NHTSA Complaint #10582965 — 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS

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