Oman Report post Posted January 5, 2011 I can't speak to how Toyota does it but the FFH will refuse to drive in EV after the HVB drops to a certain level. Turn the car off and on and you can go again for just a little bit. Repeat a few times and the HVB will drop to a point where the car will not switch at all to EV mode. At this point there should still be enough to get the ICE running again but no one can guarantee that. The computer won't let the HVB drain to a point where the cells would be damaged (this can only really be done by storage loss or a malfunction). If there isn't enough juice to get the ICE running you have to have the car towed to the dealer where they can put a special charger on the HVB to bring it up to a point where the ICE can be started. No tow truck or the like can "jump" the HVB and that is the only thing that can start the ICE. There have been cases of the 12V battery going out and that can easily be jumped. The 12V system has to be "alive" to allow the high voltage system to work. Jon I would think (don't know for sure thank goodness) that both Toyota & Ford would shut the car down if the high voltage battery got so low it might cause damage to itself, never heard of a HVB being jumped. As for running the tank so low 'sludge' is sucked in isn't the fuel pickup near low point in the tank that & the sucking the pump does would pick up any crap in the tank no mater the fuel level - I can see the lack of fuel pump cooling being an issue if low fuel, but this time of year your probably okay unless on a road trip. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldschool1962 Report post Posted January 13, 2011 For what it's worth....I can't see the value in playing nothing more than Russuian Roulette with the gas gauge. Like some have mentioned, there's just too much that can happen and cause you to damage the vehicle...... damage to the fuel pump, tank debris and no matter how new or old the car si it can and will be present. Doesn't matter if you buy from the cheapest or the most expensive of stations.....their tanks are what causes the issues. Running out of gas sucks. Plain and simple. It's one thing to be new out in the world, trying to make ends meet and squeezing just hard enough to make it to work and back on fumes are days I am so glad are more than 25 years behind me. But.......... given the cost of the FFH I can't believe there are too many out there that are in this situation and as far as a thrill.......just stand on it and negotiate a couple ramp curves at 55-65mph.....now that a thrill. Firm believer that if the tank gets to 1/4 full...... fill it up. Just feel good about having 176 miles to E when it's at a 1/4 tank. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites