How paranoid is your car?

"mazda616" (mazda616) 04/04/2016 at 22:28 • Filed to: Fuel Range

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Car said “Range: 30 miles.” I filled up and barely squeezed 13 gallons in it when it has a 16.4 gallon tank. I average 27 MPG, so 3 gallons left would be around 81 miles to true empty.

I can see why they make cars take precautions in showing “Distance to Empty” figures, though. It’s a huge variable, first of all. And all it’d take is one dumb person running their car out of gas one too many times and ruining a fuel pump for there to be a full scale recall in place.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 22:32

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I can go about 10 miles after my car hits 0, but I think most cars have that built-in fuel reserve.

qbeezy > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 22:35

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I usually get about 3 gallons after the 3o miles warning. And when it hits —- or 25mi estimated it completely cuts boost.

Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 22:35

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I get a warning at 80 that goes back off after a few seconds and one at 30 that does not go back off.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 22:43

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It doesn’t have enough computers to get paranoid. Unless of course the door is open with the keys in the ignition. Then it’ll scream for days.

Phyrxes once again has a wagon! > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 22:45

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Easily 20 to 30 miles after range hits zero. I always chuckle at the very insistent messages about refueling that start showing up at when I hit that last 1/8 of a tank or so.

Gone > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 22:45

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Wife’s car, about 65mi.

Truck, 6.5-7 gal left. Good if you’re towing (60+mi), silly overwise. Empty it’s about 105-115mi left.

Bike, about 35 or so. I tend to fill up at 150 for safety.

HammerheadFistpunch > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 22:53

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With the Nox Box, its pretty damn accurate, i got to 5 miles range once and I put in 14.6 gallons in a 14.5 gallon tank (filler neck). With my cruiser its woefully pessimistic - an on empty light fillup is around 18-19 gallons, in a 25.6 gallon tank.

v8corvairpickup > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 22:57

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My previous daily driver was a 2001 Jetta TDi. The last time I drove it, the low fuel indicator came on about 42 miles from home and about 36 miles from the next fuel station. I got to the station without a problem but when I went to start the car, it decided that it wasn’t going to start. The injector pump had failed for the second time. So the fuel indicator was more of a fuel injector pump warning. I sold the non-running car as-is about 5 months later.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 23:08

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I get a gas warning light when I have about 50 miles left. For me, that’s a week’s worth of driving.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 23:09

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The Focus is really close. I was running on fumes when I pulled in with it at single-digit remaining miles. Therefore, it’s not paranoid at all. It’s a harsh mistress, which is sort of the personality of the car in general.

With the Lincoln, the fuel economy gauge is even more accurate than in the Focus, with it almost always within tenths of an MPG of the number I get when I fill it. However, the low gas light comes on with a good 68-85 miles left, but the dash claims something like 50, meaning it underestimates range by about 1-2 gallons. It is strangely-isolating and conservative in nature.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 23:24

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My first experience with a range estimate in a car was with my parents’ ‘97 Pontiac Trans Sport. We ran out of gas once. It told us we could still go 140 miles further. Haven't trusted them much since.

Biggus Dickus (RevsBro) > mazda616 04/04/2016 at 23:31

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With my E92 M3, (16 gallon tank) the gas light comes on with a QUARTER of a tank left. However my average is 15 MPG.

facw > mazda616 04/05/2016 at 00:00

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My car has the orange light come on with the trip computer reading ~30 miles to 0. But at that point it will only take 11 gallons, on what is supposed to be a 16 gallon tank. Most I’ve ever put in it was just shy of 13 gallons with the trip computer reading 2 miles to 0. I assume there’s some “reserve” but I’ve never exactly wanted to test it given that I’m paranoid since the three times the check engine light has come on for serious issues have all been with the orange light on. Probably coincidence, but presumably the less fuel you have in there, the more concentrated whatever junk is in the tank is.

facw > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee 04/05/2016 at 00:03

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Friend of mine had a Merkur Scorpio with a busted fuel gauge. He relied entirely on the trip computer to know when to gas up. Never let him down.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > mazda616 04/05/2016 at 00:17

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Hmm.. civic gets a low fuel light after just under half.. hmmm...

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > facw 04/05/2016 at 00:25

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I suppose it’s a Merkur so it’s already weird... but I seriously doubt a car from the 80's would have a trip computer. If all you mean is the trip meter, as in just the odometer, then for sure. I use mine for measuring range all the time. I just rely on my knowledge of how far I can typically go on a tank of fuel and act accordingly. Both my vehicles have functioning fuel guages that are somewhat accurate, but I still don't have faith in a 20+ year old sending unit to tell me anything accurate. Anyone who relies solely on their fuel gauge with no other point of reference is foolish.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > mazda616 04/05/2016 at 00:34

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With the Taco, you get maybe 25 miles. It is very stressful if the light comes on because I am often crawling though afternoon traffic or in some far off land.

Amoore100 > mazda616 04/05/2016 at 01:38

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When my V50 shows the low fuel indicator I can only manage to get about 10.5 gal into it but it apparently has a 15-16 gal tank, so either the sensor is miscalibrated, or it really is that paranoid.

facw > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee 04/05/2016 at 06:59

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Oh it had one, the Scorpio was a fancy car:

facw > facw 04/05/2016 at 07:01

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OK, so kinja is junk, but maybe it will let me post a picture in a new comment?

facw > facw 04/05/2016 at 07:03

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Nope, just junk...

Andrew > Amoore100 04/05/2016 at 08:11

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V50.....wagon??

bobbe17 > mazda616 04/05/2016 at 08:55

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My Passat is the same way, 0 miles leaves me about 2.5 gallons. My M3 however left me with no gas and told me I had 45 miles to go. I now fill up at 1/4 tank or 300 miles on the trip odometer, whichever comes first.

Amoore100 > Andrew 04/05/2016 at 11:45

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Indeed.

It isn’t the fastest, but it drives quite well.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > mazda616 04/06/2016 at 12:45

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My wife’s Fit’s gas light comes on at about 2 gallon, so 60-80 miles to empty.

Mine in the Galant is about the same, but my gas gauge isn’t very reliable so it’ll come on then go away, then come back on. Usually when it starts flashing I’ll have 3-4 gallons left in the so again 60-80 miles. I guess they figure no matter where you are there aught to be a gas station within a 60 miles range.