower energy content.

 

Ha!

Had to reply to this old thread because just today I fell for this same "pump trick" at a pump that looked exactly like the picture. I too put in 15% instead of regular ol' 10% Ethanol gasoline. No biggie as I think it was 2001 or 2007 that the Feds mandated all vehicles made after those years must be able to run 15% ethanol gasoline. There are a couple stations I've seen where 15% ethanol gasoline is all you could get. (warning label was on the pump though stating it couldn't be used in vehicles older than that 2001 or 2007 date.

I once ran E85 in my old Yaris. (That thing was a tank - couldn't tear that car up and I abused it badly) But the E85 was put into the car with about a half tank of regular 10% Ethanol gasoline, so it's probably the only reason it's didn't throw a code.

 

There's a reason that E15 is ethanol-blended as an inaccurate, but "designated" 88 octane ethanol blend fuel. The octane of the gasoline (E0) , that the 114 octane 15% ethanol is blended into, is 83.5 octane gasoline. The common, inaccurate, but "designated" 87 octane ethanol blend (E10) fuel has its gasoline component as 84 octane. Since the "ethanol in gasoline industry" has been able to palm off 84 octane gasoline to the majority of America, the "ethanol in gasoline industry" will now see if they can dilute American E0 gasoline again, this time, to 83.5 octane, to see if America's drivers won't squawk overmuch again.
Later, if the "ethanol in gasoline industry" can foist off 83.5 octane gasoline on America, they will market inaccurate, but "designated" 87 octane ethanol-blend fuel(E15). The octane rating of E0 gasoline that inaccurate, but "designated" 87 octane E15 is blended into, is 82.3.
American drivers are frogs, sitting in a gradually heating pot of water & the "ethanol in gasoline industry" is waiting for a national, "ouch" to be admitted by said drivers.
The "ethanol in gasoline industry" says, "So far, so good".