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Prius and filling the tank

114 messages,  Last post on Jan 31, 2013 at 11:16 AM

You are in the Toyota Prius Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Prius, Fuel System, Hatchback, Sedan

Messages Page 10 of 12

#85 of 114 Re: Bye ... bye ... Prius ... no more hybrids for me! [farmboy3] by dmathews3

Feb 12, 2009 (2:59 pm)

Replying to: farmboy3 (Feb 12, 2009 7:13 am)
I wonder if the vent on the tank is plugged, but I also have to wonder why you spent all the extra money on a Pruis if you only drive 8K a year. Also I have never bought a new car where the dealer didn't fill the tank and I've bought a whole lot of cars.

#86 of 114 Re: Bye ... bye ... Prius ... no more hybrids for me! [farmboy3] by gfr1

Feb 12, 2009 (8:32 pm)

Replying to: farmboy3 (Feb 12, 2009 7:13 am)
I'm pretty sure that it was a fueling pump nozzle shutoff that was the culprit, not the car, in this case. You said that it shut off early, the first try and then you jiggled it around. I don't know if your actions might have caused the problem, but routinely, the nozzle should have shut off before the pressure built up. I had this happen once with a nearly new Mercedes S-model. It gushered probably in excess of a gallon and hadn't stopped on its own even then. I just happened to pull the nozzle out to check the level for I thought it was overdue. This was on a indian reservation station and I suspect that the nozzle hadn't been checked or maintained. If I hadn't stopped to check, with the available nozzle pressure, it could have caused some real expensive damage. The car stumbled for awhile after I drove away, but finally cleared and seemed to suffer no lasting ill effects. -- GR

#87 of 114 Re: Bye ... bye ... Prius ... no more hybrids for me! [dmathews3] by farmboy3

Feb 13, 2009 (10:29 am)

Replying to: dmathews3 (Feb 12, 2009 2:59 pm)
Well, wonder no more. I have not purchased a new car in 24 years but I have driven 8 new vehicles during those 24 years. All those vehicles were part of the fleet that my employer deploys to the field. We keep them for 3 years and then turn them in for a new vehicle. I am part of a study to determine if we want make the Prius a majority of our fleet (about 3,000 vehicles.) As I indicated in my original post, I fly almost every week so the vast majority of my driving is to and from the airport. The 2006 vehicle I turned in for the Prius had 21,877 miles.
 
If you buy a new vehicle the dealer may fill the tank, I don’t know because I have never had to buy a new vehicle. If the dealer is only making what is called a “courtesy delivery”, they put the minimum amount of fuel in the vehicle. The subject of the fuel procedure or quirks involving the Prius was not mentioned by the courtesy delivery dealer. The process of taking delivery consists of signing off on the old vehicle, signing paperwork for the new vehicle, accepting the keys and driving away. Interaction with the dealer is for a minimum amount of time because they only get a fee for the transaction and they know they will not be selling a new vehicle to me in the future.

#88 of 114 Re: Bye ... bye ... Prius ... no more hybrids for me! [farmboy3] by dmathews3

Feb 13, 2009 (1:15 pm)

Replying to: farmboy3 (Feb 13, 2009 10:29 am)
That explains a lot but maybe the employer could put these to better use instead of having someone like you who puts a small amount of miles on the vehicle into something else. They are paying at least $3K more for a Prius than say a Chevy Cobalt of compatible car and get in the high 30's on the highway. Keeping them only 3 years they will for most of the vehicles never get a return on their investment though I don't know what kind of deduction they get on their Fed taxes. Personally they shouldn't get any deduction on a non american made vehicle but the Prius may or may not be built in the U.S. one of these days.

#89 of 114 Re: Bye ... bye ... Prius ... no more hybrids for me! [farmboy3] by kdhspyder

Feb 13, 2009 (6:21 pm)

Replying to: farmboy3 (Feb 12, 2009 7:13 am)
This 'topping off' that you did is something you NEVER should do. There are two reasons..
 
In the nozzle there is a charcoal cannister to capture the evaporative emissions, clean them then release them into the atmosphere. Topping off can damage this cannister and cause a major expense.
 
In your Gen 2 Prius there is a fuel bladder inside the gas tank. This is what causes so much variability in the quantity of fuel that will be accepted. In new vehicles this bladder is stiff and new. In very cold areas this bladder will be very stiff and unyielding in freezing weather. The risk of topping off like you did is that raw fuel can get between the gas tank and fuel bladder. Then you've got to replace the whole fuel system.
 
DON'T TOP OFF..

#90 of 114 Re: Bye ... bye ... Prius ... no more hybrids for me! [dmathews3] by kdhspyder

Feb 13, 2009 (6:29 pm)

Replying to: dmathews3 (Feb 13, 2009 1:15 pm)
Two problems with your SOTP comparo.
 
The Prius is a 5 door hatchback. It's more similar to the Matrix/Vibe rather than the Corolla/Cobalt.
 
The other is that whatever 'premium' is being paid upfront is almost completely recaptured at resale time after 3 years.
 
In the case of the Matrix/Vibe the 'premium' is $4500 but almost all of that is recaptured when the vehicle is resold. The resale price of a Prius is $3500-$4000 higher than a Matrix/Vibe after 3 years. In ridiculous times like last summer a 3 y.o. Prius with < 30000 miles was actually selling at nearly full sticker price. Little or no loss in depreciation. The tax credits on Toyota hybrids are complete. Ditto Honda. Soon Ford's will begin to phase out.

#91 of 114 Re: Bladder issue really worth getting upset over? [sergelbergeron] by lk7

Dec 26, 2009 (6:54 pm)

Replying to: sergelbergeron (Mar 28, 2008 12:55 pm)
I have read the messages from sherry9 and would like to know more about the arbitration process and how the matter was resolved. My 2007 Prius (50,000) will consistently (all weathers) have traveled about 237miles when I have two bars left on the gas gauge. I was not warned of this problem, it was not this way when the car was new and I have received the same evasive answers from Toyota with no soluion. Since I live in Wyoming where towns are far apart this is an important issue to me. Thanks for any info.

#92 of 114 Re: Bye ... bye ... Prius ... no more hybrids for me! [yermell] by stevegold

Dec 26, 2009 (10:46 pm)

Replying to: yermell (Sep 29, 2008 4:52 am)
I love my 2004 Prius despite several annoying issues, but the gas tank issue is really serious and more than annoying. It is probably caused by the bladder in the gas tank which can't possibly add anything really important especially at the great innonvienience it causes. My Prius was OK the first three winters and then the problem surfaced. Very bad

#93 of 114 Re: Bye ... bye ... Prius ... no more hybrids for me! [dmathews3] by sevdogjr

Dec 29, 2009 (7:45 pm)

Replying to: dmathews3 (Feb 12, 2009 2:59 pm)
Why buy? to lower one's carbon footprint? To save fossil fuels. To drive an otherwise great car. I just got back from a trip and found my tank "filled" from half way after 2.2 gallons.... all the while I was constantly clicking the gas nozzle on b/c it kept shutting off as if full. I drove away and the gauge read the same. 15 miles later, the same thing, 15 miles farther and the darned thing overflowed but it finally read full.

#94 of 114 Problem filling Prius gas tank by tgmartin

Jan 21, 2010 (1:51 pm)

I have a 2008 Toyota Prius I purchased new about 21 months ago and have driven 21,000 miles. The gas gage has never worked correctly and the mileage goes from 33 to 50mpg but mostly around 39 mpg in winter. The worst problem is not being able to fill up the tank. It will not allow the tank to fill at many gas pumps. It is the bladder problem that has been posted here. I have an appointment with the dealer Tuesday as I told them I am tired of them telling me this is not a problem. When you can't fill up your gas tank - it is a big problem.
 
The impression I get from the posts is that people are willing to put up with this because of the other good things about the Prius. I can't believe I paid over $22,000 for a vehicle that has a serious problem like this and the manufacturer thinks it is not a problem. I want my money back!

Messages Page 10 of 12

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