NHTSA Complaint #10311950 — 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS

THE FUEL GAUGE ON MY PRIUS REGISTERED 3 GALLON FUEL REMAINING (ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS' MANUAL). I RAN OUT OF FUEL ON A BUSY EXPRESSWAY WITHOUT WARNING. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT HIT. I WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE PRIUS GAS TANK IS A PLASTIC BAG AND THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT REGISTER CORRECTLY. I ASKED WHAT TOYOTA WAS DOING ABOUT THIS. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE "LOOKING INTO IT". THAT WAS MORE THAN ONE YEAR AGO. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TO KEEP THE GAS TANK 1/2 FULL IN ORDER TO PREVENT MY PRIUS FROM RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. OF COURSE, THIS CUTS THE VEHICLE RANGE IN HALF. I ASSUMED THAT TOYOTA WOULD WORK FOR A SOLUTION, BUT FRANKLY, AFTER ALL THE RECENT REVELATIONS, I WONDER IF TOYOTA HAS LOOKED FOR A SOLUTION. AT THE VERY LEAST, TOYOTA SHOULD INFORM ALL PRIUS OWNERS TO KEEP THEIR GAS TANKS 1/2 FULL IN ORDER TO AVOID THE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS EVENT THAT I EXPERIENCED. (I AM A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, MECHANICAL, STATE OF CALIFORNIA.) *TR