2009 Toyota Prius Fuel System Problems

Our 2009 Toyota Prius is known as a Gen 2 Prius (model years 2004 -2009). All Gen 2 Priuses has a bladder inside their fuel tank. Over time, these bladders are known to deteriorate. In our case, the fuel tank capacity is shrinking and fuel can be difficult to add to the tank (pumps click off repeatedly and occasionally, fuel splashes back out of the tank). Additionally, the fuel gauge reports unreliable statuses and drops or adds multiple "bars" at a time yet fuel, when added, and tank status as reported by the gauge, are inconsistent with one another. Thus, we, the drivers, don't know how much fuel is in the tank and may consider carrying a full gas can to avoid being stranded along the roadside. We believe Toyota knew about this Gen 2 defect at the time we purchased our 2009 Prius, which was in March, 2009. In fact, the new Gen 3 Priuses, starting with the 2010 model year, had already had their fuel systems redesigned and factories were probably being retooled when we purchased our vehicle. Thus, they knowing sold us a vehicle with a known product defect. Now, with the bladder deteriorating, the local Toyota dealership wants to replace our fuel tank/system at a cost of almost $2,000. The replacement tank will be of an identical design as the one they sold me in 2009. So they want me to pay an additional two grand for a tank that has been known to be defective for the past 13 years. This is unbelievable!

CATALYTIC CONVERTER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE IGNITION, A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL EMITTED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT DETECT A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,771.

I PULLED UP TO THE GAS PUMP AND COULD NOT PUT GAS IN MY CAR. IT HAD A LITTLE GAS IN IT, BUT THE PUMP CUT OFF BEFORE I COULD GET STARTED. THE CAR HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BLADDER SINCE ITS INCEPTION. I CAN NEVER FILL UP THE TANK. THE DEALER WANTS ME TO PAY AN ELABORATE AMOUNT TO GET IT FIXED. I WENT OUT ON THE INTERNET AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO FILL UP THEIR TANK. *TR

CAR EXHIBITS SYMPTOMS CONSISTENT WITH FUEL TANK BLADDER COLLAPSE. HAVE OBSERVED WIDELY ERRATIC FUEL GAUGE INDICATIONS AND DIFFICULTY ADDING FUEL - PARTICULARLY IN COLDER WEATHER, (TEMPERATURES BELOW APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES F). ON OCCASION IT HAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ADD GAS TO A NEARLY EMPTY TANK EVEN AT A TRICKLE AS THE FUEL FILLER AUTO SHUTOFF KEEPS TRIPPING. ATTEMPTS TO ADD EVEN SMALL AMOUNTS OF GAS CAN RESULT IN GAS SPEWING BACK OUT THE FILLING ACCOMPANIED BY BELCHING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE TANK. OFTEN THE TANK CANNOT BE FILLED TO THE ADVERTISED CAPACITY EVEN IN WARMER WEATHER. TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DENIES EVER HAVING HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS OFFERED NO CREDIBLE SOLUTION. ON AN EXTENDED TRIP THIS COULD EASILY RESULT IN BEING STALLED WITH LITTLE WARNING AS THERE IS NO RELIABLE INDICATION OF HOW MUCH USABLE FUEL IS IN THE TANK OR WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE IS GOING TO QUICKLY DROP TO NEAR ZERO. THIS IS ALSO AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN DUE TO EMISSION OF GASOLINE FUMES AND SPURTING OF RAW GAS DURING REFUELING. *TR

UNABLE TO ADD ANY GAS TO THE FUEL TANK EVEN WHEN TANK IS NEAR EMPTY. GAS JUST SPURTS BACK OUT OF THE FILLER NECK. OVER TIME WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS TEMPERATURE RELATED. AT OR NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND COLDER IT BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES TO ADD ANY GAS TO THE TANK. THE ONLY WAY TO ADD FUEL IS TO GET THE CAR TO A WARMER LOCATION AND LET IT SIT FOR A FEW HOURS. WE HAVE DETAILED RECORDS DOCUMENTING SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE WE COULD ADD NO FUEL AND MANY INSTANCES WHERE A NEAR EMPTY TANK WILL TAKE ONLY 1-2 GALLONS. THE CAR HAS BEEN SEEN BY TWO DIFFERENT TOYOTA SERVICE CENTERS BUT THEY CLAIM THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG. TOYOTA USA HAS STOPPED RESPONDING TO OUR REQUESTS FOR HELP. WE ARE UNABLE TO TRUST THE CAR FOR EXTENDED TRIPS IN THE WINTER DUE TO FEARS OF GETTING STUCK WITH AN EMPTY GAS TANK. A (RELATED?) PROBLEM IS THAT THE FUEL LEVEL INDICATIONS ARE NOT CONSISTENT AND THUS CANNOT BE TRUSTED. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD PROVIDE INACCURATE READINGS OF FUEL LEVELS. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING DUE TO A BLADDER FUEL TANK PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE BLADDER FUEL TANK UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000. THE CONSUMER STATED TOYOTA PAID FOR THE REPAIR. HOWEVER, THE GAS GAUGE CONTINUES TO BE INACCURATE AND THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO PUT NO MORE THAN SIX GALLONS OF GAS IN THE VEHICLE. ALSO, AT TIMES, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. UPDATED 06/30/11

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS, CAR HAS HAD A BAD FUEL GAUGE , DROVE OFF THE LOT NEW AND HAVE HAD FUEL TANK REPLACED ONCE. FUEL GAUGE FAILED AGAIN THIS IS THE SECOND TIME. DEALER UNABLE TO REPAIR, TOLD ME IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW AND IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, I AM RUNNING OUT OF GAS AND I CAN NOT USE THIS NEW CAR ON A LONG TRIP. I DO NOT KNOW AND I AM GUESSING ON HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE. THIS IS UNSAFE AND UNCALLED FOR. RUNNING OUT OF GLASS ON FREEWAY AND IT IS DANGEROUS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS AT 50-55 MPH ON A SINGLE LANE HIGHWAY OUTSIDE OF PRESCOTT AZ, THE DRIVE SYSTEM SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND NO RESPONSE WAS FELT WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. LOTS OF INDICATORS CAME ON AND MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THERE WAS JUST SUFFICIENT ROOM FOR FOLLOWING TRAFFIC TO GO PAST. AFTER SPENDING A FEW MINUTES GOING THROUGH THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND FINDING NO EASY ANSWER TO EXPLAIN THIS CONDITION, WE TRIED AND WERE ABLE TO RE-START THE CAR. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WHEN RECENTLY CHECKED HAD INDICATED SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 1/4 FULL AND THAT WE WERE PROCEEDING UP HILL WHEN THE EVENT HAPPENED. NO ADD FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT NOR LOW FUEL ALARM HAD OCCURRED PRIOR TO THIS EVENT. WHEN THE CAR WAS RESTARTED IT WAS ON A MORE LEVEL BUT NOT FLAT SURFACE. WE PROCEEDED ON OUR TRAVEL WITH THE FLASHERS ON AND AT A SPEED NO HIGHER THAN 30-35 MPH. SOON THEREAFTER WE DID OBSERVE BOTH AN ADD FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT AND THEN A FLASHING LIGHT ON THE FUEL GAUGE ITSELF. WE STOPPED AT THE NEAREST GAS STATION AND ADDED FUEL. THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE FUEL GAUGE AND ELECTRONICALLY RECORDED HISTORY. THE REPORT SHOWED THAT THE CAR RESPONDED TO AN EMPTY FUEL TANK BY SHUTTING IF THE ENGINE AND THEN THE BATTERY DRIVE WHEN ITS CHARGE WENT TOO LOW (TO PROTECT THE BATTERY). WE WERE TOLD THE THIS CAR HAS A BLADDER TYPE FUEL STORAGE DEVICE AND THAT IT CAN ACT FUNNY WHEN IT GETS LOW. THE CAR WAS CHECKED OUT FINE AND RETURNED TO US WITH THE WORDS NO WISDOM TO NOT LET THE CAR GET TOO LOW ON FUEL. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE ENGINE AND DRIVE SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN UNDER HIGH SPEED DRIVING CONDITIONS WITHOUT ANY LOW FUEL WARNING INDICATORS BEING ACTIVATED. *TR

I JUST BOUGHT A 2009 PRIUS & THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES WITH UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION & VEHICLE NOT GOING INTO PARK OR REVERSE JUST STOPS IN NEUTRAL, I WAS AT A HEB SORE TRYING TO PARK, ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR SPED UP AN HIT A POLE IN FRONT OF ME, I WAS TRYING TO PARK, WITH MY FOOT ON BREAK, SO AS TO SLOW DOWN, YESTERDAY I HAD MY WIFE DRIVE THE PRIUS & THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE, THAT WAS VERY DANGEROUS THEN THEY PULL INTO A TARGET PARKING LOT I HAD TO DRIVE OUT THERE TO MEET THEM, IT TOOK ALMOST 1HR & 3MINS TO GET THE CAR IN REVERSE, OFF COURSE I CALLED MY TOYOTA SALES GUY THIS BEING THE THIRD TIME I HAVE REPORTED THIS INCIDENT & THE KEEP DOWN PLAYING IT SAYING THERE IS NOTHING WRONG, NOT REALLY LOOKING INTO IT. *TR

FUEL BLADDER SEEMS TO HAVE COLLAPSED. WHEN I AM SHOWING 1/4 TANK LEFT I CAN ONLY PUT 6 GALLONS IN THE TANK. *TR

I HAVE WRITTEN TOYOTA ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THEY HAVE FAILED TO RESPOND. I OWN A 2009 PRIUS. FIRST,NAVIGATION SYSTEM IS VERY POOR AND SENDS YOU TO WRONG ADDRESSES. ON AUG 17,2009,THE FUEL GAUGE WAS AT ONE BAR AND A RED TRIANGLE CAME ON DASH AND CAR STARTED PULLING AND DRAGGING. I PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD ON THE SHOULDER AND TRIED TO RESTART CAR. IT STARTED AGAIN AND THEN IT PULLED AND DRAGGED AND I GOT BACK ON THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT MOVE.I TRIED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL BUT IT WOULD ONLY STAY IN PARK. THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS PROBLEM ESPECIALLY NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR AND THEN THE TOW TRUCK HAD TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS BECAUSE CAR WOULD NOT LEAVE PARK. AS I WAITED FOR 2 HOURS FOR THE TOW TRUCK,THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS I TURNED ON AND THEN THEY ONLY WOULD BLINK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE IT WAS MY LEFT SIDE THAT WAS EXPOSED TO TRAFFIC. I WAS LATER TOLD THAT THE CAR RAN OUT OF GAS. THIS DOES NOT EXPLAIN THE NONFUNCTIONAL HAZARD LIGHT SYSTEM,THE VEHICLE BEING FROZEN IN PARK AND THE PULLING AND DRAGGING ON THE HIGHWAY. WAS THE GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONING? I HAVE WRITTEN TOYOTA MANY TIMES AND COMPLETED SURVEYS EXPLAINING THESE CONCERNS AND THEY FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR RESPOND. I THINK A SAFETY ISSUE IS RAISED. *TR

I OWN A TOYOTA PRIUS. ON JUNE 22, THE FUEL GAUGE STARTED TO ACT UP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER HAVING MY CAR FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS THEY CLAIMED IT WAS FIXED. THEY REPLACED ALMOST EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE FUEL. I THEN TOOK IT BACK LESS THAN A MONTH LATER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND JUST TO NEVER LET MY TANK GO BELOW 1/4. TO ME, THIS IS A DANGER. I NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH GAS IS IN MY GAS TANK OR WHEN I MAY RUN OUT OF GAS. I THEN TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE PRIUS, YET TOYOTA DOES NOTHING TO FIX THIS. EVERY FEW DAYS I HAVE TO STOP AND GET GAS BECAUSE MY GAS GAUGE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. I AM DRIVING AROUND AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

COLLAPSE OF FUEL BLADDER CAUSE THE PRIUS TO RUN OUT OF FUEL WITH 2 GALLONS OF GAS IN THE VEHICLE WHILE ON FREEWAY. CAUSED TOWING TO DEALERSHIP. WHEN FUEL WAS ADDED TO CAR ONLY 8.9 GALLONS COULD BE ADDED TO A REPORTED 10.9 GALLON TANK CAPACITY. *TR

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN IT "SHOULD" HAVE HAD 3 GALLONS LEFT (BASED ON STATED FUEL CAPACITY OF 11.9 GALLONS, AND ON FUEL GAUGE). APPARENTLY THE FUEL BLADDER DOES NOT CONTAIN A RELIABLE AMOUNT OF GAS WHEN FILLED, AND THE GAS GAUGE WARNING (WHICH THE MANUAL SAYS GOES ON WITH ABOUT 3 GALLONS LEFT) MAY NOT COME ON UNTIL LESS THAN A HALF A GALLON REMAINS. THIS IS DANGEROUS. *TR

FUEL TANK CAPACITY DANGEROUSLY VARIABLE IN TOYOTA PRIUS. OUR 2009 PRIUS ROUTINELY IS UNABLE TO FILL TO FULL CAPACITY OF 11.9 GALLONS. WORSE IS COLD TEMPERATURES. WAS NOT TOLD OF THIS ISSUE AT TIME OF PURCHASE. HAVE SINCE LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE FUEL BLADDER FROM CONSUMER CHAT FORUMS, BUT TOYOTA NEEDS TO DISCLOSE THE RANGE OF FUEL CAPACITY IN THEIR MANUALS, OR IMPROVE THE DESIGN TO *TR

UNABLE TO PROPERLY FILL THE FUEL TANK. THE FUEL BLADDER COLLAPSES. *TR

PRIUS BLADDER TANK IS A BAD AND FLAWED DESIGN LEAVING THE CONSUMER WITH INACCURATE TANK AND MILEAGE READINGS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO ADD FUEL. THE DEALER HAS PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH SEVERAL OPTIONS TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM WHICH INCLUDED TURNING THE NOZZLE SIDEWAYS AND TAKING THE NOZZLE OUT FROM TIME TO TIME WHILE ADDING FUEL. THE CONTACT FOUND THAT THESE TECHNIQUES ARE DIFFICULT TO PERFORM. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE SAFETY RISK IS HIGHER SINCE THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF GAS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 320. UPDATED 09/08/09 *BF UPDATED 09/29/09.*JB