[xcinlb]

Our new HH Limited AWD has the same issue, filling the tank we get about 14 or 15 gallons in, by pulling the filler hose out and slowly adding more fuel, which can be as much as 2 gallons or so. It's very annoying to have to fill the tank like this, because it takes much longer and also you wonder if you over fill it, that fuel will spill out as you fill the tank.

 

[xcinlb]

Or you might get raw fuel in your EVAP canister and have a hefty repair bill. Just another possibility...

Most if not all vehicles you fill the tank to the number of gallons stated by the manufacturer. So in the Highlander it’s 17.1 and you should be able to fill to 17 gallons and not encounter a huge repair bill. This is the first time in all my many years of driving that I’ve had such an issue.
If someone was trying to fill it past the stated capacity then I could see the problem.

 

[xcinlb]

Same issue here, with our 2021 HiHY Limited. Today took it into my local Toyota dealer for the 5000 mile service. I mentioned that I can only get about 13 gallons in the tank when almost empty (10/15 miles to empty). They stated they checked the computer for faults etc and found nothing. They want me to bring it in when empty. So basically they think I'm not telling the truth. So I asked him, ok I bring it in, you find that you can only fill it with 13 gallons, and then what? He stumbled. This is frustrating. Not having the range that I expected is no good. From the sound of all the posts on here, not much is being done about it. We will probably have to live with it. ugh!

 

[xcinlb]

I have determined that if filling from low fuel light illumination I use the auto fill clicker on the pump nozzle for the first ten gallons. Then I hand fill at a very slow rate for the remainder until the first click. Doing this when the low fuel light comes on - 2.6 gallons still in tank according to OM - I've been able to pump in 14.5 gallons which brings the total to 17.1 - the rated tank capacity and have gotten up to 588 miles DTE on the dash readout.

Now should I have to do this where some cars just can be filled up without wasting an extra five to maybe as much as ten minutes filling the tank completely? NO! But until there's a Toyota fix - if ever - you can at least get maximum range if you really need it.

Toyota - and most car makers - design gas tanks to include an inch or so of air space at the top of the tank and I think that pumping in gas too fast causes it to foam thus sending gas back up the filler pipe and clicking off the pump prematurely.

Yea, I fill in a bit more slowly but not sure if it will damage anything, as it has been stated by overfilling the tank. BTW, what is the "OM"? " 2.6 gallons still in tank according to OM".

 

[xcinlb]

The Prius had similar "issues" in the past too. It's due to the fuel tank bladder which contracts, expands with the temperature. I've owned a Prius and ES300h. It's never been an issue for me. Don't know if it's because I live in CA where the temperature doesn't vary too much with the seasons.

I live in southern Ca, and can’t get more than 13 to 14 gallons into my tank. Dealer didn’t do anything about it. They wanted me to take in empty so they can fill it up. I told them the same thing will happen.

 

[xcinlb]

Filled up this morning having driven 507 miles and showing 3 miles DTE. Stopped filling at the first click of the pump having pumped 14.1 gallons. I could have easily added another 4\10ths of gallon to get to the 14.5 gallon capacity the tank is supposed to have at 0 DTE. Very happy I don't appear to have the fuel tank issue others are experiencing. Makes you wonder what varies from vehicle to vehicle. View attachment 336725 View attachment 336726

Except, its a 17 gallon tank. We should be able to fill it past the 13/14 gallon shotoff point.

 

[xcinlb]

I don't think you understand what the vehicle is telling you about fuel remaining. At 0 DTE just as the owners manual says there are 2.6 gallons of fuel remaining in the 17.1 gallon tank. For whatever reason 2.6 gallons is the safety margin Toyota decided on. That means at 0 DTE you'll only be able to put 14.5 gallons in the tank if you fill it to the very top. As an additional data point my fuel gage showed 1/8 of a tank remaining at 0 DTE so if you're comfortable going old school with just the gage and ignore the DTE info you'll probably be able to go another 70 miles before the needle is on empty and then you'll be able to put 16+ gallons of fuel in the 17 gallon tank.

Well in all my years of driving different vehicles, the tank capacity listed in the owners manual always states the tank size in gallons and is therefore the amount you fill the tank to. So 10 gallon tank means you can fill 10 gallons. Even in all the BMW’s I’ve had, (which are know to complicate simple matters) you fill to what the manual says.
BTW, when my DTE is 6 to 10, my fuel gage is on empty. Conversely, after I (supposedly) fill the tank, the fuel gage sits on full for about 100 miles. The whole system of fueling, gage calibration etc is off. This is surprising, since Toyota doesn’t usually do things like this.

 

[xcinlb]

I wonder if anyone has seen this notice regarding a potential class action suit:

Toyota Highlander Lawsuit Investigation Launched Over Fuel Tank Size

Attorneys are looking into whether 2018-present Toyota Highlander hybrid models were sold with fuel tanks that hold less gas than advertised and whether a class action could be filed. Learn more.

www.classaction.org

Interesting that there are comments from this site on their quotes section. Also one of NTSB as well.
I may just contact them.

 

[xcinlb]

Has anyone on this board joined the lawsuit regarding the fuel tank issues?

 

[xcinlb]

Didn't know there was a lawsuit. If you have a link with the details please post it.

Just look up a few post it’s there.

 

[xcinlb]

I wonder if anyone has seen this notice regarding a potential class action suit:

Toyota Highlander Lawsuit Investigation Launched Over Fuel Tank Size

Attorneys are looking into whether 2018-present Toyota Highlander hybrid models were sold with fuel tanks that hold less gas than advertised and whether a class action could be filed. Learn more.

www.classaction.org

It looks like this lawsuit faded away. So no fix will be implemented that we can see. Bummer.

 

[xcinlb]

So is the service bulletin for the tank, gauge etc for if your fuel gage only reads to about 3/4 full when filling up the tank? When I fill the tank I get up 13/14 gallons w maybe 10 miles on DTE. Like others said, it’s frustrating to not get the range Toyota showed of 600 miles. I get maybe 490/500 if hyper-mileaging, I mean staying in the green econo section as much as one can. All my other vehicles I’ve had, if they stared they had a 15 gallon tank that’s what I could usually fill to, they probably had a reserve, but did not count it.
We just got back from a road trip and even though we got 37 MPG the range was nowhere near 600 miles. Funny thing is we saw a Highlander Hybrid billboard ad showing a 600 mile range. Ugh!

 

[xcinlb]

After 4 months with a replacement gas tank under the TSB, I can report that there is a modest improvement. When the tank is "empty" DTE=0, I can now get approx 15 gallons into it vs the 14 it took before.

Ultimately, I think Toyota is just extremely conservative with their gas gauges. I suspect (but am not willing to test) that there remains at least 2 gallons of gas in the tank even when the gauge is on E and the distance to empty is 0 miles. I've never owned a Toyota before so maybe this is normal for them. It doesn't align with my experience with other makes where DTE=0 means you can pump just about the listed capacity.

The problem now is that my wife - who hates stopping for gas - doesn't take the gauge seriously any more. So it's on my to check the car and fill it up when it's (possibly) empty.

Other than the RAV tanks issues, as far as I know, this is a Highlander engineering defect. All brands of vehicles I’ve had, have always been way more accurate with their gauges and tank capacities. I thought I was going to get to use the 17 gallons and hence get a 600 mile range, but that is not the case. For the marginal gain of the tank fix, for me, it’s not worth the trouble.