On the way to work via the gas station Monday morning, I ran out of gas. I knew I was low, but did not think I was that low. The gas engine/generator in my 2006 Prius stopped about 1.4 miles from the planned gas station… I was still rolling, in traffic… I cut the air-conditioner, and turned off the GPS to reduce electrical load and ran on batteries praying for no red lights and that I’d make it before the car stopped entirely.
Within the first year we owned my wife’s 2006 Prius, she ran out of gas and the car quit entirely. I hiked to a nearby gas station, bought an additional gas can and a gallon of gas, and hiked back to the car to get it running again so we could go fill up. I was surprised when my Prius did not simply quit and require the same treatment.
There was a bit of a hill, which was tough on electric only, but I was able to coast into the station with one horizontal bar left on the batteries, and fortune was smiling on me, a pump had just opened up (usually there is a line).
After filling up, I got terrible (~30mpg) mileage until the batteries were fully recharged, but have resumed normal (~50mpg) mileage since then and the car seems to be unaffected from my close call. I’ll have service check it out on next oil change (which is tomorrow).
I count myself very lucky I did not have to hike a mile and back in this heat, and end up with yet another gas can…
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