Fuel Tank Size Is It Really 45l?

[PatW]

Hi,

Can someone help me out. I've owned a Prius from new since 2010. Love the car and I really enjoy it so I don't intend getting rid of it any time soon.

Regarding the fuel, the fuel light starts flashing when the range says about 20 miles. I usually wait for the range to hit zero and then fill up a few miles after that.

However, I have never managed to fit more than about 39.5 litres in there.

Does this imply that actually I could go on for another 50 miles or so?

I bought the Prius new and it's a 10 plate so it's a gen 3 model I believe.

Finally, is there any further warning that you are running low or is the flashing pip and single beep the only warning?

thanks

Patrick.

[Sooty]

You could go further as the low fuel warning kicks in with approx 5 litres left.

I SERIOUSLY recommend that you DO NOT try to go much further as if you run dry you will end up in a world of s**t.

It won't be a case of just call the AA and get some fuel put in, but a recovery to Mr T to sort out all sorts of issues.

That is amongst the hassel of changing fuel filters etc as any grundge will be sucked up from the bottom of the tank.

For absolute safety I would say NOT to go to the point of flashing pips if you can possibly avoid it.

[johalareewi]

Yes, the flashing pip is the only warning on a gen3 prius.

Yes the fuel tank is 44ish litres.

The most I have filled up with is 42 litres but usually it is around the 40 litres mark.

As a rule of thumb, when the pip starts to flash, you have about 5 litres left so another 50 miles should not be a problem.

[PatW]

Thanks for the replies. I have no intention of running out of fuel, but it helps if I know there is a petrol station right in my route in say, 20 miles from now, to decide whether to take a detour to a closer station.

If the tank is indeed 44 litres, fuel economy is roughly 59MPG average. I generally fill up when the range counter goes to zero and about 5 to 10 miles after that, which is probably about 15 to 25 miles after the fuel pip starts flashing.

I then find that I fill up roughly 39 to 40 litres. I don't think I've ever seen it go over 40, maybe once but hardly ever.

If this really means there is 4 litres left, I could go another 50 miles or so beyond where I am going today.

It also means that my piper is kicking in at roughly 37 or 38 litres used by a rough calculation.

My interest really is whether I can trust the pump measurements more than the car's gauges. If the tank if 44 litres, and I am consistently filling up by 39 or max 40, then unless the petrol pump is wrong that means I have 4 litres left.

As said, I don't intend to run it right down to the wire, but it's nice to know I have at least another few litres of leeway. Generally I will continue to fill up as I do now, but it's more just the comfort level of not worrying that I am pushing it too far.

By the way, I did spend some time when I first got the car manually calculating the fuel consumption, and I found that the gauges in the car are optimistic on fuel consumption by between 5 and 10 percent. i.e. my calculated consumption was more than what the car is telling me. Is this also normal for the Prius? The 59MPG figure I quoted above was calculated manually rather than on the car read outs.

[MEP's Yaris GS]

I regularly get 42/43L in the tank on my PiP.

http://www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/prius/2013/mep/303281/log

[PatW]

If that's the case I guess my pip is kicking in earlier than others.

[MEP's Yaris GS]

If that's the case I guess my pip is kicking in earlier than others.

I suspect not, I just drive around on reserve more than most. It's a good gallon (if not 2) on reverse from memory when I checked the manual, so this will be at least 70-100miles from experience, depending upon ICE vs EV use on the PiP.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

I guess it depends on which Prius Pat has and where in the World she is.

The US market gen2 (which is often sold second hand in many parts of Europe) had a bladder in the tank that caused more/less fuel to be filled. I think it was a requirement of emission regulations in certain US states.

[johalareewi]

By the way, I did spend some time when I first got the car manually calculating the fuel consumption, and I found that the gauges in the car are optimistic on fuel consumption by between 5 and 10 percent.

This is normal. Loads of threads about this.

[APS]

Regarding Patrick's question - is the Prius tank really 45 litres?

I guess the only way to truly find out the capacity is to run the car out of fuel and fill up - but I wouldn't recommend this of course. (I bet the AA/RAC and the likes could give a pretty good figure based on experience)

So in the absence of empirical tests, let's apply some pseudo logic :)

First - I don't have a 'normal' Prius, but looking in the manuals for the first gen Auris HSD, Lexus CT 200h and the Prius+ (all three share the same drivetrain) they all say the same;

- the tank capacity is 45 litres

- when the low fuel warning light comes on/flashes you have 6.8 litres left. No, I don't believe for a second that the fuel gauge has decilitre precision. However, considering the manuals will be written for the international markets, litigation mitigation will be a high priority and the figures suitably cautious. Including the tank capacity. So assuming you have 7 litres left is probably safe. At 50Mpg (10+ miles/litre) that would give 70 miles. I would say this is a reasonably safe figure.

Oh! - on the Auris you actually have a two step warning - the last bar starts flashing = 6.8 litres remaining; starts flashing quickly = 4.5 litres left. Clever.

Accuracy of the digital fuel consumption gauge

Indeed they are overly optimistic. I calculated this based on my HSD Auris. Over a distance of about 14.000 miles the gauge showed on average 5.5% too high mpg (i.e. lower than actual consumption).

[johalareewi]

So in the absence of empirical tests...

If you go back far enough on this forum you will find a post where a gen3 owner had to have his tank drained. When refilling, he was able to get 45 litres of fuel in.

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/110923-fuel-capacity/#entry1005053

[barrycoll]

Just come back from driving 3,390 miles to Spain (and back!) at 58.9 mpg on the trip, but less 3mpg for reality.

However, even when descending a long 20 mile downhill from the Pyrenees, running on EV, the Mileage to Empty screen still ticked off the miles as if the engine was running.....I had imagined a 'free' 20mile bonus

the car was very odd with mpg with different fillups, sometimes giving 70+ mpgs, and sometimes low 50s using 98octane (as its just over £1 a ltre), and in similar countryside

heavily loaded, with top of back wheels under the bodywork, but a great trip, and car felt, and went very well