I was so impressed with my first Prius 2004 that I have purchased a second Prius 2006, currently used by my wife. I wonder if there are any other enthusiasts owning 2 Priuses. Bob Tejszerski, Sydney

Would it be correct to say that, aside from having an electric motor added, the Prius is mechanically simpler than any of the following?<br><br>1. Conventional manual transmission<br>2. Conventional automatic<br>3. Civic/Insight/Justy-type "cone" CVT<br><br>That offsets some objections that the car will break down due to its complexity. The complexity seems to be more electronic than mechanical.<br><br>Also, does the Prius use normal tranmission fluid?

The mechanical part of the Prius transmission is surely simpler than 1 or 2, and probably 3. The Prius has a single planetary gear set, while the conventional automatic has a planetary for each gear, plus bands to drag one side of each and the hydraulics to run the bands. A manual has a set of gear on sliding spleens for each gear, a clutch, and the linkages to drive them. The "cone" CVT has that metal band thing and the hydraulics to drive the two cones. It must have a torque converter or some sort of clutch as well.<br><br>That said, the Prius has lots of dodads that have to work right for it to run at all in any gear. In particular, things like rotation position sensors, computers, engine throttle control, throttle position sensor, etc. Most if not all of the critical sensors have dual redundancy, though. But the big thing is that transmissions have been used for years. The Prius stuff is fairly new. But I'm going for it...<br><br>Burns

Same happened to me.<br>I noticed 1 blinking bar so I stopped at the station and added $5 worth of gas ( something around 3 galons).<br>Stupid bar kept blinking for another 30 miles until I filled the tank to the top ( around 6 galons).<br><br>In my opinion some of PRIUS solutions are tooo GENIUS.<br><br>Rob

Several times I've filled Pikachu up only to have the guess guage read 5/10ths for the rest of the way home, then read full the next morning.<br><br>Maybe we need to oil the float? :-)<br><br>Robert Snyder<br>NJ-PIKACHU

The owner's manual says something about this happening if you don't fill it up with alot of gas.

I decided to just fill the tank whenever the guess gauge got below about 1/2 and be done with it. I don't care much for uncertainty, especially when the means for getting home are involved. I have also noted the reluctance of the indicator bars to immediately go all the way to the top after filling the tank, but it hasn't taken more than about an hour for them to finally do so. I decided it had something to with the bladder and the fuel vapor cannister, but did make a mental note to mention it when the car was next in for routine servicing, which will be next week sometime. I'll post what the Prius tech says about it.<br>Alan

It happens to me even when I fill the tank right up to the pump's click-off point, though admittedly not every time. I'll be asking the Prius tech about it at our next servicing next week.<br>Alan

My TRAC Prius gas gauge hasn't behaved quite as strange-ly as what i'm reading here, the gauge takes a minute or so to top off after a fillup. But it is annoyingly conservative for my tastes. I fill it at a single flashing bar and it barely takes 9.25 to 9.5 gallons. If i force more in, (shame,shame) i can get another 1/2 to 3/4 in. <br><br>for what it's worth<br>toyobri

&gt;If I force more [gas] in<br><br>Remember, folks, toyobri is a trained technician. Do not attempt this at home. If you overfill the tank on a 20th-century car, gas overflows and dribbles out. If you overfill a Prius, the bladder balloons up and squirts out a geyser of fuel when you remove the nozzle.

easy now- i only squeeze in a little!! i learned it the hard way just like the rest of ya!! <br><br>by the way just filled it a minute ago- took 10 gallons on its own (plus 1/3 gal. with no squirting) gauge registered the full tank in less than a minute.