Ran Out of Fuel, Twice! With 1/4 tank showing on gauge

[JBHillCountry]

As a former technician myself, I understand where you are coming from. But my habits are not the problem, the system should alert me BEFORE the fuel level gets to a point where the fuel pump is in danger and/or I am going to run out

Why let it run so low?
I drive 60-80k per year for last 20+ years and have never run out of fuel and I would bet the low fuel light has come on less than 5 times. I don't understand the strategy in running it until almost empty before getting fuel. Makes no sense to me.

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[SlowPoke]

That sucks and hopefully dealer #2 can fix it, but in the meantime instead of carrying fuel around in your trunk like a , reset your trip meter at each fill-up and fuel up again when you hit ~250 miles or whatever you like.

I always reset my trip meters at every fill up in every vehicle. Some of my stuff has broken, or simply doesn't have, a fuel gauge and its a good habit to get in to regardless instead of relying on a single sensor.

I've dont this before with some vehicles and it makes sense, but for what these things cost, it should be accurate to a half gallon. I have to admit, I miss the older mechanically simpler vehicles.

 

[Techun]

I can't believe some people haven't driven for 10+ miles with "0 miles remaining" multiple times. You must not let your spouse drive your car.

 

[Hkak45]

Man reading this thread makes me feel strange to say that I have never once in my life seen my gas light come on.... Guess living up north where it freezes has taught me good lessons on never going too low on fuel for freezing issues lol now I'm wondering on any of my cars if the light even works

 

[Yukon65006]

With any vehicle I use the odometer at fill up to verify the MPG and never go by the idiot lights or estimates. Have had to many vehicles that they are way off or set so low as to useless especially in the unpopulated west.

Had a Civic that the light came on with 90 miles left in the tank. And had a Caviler that you better be pulling into the station when the light came on.

 

[cowman]

As a former technician myself, I understand where you are coming from. But my habits are not the problem, the system should alert me BEFORE the fuel level gets to a point where the fuel pump is in danger and/or I am going to run out

I have driven many many autos and equipment that never had an alert system on them... never run out of fuel.... and yes it is a bad habit to depend on an electronic alert..... just like the low tire alert... it is good to inspect your tires before you drive with just a glance at them.... and if you hear a thump thump thump.... you might have a flat tire even if your alert say you have 35lbs in that tire....

 

[MichBadger]

The wide range of responses to this makes me laugh as it is an accurate gauge of peoples' level of OCD. My wife and I have the same arguments in our house.
1. I drive it to the warning light almost every time and have run it down past "0 miles to empty" many times as I'm trying to make my way to the nearest Costco on my normal route to fill up. My wife will fill up when it's half full no matter what the price of gas is and is extremely nervous at 1/4 tank.
2. I worked within the fuel delivery module industry.
a.) This is definitely a bad sensor or sending unit. That sucks.
b.) The vehicles are programmed to have 1.5-2.5 gallons remaining in the tank when your "miles to empty" is showing zero. The actual amount is based on the specific gas mileage and size of the tank. A super duty truck will have more - a Honda Civic will have less.
c.) For the most part, fuel pumps can take a beating. I'm not a big believer that a full tank is better for the pump. I'm not keeping my car for it's entire life anyway. I'd rather go longer between fill-ups than "save" my pump.

 

[mihiinme]

Drove 180 miles Friday night starting with a full tank. Got home gauge read 133 miles to Empty. Saturday morning drove about another 40 miles and looked at the gauge it read 233 to Empty. Stopped and filled up it took 12 gallons. Drove 200 plus miles this morning and the miles to empty kept rising at the end of the trip it showed 284 to Empty and the gauge itself shows full.

 

[Headsong]

Please tell me that the fuel gauge itself is not some computer calculation. I hope it actually is a reading off of a sending unit inside the tank? Otherwise it's just more nonsense from a computer.

 

[Razorbak86]

Please tell me that the fuel gauge itself is not some computer calculation. I hope it actually is a reading off of a sending unit inside the tank? Otherwise it's just more nonsense from a computer.

The fuel gauge in the instrument panel is reading from a fuel level sender inside the tank, and there is a float attached at the end of the long blue arm in the diagram below that rises and falls as the fuel level changes.

 

[‘21OBX]

No reason to run that low. 1/2 tank is sketchy 1/4 tank is empty. But you should be able to rely on your vehicle to tell you something close to the truth.

 

[tourproto]

Just took my first major road trip and somewhat intentionally wanted to test the accuracy of the “miles to empty” so I would be able to know “how low I can go”.

I was 100 miles away from a known destination and the Bronco said it was 90 miles to empty, so I decided to test it out

Got to my destination gas station and the gauge said 5 miles to empty. There may have been a lot more gas in the tank but I am good to know I can go close to zero in the future.

 

[ET13]

No reason to run that low. 1/2 tank is sketchy 1/4 tank is empty. But you should be able to rely on your vehicle to tell you something close to the truth.

Lol this is some sort of joke right?

 

[redone17]

WHAT IS THE LOW FUEL REMINDER
A low fuel level reminder displays and sounds when the distance to empty reaches 75 mi (120 km) to empty for MyKey, and at 50 mi (80 km), 25 mi
(40 km), 12 mi (20 km) and 0 mi (0 km) for all vehicle keys.
Note: The low fuel reminder can appear at different fuel gauge positions depending on fuel economy conditions. This variation is normal.

WHAT IS DISTANCE TO EMPTY
Indicates the approximate distance your vehicle can travel on the fuel remaining in the tank. Changes in driving pattern can cause the value to not only decrease but also increase or stay constant for periods of time.


FUEL TANK CAPACITY
Advertised Capacity
The advertised capacity is the maximum amount of fuel that you can add to the fuel tank when the fuel gauge indicates empty.

In addition, the fuel tank contains an empty reserve. The empty reserve is an unspecified amount of fuel that remains in the fuel tank when the fuel gauge indicates empty.

Note: The amount of fuel in the empty reserve varies and should not be relied upon to increase driving range.

 

[‘21OBX]

Lol this is some sort of joke right?

Nope. Get stuck one time in the winter in the UP of Michigan. Middle of nothing. It’ll keep you from every running on empty. Gas stations close about 8pm most places and towns with a gas station are far apart.

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