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Low fuel indicator

Fuel 
7K views 26 replies 16 participants last post by  MrEd 
#1 ·
I'm trying very hard not to refuel the loan car I have... as I am getting my replacement tomorrow.

Any idea how reliable the low fuel "miles left" counter is? It's saying 29 miles, and I reckon I need to do another 12 to get the car back.

Any thoughts, experience?
 
#8 ·
5 Litres is just over 1 UK gallon (4.5/gallon)
At a conservative 38mpg you're looking about 40miles once the fuel tank is empty!! That's actually quite impressive and could even get me home from work, but I'd NEVER risk it!
 
#9 ·
I can report from experience that there is over 30 miles left after the trip says 0 on the 1.8.

I often play 'petrol station roulette' and last week ran of fuel out 500yds from a garage. It took two jerry cans of unleaded and an AA patrol man to get me going again!!! Will i ever learn.
 
#12 ·
my light came on today, at an all time low trip distance of just 375 miles :(
and saying that I had just 35miles left in the tank.

As it happens, it was Tesco shopping night tonight, so, after fighting the (previously busted, not got round to getting it fixed yet) cap release, I filled up.

43.5 ltrs.

I'm becoming less than impressed with my trip computer - think the service in 1500 miles could see my Civ off the road for a few days... :(
 
#13 ·
I think all manufacturers are wary of the 'miles to go' facilty and err on the cautious.

They dare not get it wrong the other way round otherwise you could end up stranded and as a result the car would get a lower reliability rating.

As has been said, the best way is to try and attack a garage forecourt just as the light has popped up and see how much you get in.
 
#14 ·
I have always been led to believe that it is not good to 'run on empty' as this means that you are picking up all the crud that lies in the bottom of the tank, blocking filters and worse. For that reason I rarely go below 1/4 tank.
However this might just relate to cars I had in my youth (some years ago now) and/or be an urban myth.
 
#17 ·
this isnt so much problem in modern cars cos the tanks are plastic. alos i had a 17yr old golf that i dropped the tank from and flushed out and it had sediment type stuff in the bottom but a tiny tiny amount and that had never been dropped as the underseal was in place still. really really wouldnt worry on our new cars tbh aint gonna be any crap to suck up. unless u stuff leaves in everytime u refuel......

*honda may have done that at the factory tho lol
 
#15 ·
No sorry no idea,but do let me know how you get on !
 
#19 · (Edited)
yer i usually put high 40's L in, Ive been down to -5 miles i think, i thought it would be 4-5L after 0 miles because most cars warm you at 70-80 miles left but mine usually is down to 40 -45 miles before i get the pump . if you add the amount of fuel you can get in the pipe that leads to the tank and the neck its possible to get 2-3 l i bet, must be big long pipe to go to the drivers seat area.
 
#20 ·
... . if you add the amount of fuel you can get in the pipe that leads to the tank and the neck its possible to get 2-3 l i bet, must be big long pipe to go to the drivers seat area.
that's a good point - hadn't thought about it being an overly long pipe...
 
#23 ·
that pipe thop is gonna be like 10mm wide it not gonna fold that much fuel to be honest.
but is it?

I really have no idea - but given the rate that the fuel comes out of the pump, I would ave thought that the pipe between filler cap and fuel tank would have to be quite large diameter?

But I really have no idea :)
 
#25 ·
have I grabbed the wrong end of the stick here?

I was thinking about the pipe that goes from the fuel filler cap (the silver one that never opens when you want it to) to the fuel tank under the front seat.

The pump I was talking about was the big (usually) white one that sits on the petrol forecourt and clocks up pounds and pence (at a depressing rate :()

Huge apols if my lack of clarity has confused! :):oops:
 
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