Fuel Capacity

[Chris Ray]

I am currently getting between 57-59 MPG, true on Fuelly, and surely, based on a tank of 9.9 Gallons, that should give me a range of 570ish, and on my old Gen 2, I always got 500 or so to a tank before the flashing light.

However, the light comes on at 450 in the Gen 3, with the display showing 20 miles to empty?

Where am I losing 100 miles!! Is it that the gauge is wrong, or do I need to try and squeeze more fuel in when the petrol station pump starts cutting out?

Any ideas!

Thanks

[kevin h]

I am currently getting between 57-59 MPG, true on Fuelly, and surely, based on a tank of 9.9 Gallons, that should give me a range of 570ish, and on my old Gen 2, I always got 500 or so to a tank before the flashing light.

However, the light comes on at 450 in the Gen 3, with the display showing 20 miles to empty?

Where am I losing 100 miles!! Is it that the gauge is wrong, or do I need to try and squeeze more fuel in when the petrol station pump starts cutting out?

Any ideas!

Thanks

Seems to be a thing with the Gen3, might have something to do with a standard fuel tank rather than the Gen 2 bladder.

I can catagorically say that when the fuel guages starts to flash, you have at least 10 litres in the tank, so there is at least 100 miles.

[Chris Ray]

Thanks Kevin, that would explain it, and interesting that they have built in such a generous reserve!! Won't panic too much when it starts flashing now!

[Ancient Nerd]

I think the concensus is that there is around 7.5 litres left in the tank when the fuel gauge stops flashing and the miles left says zero. So at last 75 miles. It is really annoying, as you don't want to keep driving with the fuel gauge displaying a solid zero - you really don't want to drive around with no clue as to how much fuel is left.

However, if you start looking to fill up when it hits zero, you won't go far wrong.

Incidentally, AFAIK, here was no fuel bladder in the UK Gen II Prius. This was strictly a means of annoying US Prius drivers, who hadn't a clue when they were about to run out of fuel.

[fuel miser]

Seems to be a thing with the Gen3, might have something to do with a standard fuel tank rather than the Gen 2 bladder.

The UK spec Gen 2 also had a standard tank and not a bladder, as far as I'm aware.

[johalareewi]

I can catagorically say that when the fuel guages starts to flash, you have at least 10 litres in the tank, so there is at least 100 miles.

I can categorically state that with my gen3, when the light starts to flash, I have about 7 litres left so a range of about 70 miles. YMMV :)

[kevin h]

I can catagorically say that when the fuel guages starts to flash, you have at least 10 litres in the tank, so there is at least 100 miles.

I can categorically state that with my gen3, when the light starts to flash, I have about 7 litres left so a range of about 70 miles. YMMV :)

I'll explain why I know.

I had to have my fuel tank drained and when it was done, we emptied 10 litres of fuel into the cars.

When I drove off, the fuel gauge read 1 bar. 1 mile up the road, I called into a petrol station just as the fuel gauge started to flash so 10 litres less 1 miles worth of fuel were in the tank at that point.

I then managed to get 35 litres in the tank without overfilling.

My dealership had also assured me that the Gen 2 had a bladder as this accounted for the drop in capacity during cold conditions. Which was certainly noticable.

But, isn't it fun driving the gen3. Boy racers reving at the traffic lights thinking to outpace your poxy hybrid. Push the power button, and GO.

yet still managing to achieve neary 70MPG on the current tank which is about 15 Litres from a refill.

:)

:)

[fuel miser]

My dealership had also assured me that the Gen 2 had a bladder as this accounted for the drop in capacity during cold conditions. Which was certainly noticable.

If your dealer was referring to the UK specification Gen 2 Prius, then they're wrong. The bladder was only fitted to US specification cars, it was to comply with the strict legislation on vapour leakage in California.

[johalareewi]

I'll explain why I know.

I had to have my fuel tank drained and when it was done, we emptied 10 litres of fuel into the cars.

When I drove off, the fuel gauge read 1 bar. 1 mile up the road, I called into a petrol station just as the fuel gauge started to flash so 10 litres less 1 miles worth of fuel were in the tank at that point.

I then managed to get 35 litres in the tank without overfilling.

My dealership had also assured me that the Gen 2 had a bladder as this accounted for the drop in capacity during cold conditions. Which was certainly noticable.

But, isn't it fun driving the gen3. Boy racers reving at the traffic lights thinking to outpace your poxy hybrid. Push the power button, and GO.

yet still managing to achieve neary 70MPG on the current tank which is about 15 Litres from a refill.

:)

:)

So your 10 litres figure was for a gen2?

I often refuel when the last bar starts to flash and I can get 38 litres into the tank at that point.

The gen3 has a 45 litre tank so there is about 7 litres left when he bar starts to flash.

And yes, it is fun to use PWR mode from time to time :)

[kevin h]

No - Gen3

[posing]

I filled up in Sainsbury yesterday when I had 2 bars left (I think it was 2 but could be 1 but it was not flashing) but after having done 460 miles. I filled up a little over 40 litres. I think the tank is 45 litres. Normally when there are less than 5 litres the lights will flash so surprised it wasn't. Maybe due to the hot weather?

[johalareewi]

Car fuel gauges are a bit hit and miss so I am not surprised there is a variation in when the flashing light starts. I often have the situation where the last led starts flashing. Then a short while later it stops. Or I stop the car with 2 leds lit. When I start the car, there is only 1 led and it starts flashing. So my rule is, when the led starts to flash, fill up pretty soon.