[karenann]

Has anyone had this problem-- and have they found a "magical" way to simply solve it (or am I dreaming and hoping for an easy resolution...)?

Today I thought I would take advantage of some lower gas prices and do a small fill up. I calculated my MPG and added gas (I did not let it fill til it clicks off because my car's bladder is not perfect...).

Well, after I filled my car and turned on the car, the car did not do its "thing" and bring the boxes back up to full. In fact, it did not move AT ALL. It should have moved up 3 boxes....

I tried turning off the car. Waiting. And then turning back on the car... I even spoke nicely to the car. Nothing. Cute.

A while back, I did download that info about the gas guage: a part that may need to be replaced and/or the computer. I am on the "partial" list-- as best as I can tell.

But the service folks are on "strike" in St. Louis. So even if I wanted to get it fixed, I can't. And I am not too keen about letting even the inexperienced Prius service folks "muck about" on the inside of my car-- seeing as they have little experience with the car at all.....

Is there a magical, simple way to jolt the gas guage into a proper reading???? Darn it. My car should not be doing this.......

 

[BIF]

Three "pips" (I love that word), and it took how much gas?

Three pips might take three or four gallons in my car, or it might only accept one gallon, depending on the pump or my trigger-finger.

One time, I filled up, expecting it to take about 8 gallons. I am usually pretty good at guessing within a half-gallon or so. Well, I was startled by a very very pretty lady walking across the gas station "tarmac" in a sundress (this will be my undoing, I'm sure of it ), my pump-hand twitched. This caused the pump to "click off" at only 6 gallons.

I waited about 30 seconds and tried to put more in. It wouldn't take any more. Pump kept clicking off. So I hung up the pump and calculated my mileage. Something like 64 MPG. I know this was not accurate, particularly since I knew how far I went and how fast the pips went down. No, I knew it should have taken another 1.5 to 2.5 gallons.

After that fillup, I only drove about 80 miles, and the first pip went down. I can usually go about 145 miles before the first pip goes down, so this confirmed my suspicion.

And my subsequent fillups with lower-than-normal mileage also confirmed that the pump had clicked off too soon during the "sundress incident."

I don't know for sure, but I suspect that once the pump "thinks" the tank is full, it won't pump more fuel, or else it will only pump it an ounce or two at a time. And the only way to reset it is to "hang up" the pump and start a new transaction. I haven't tried this, because that's not really critical to what I need to know about my gas mileage.

You see, I average my mileage over multiple tanks. So if I get 64 MPG one tank and 45 the next, it's all going to average out to something in the low-to-mid-50s in the wash. I try to be accurate with each tank, but I know that it won't be perfect each time.

And I can live with that. But of course, it is nice to get a really good 500+ mile range on a single tank of gas!

 

[Daniel]

Karen: It does take several minutes for the guess gauge to register the added gas. I've typically driven all the way home from the gas station before it has gone from nearly-empty to full on the gauge.

There is a TSB about inaccurate gauges. But it's not s recall or SSC, so they won't send you a letter. Go to your dealer and complain about the gas gauge, and they'll look up your VIN and tell you if you qualify for the free fix.

 

[gwirtel]

Feld Southpoint Toyota in South county is NOT on strike, and they are familiar with Prius repairs. They are represented by a different union.
Greg

 

[karenann]

Karen: It does take several minutes for the guess gauge to register the added gas. I've typically driven all the way home from the gas station before it has gone from nearly-empty to full on the gauge.

There is a TSB about inaccurate gauges. But it's not s recall or SSC, so they won't send you a letter. Go to your dealer and complain about the gas gauge, and they'll look up your VIN and tell you if you qualify for the free fix.

I wish it were as you say. However, I drove 20 miles home after the fillup and I have since gone into the garage and turned on the car-- and alas-- it is "stuck" at almost the halfway mark-- and will not go up. It has never done this before.....

I want to thank GWIRTEL for his suggestion that I take the car to Feld Southpointe Toyota. I will do that.

It appears from my VIN number that my precious car may need a new "filler" but not necessarily a new "computer" brain for the gas..... The less they mess around with the car, the happier I am.

I thank you all for your advice. I was hoping one of you tech guys or gals would come up with some "magic" way that I could get the computer to re-adjust itself and indicate "full." I thought maybe there was a secret way I could push a button here or there and make my "wish" come true.

Thank you one and all. I do not like to think that our little miracle car can "crash" at any time... That is the problem in purchasing a rather revolutionary new concept vehicle-- on which few mechanics have had experience in working. Oh well-- happy driving.....

 

[richard schumacher]

(I did not let it fill til it clicks off because my car's bladder is not perfect...).

What do you mean by "not perfect"? Does it leak, or what?