Fuel Gauge - how far can you go with the warning light?

[orinj]

I have another fuel related query (see http://www.briskoda.net/forums/showthread.php?t=49914) that relates to the fuel gauge and in particular the "miles remaining" counter that can be displayed.

I currently have a Skoda Fabia and the low fuel warning light always comes on when there is supposedly just 50 miles worth of fuel remaining. On a few occassions I have tested this claim (with spare fuel in the boot just in case ) and found that it did indeed run for at least 45 and sometimes more than 50 miles before I pulled into a petrol station to fill up. The meter has been fairly faithful and so I have been able to make use of that when decided where and when I should fill up. Keeping an eye on the fuel gauge needle also helps.

My questions about this are:

1) Have Octavia drivers tested this function - does the warning light come on at 50 miles remaining?
2) How accurate have you found it to be - will it let you drive those 40/50 miles as claimed?

[Harry_vRS]

I don't take the risk and fill up as soon as the light comes on

[mannyo]

I had my octy vrs down to 0 miles remaining once when I couldnt get fuel because the petrol station was closed.

[Goochie]

My Octavia will do at least 5 miles after zero is shown.

Ask bengie - he's ran out of petrol before

[Toneboy]

Having been caught out a couple of times in my very young days I now adopt a policy of always topping up the tank once it reaches the half full mark.

The additional advantage of this is that you also avoid sucking up the crap at the bottom of your vehicles fuel tank.

[badgerbrain]

My light comes on with 30 miles left... have driven past 0 miles range and managed about 15 miles (think i was on vapour the last few miles)... promptlly filled up at the next garage i passed.

[EddyH]

Originally Posted by Goochie

My Octavia will do at least 5 miles after zero is shown.

Ask bengie - he's ran out of petrol before

Must be a 4x4 thing; I have too. Think I got about 15miles after the light came on before totally running out.

[Goochie]

Eddy I assume you mean after the Zero indication? The light comes on at 30 miles

[Ants]

Working at a dealership, we run all our cars on fumes!!! Personally, done about 12 miles on 0, colleagues have done 20ish

[EddyH]

Originally Posted by Goochie

Eddy I assume you mean after the Zero indication? The light comes on at 30 miles

No, 15 miles after the light. The light comes on when you have a certain amount of fuel left not a certain amount of miles so it also depends how you drive.

[Goochie]

Oh now that is interesting.

EDIT: You must have a very heavy right foot

[EddyH]

Originally Posted by Goochie

Oh now that is interesting.

EDIT: You must have a very heavy right foot

I usually average around 24mpg over a tank although I've averaged 16mpg over a tank when particularly enjoying myself.

Strangely I used to get sub 20mpg in the CTR but got high 30's in the Golf. In the Ibiza I get mid 40's which I suspect is low after seeing claims of mid to high 50's from Fabia vRS drivers.

Once I go back to commuting in the 4x4 I expect the average mpg to creep up a bit.

[Shifty]

My Fabia light comes on at 50 miles everytime, and the Octavia shows 20 miles remaining each time. Lowest I have dared go is 5 miles left.

[boyced]

had 0 miles showing on the octy and did 20 odd miles. Its a 60 litre tank on the octy. And the most I've ever put in is 50 litres when, so there must be a further 10 litres left.

[Ants]

I remember Clarkson driving a big Audi from London to Edinburgh and back on a tank, went ages on empty, but you never know if those things are staged.

I'm a right in thinking the diesels have a built in electronic missfire when they get really empty to save damage to the fuel pump, or have I dreamt that one?

[PussCat]

my Octy warning light comes on when it thinks I've got 50 miles of diesel left.... have driven it a couple of miles on 0 once, when the garage I was going to was shut. It then took 50 litres to fill, and I think it's a 55l tank - so it looks like I still have 5l left even when it's reading 0...... Managed to get over 600 miles outta the last tankfull!!

[steviec]

Similar here, managed approx 30 miles on 0 coming up the M6 doind a steady 55ish MPH, thought originally when I got the car it was a 55L plus 7 litre reserve, so wrongly at 0 thought I was on the reserve.

Anyway just made it to the local petrol station and it took 55 Litres !!!

Just checking my mileage reports and notice that I regularly fill up putting 50 - 53 litres in having run on 0 for a few miles. Tht's me being a scrouge and filling up at the local Sainsburys for cheap fuel and Nectar points.

[Fish]

My Fabia's warning light comes one when there's about 70 miles of diesel left. Although it's not recommended, I have run it down to zero and have managed about another 20 miles beyond.

Most I've got out of a full tank (and beyond) is about 560 miles. Not for the foolish or faint-hearted!

[slider]

don't trust the trip computer!!!

When the low fuel light comes on on my Octy2 1.9tdi the computer registers 80 mile to go, but as found oud it's a mighty short 80mls!. was down to zero after about 35 (easy driving) but managed another 30 before I got to the fuel station.

[Johnnyc]

I always go right down to 0 miles left tbh. I've driven around all day like that and reckon i've gone maybe another 25-30 miles before refuelling. All i can say is i've never run out although i've been right down to the last litre. In saying that, mine is a diesel but it would be a different story in a petrol car.

[ednmra]

I always imagine some junk from the bottom of the tank going through if I did that - though these days there's probably precautions against it. More to the point, suppose the final cough comes when you are in the middle of something tricky like a tunnel, roundabout or level crossing?
I fill right up when it gets between half and quarter full on the gauge. Doesn't cost any different and it feels more secure.

[micromyth]

According to the owners manual the warning light should come one when there is only 8 litres of fuel left in the tank. Bear in mind that this will depend on how horizontal the car is and the miles remaining will be based on how the car is driven.

[boyced]

Originally Posted by boyced

had 0 miles showing on the octy and did 20 odd miles. Its a 60 litre tank on the octy. And the most I've ever put in is 50 litres when, so there must be a further 10 litres left.

managed to get 55 litres in today!

[Johnnyc]

Originally Posted by ednmra

I always imagine some junk from the bottom of the tank going through if I did that - though these days there's probably precautions against it. More to the point, suppose the final cough comes when you are in the middle of something tricky like a tunnel, roundabout or level crossing?
I fill right up when it gets between half and quarter full on the gauge. Doesn't cost any different and it feels more secure.

Well i'm thinking that since i've been running my car right down to almost empty since the day and hour i got it, hopefully the 'junk' hasn't had a chance to build up in the tank anyway.

[boyced]

does junk actually build up? thinking about it fuel must be sucked from the bottom of the tank, so that will get sucked up first.