[RAVDoug]

My driver score is in the 90's and I am getting about 36 MPG during cold weather driving.

As near as I can tell, the driver score is a random number with absolutely no connection to actual fuel economy. I've seen scores around 60 when I got 45 MPG for a round trip, I've seen scores around 90 when I got 35 MPG.

 

[RAVDoug]

Had the gas tank fix done yesterday. All 3 parts replaced.
When I started the vehicle, DTE showed 408 miles. The gauge showed just under a full tank of gas.
My average mileage was real strange on the trip back home. It went as high as 99.9, moved between that number and 47,up and down, and showed 43.7 when I pulled in the garage.
I had been averaging 38.1 miles per gallon recently. Live in NW PA.
DTE showed 401 miles with just under a full tank of gas when I parked it.
Is this normal?
Thanks for any replies.

If it showed 99.9, that tells me that the average was reset. That's also consistent with it moving "up and down" as there's very little data to average so each acceleration or going up a hill will drop the fuel economy, while EV mode or coasting down a hill will raise it again. The average you computed only includes a few miles in the end, and only for one direction of the trip (which might have been overall downhill or uphill).

In short, it's far too soon to tell anything meaningful. Wait until the low fuel light comes on and refuel. That will tell you if the problem is fixed, and you'll have a few hundred miles of data to understand the fuel economy better.

 

[Tip Tank]

Driver score, DTE, placement of fuel needle, rate of decrease of fuel needle, MPGs, etc. are not good measures of the functioning/success of the fuel tank fix. "Normal", the only true data point, is when the Low Fuel light comes on and you can pump in ~12 gallons no problem. Anything else is guesswork and speculation....

 

[cjecpa]

I get my done this coming Thursday. I am just hoping to be able to fill my tank like a normal vehicle. My RAV4s first click seems to be at 8.5 gallons even when the DTE reads 20 miles. Then I have to force more gas into the tank, this is a real pain when I drive for 18 hour straight on some trips. My gas mileage shouldn't change it is running around 32mpg. I just came back from driving to Dallas with a cargo carrier on top I average around 28mpg.

 

[Automender]

Had the gas tank fix done yesterday. All 3 parts replaced.
When I started the vehicle, DTE showed 408 miles. The gauge showed just under a full tank of gas.
My average mileage was real strange on the trip back home. It went as high as 99.9, moved between that number and 47,up and down, and showed 43.7 when I pulled in the garage.
I had been averaging 38.1 miles per gallon recently. Live in NW PA.
DTE showed 401 miles with just under a full tank of gas when I parked it.
Is this normal?
Thanks for any replies.

I have seen 99.9 mpg a lot after a refuel and the car started moving on battery power and as soon as engine kicks in the MPG drops.

 

[Robls]

If it showed 99.9, that tells me that the average was reset. That's also consistent with it moving "up and down" as there's very little data to average so each acceleration or going up a hill will drop the fuel economy, while EV mode or coasting down a hill will raise it again. The average you computed only includes a few miles in the end, and only for one direction of the trip (which might have been overall downhill or uphill).

In short, it's far too soon to tell anything meaningful. Wait until the low fuel light comes on and refuel. That will tell you if the problem is fixed, and you'll have a few hundred miles of data to understand the fuel economy better.

Thanks. I kind of thought that was the case.

 

[Thrifty99]

I posted this on another thread but looks like this may be a better thread.

I had my gas tank replaced the last week of December and finally needed to fill it up today.

I drove it until it got to ”0 Distance to Empty”. The low fuel light came in around “30 Distance to Empty”.

I am happy to report it took 12.06 gallons when the gas pump first clicked off. That leaves about 2.5 gallons of reserve at 0 DTE which is better by 1-2 gallons from what I was getting before.

My average MPG for this tank was 37.5 (it has been a cold few weeks in Nashville area). I did do one more click on the fill-up and it went to 12.4 gallons. I won’t do that in the future so I don’t mess up the filling system.

After filling, the DTE shows 531 miles which is awesome and higher than I’ve ever seen. It may be higher in the warmer months when I get 40-41mpg.

So far the tank replacement is working well.

 

[RAVDoug]

I posted this on another thread but looks like this may be a better thread.

I had my gas tank replaced the last week of December and finally needed to fill it up today.

I drove it until it got to ”0 Distance to Empty”. The low fuel light came in around “30 Distance to Empty”.

I am happy to report it took 12.06 gallons when the gas pump first clicked off. That leaves about 2.5 gallons of reserve at 0 DTE which is better by 1-2 gallons from what I was getting before.

My average MPG for this tank was 37.5 (it has been a cold few weeks in Nashville area). I did do one more click on the fill-up and it went to 12.4 gallons. I won’t do that in the future so I don’t mess up the filling system.

After filling, the DTE shows 531 miles which is awesome and higher than I’ve ever seen. It may be higher in the warmer months when I get 40-41mpg.

So far the tank replacement is working well.

That sounds great!

The one caveat I'll put in is that the tank probably isn't completely full when the gas pump turns off automatically. Toyota has been pretty clear about that. This means your reserve is certainly less than 2.5 gallons, so don't count on that being there in a pinch. When you topped off, that extra gas probably brought you closer to a full tank, or at least pretty close. It should be safe to do that in the future if you really wanted, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with following Toyota's recommendations to not top off at all.

 

[RichB20]

This is what I don't understand. Topping off your tank should be a perfectly normal thing to do. This action increases the DTE and the time distance between each visit to the gas stations. We all purchased hybrid RAV4s for these and other reasons.

That sounds great!

The one caveat I'll put in is that the tank probably isn't completely full when the gas pump turns off automatically. Toyota has been pretty clear about that. This means your reserve is certainly less than 2.5 gallons, so don't count on that being there in a pinch. When you topped off, that extra gas probably brought you closer to a full tank, or at least pretty close. It should be safe to do that in the future if you really wanted, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with following Toyota's recommendations to not top off at all.

 

[ToyRav4TX]

Filled up right after the light came on and the DTE was at 22 miles. I was able to pump just under 11 gallons until the first click. I ended with 12.3 gallons. DTE shows 517. I’m happy!!

 

[Freeman]

This is what I don't understand. Topping off your tank should be a perfectly normal thing to do. This action increases the DTE and the time distance between each visit to the gas stations. We all purchased hybrid RAV4s for these and other reasons.

Correct.

Everyone that claims you are pumping gasoline into the charcoal vapor recovery canister fails miserably to reconcile the resulting 5/8 to 3/4 tank "fill" when the first click-off occurs.

 

[RobertB]

Carry a couple of bricks with you and put one under each drivers side tire before refueling. Guaranteed to get a completely full tank!

 

[RichB20]

Correct.

Everyone that claims you are pumping gasoline into the charcoal vapor recovery canister fails miserably to reconcile the resulting 5/8 to 3/4 tank "fill" when the first click-off occurs.

In the notification to the RAV4 owners, we were warned not to fill beyond the first click while waiting for the replacement parts. Are you saying that, after the fix is done, that we cannot fill beyond the first click any longer? How else are we supposed to utilize the full 14.5 gallon tank capacity? And can anyone else verify the "charcoal vapor recovery canister fails miserably" claim?

 

[1stToyota]

In the notification to the RAV4 owners, we were warned not to fill beyond the first click while waiting for the replacement parts. Are you saying that, after the fix is done, that we cannot fill beyond the first click any longer? How else are we supposed to utilize the full 14.5 gallon tank capacity? And can anyone else verify the "charcoal vapor recovery canister fails miserably" claim?

I asked the same question about anyone flooding the vapor can. Post #670 said he replaced the can on his 2008 RAV4.

I've topped off my tank for the last year and had no issue and no dash light came on.

When I look at our tank I see that the vapor recirculation tube is set at a lower elevation than the vent line to the vapor canister. I theorize that the vapor recirculation tube provides some protection for filling gas into the vapor canister.

 

[RobertB]

Page 242 of manual under big red WARNING header. "Do not top off fuel tank"

 

[1stToyota]

Page 242 of manual under big red WARNING header. "Do not top off fuel tank"

But is this an environmental warning?

Don't over fill because Toyota is worried about spilling gas outside?

 

[Siegfried]

I had a 2008 Rav4 Limited that I purchased new in 2007. I drove it for 115,000 miles and traded it in on my 2020 Rav4 Hybrid Limited. I topped off the tank every time I filled up the 2008 and never had an issue with the EVAP system and never had a "Check Engine Light". It ran like a top right up till the day I traded it in. 1stToyota is correct, it's an environmental warning.

 

[RichB20]

Carry a couple of bricks with you and put one under each drivers side tire before refueling. Guaranteed to get a completely full tank!

And this helps...how?

 

[crazyhorse]

I had a 2008 Rav4 Limited that I purchased new in 2007. I drove it for 115,000 miles and traded it in on my 2020 Rav4 Hybrid Limited. I topped off the tank every time I filled up the 2008 and never had an issue with the EVAP system and never had a "Check Engine Light". It ran like a top right up till the day I traded it in. 1stToyota is correct, it's an environmental warning.

I had a 2008 RAV4 V6 that I bought new in 2007. Drove it for about 150,000 miles and it is still being driven by a family member. The EVAP system in my 2008 did fail due to overfilling. It is not just an "environmental warning". Take your chances if you wish.

 

[RobertB]

But is this an environmental warning?

Don't over fill because Toyota is worried about spilling gas outside?

Probably!