I have been through my first tank of fuel (diesel).

I got refuel warning and then running on range reducing until I am on 0 miles left.

With no experience of the range on this car, I was sweating a bit and probably did around 8 miles more on 0 miles.

When i foound an open fuel station I only managed to get 46.25 litres in the tank - the owners manual states "The fuel tank has a capacity of about 50 litres, including a reserve of approx.
6 litres"

With my Mk2 Octavia L&K I could drive for quite a few miles on 0 miles range, and always managed to put in around 57 litres.

Is the fuel tank on the Mk3 smaller or is the guage/range indicator just very pesssimistic?

 

 

Most O3s with exception of the 4x4 variants have a 50l tank. The 4x4's have a 55l tank. All Mk2's I believe had a 55l tank.

There is also the theory that the reserve on these cars is quite big, people have apparently run some fair distance on 0 miles without incident and still been unable to get 50l of fuel in.

Edited 14 August, 201412 yr by pipsyp

There are many posts here about this; the fuel gauge isn't fit for purpose as it's inaccurate.

Yep the gauge just seems to guess. Would be nice if it can be adjusted with VCDS.

Most I've got in my vRS is 51.86 litres! Computer said 5 miles range but was less as I was using distance to garage off GPS and as the computer was counting down in its 5 mile increments the GPS was less by 2 miles. I.e. GPS to garage when computer clicked to 10 was 8. When computer clicked to 5, GPS said 3. So probably "fumes". Spare can in the back at the ready!

Previous highest fill was 50.1 and the computer had just read 5 when I pulled into garage, so I think " 5 to go " would be my limit.

As regards the differences, the specific gravity/density of the fuel when its dispensed from the pump can depend how much you can get in. This mainly depends on the temperature. As an example, remember the early days of fuel capacity limits in F1and laterly in MotoGP when the teams have the fuel tanks wrapped in cooling blankets? This is because you can get more than 20 litres into 20 litre tank!

I've twice run mine (tsi) about 7 miles past 0 range, got 49.01 and 49.21 litres in on fill up. I guess the 5 litre reserve is from when range is 0 and to have got 49 litres in I must have squeezed a litre or more in the filler tube, over and above the tank capacity of 50 l.

Got 52L on mine when I had 5km left of fuel. Seems to vary a little the inaccuracy...

The range remaining is based on the previous 10-15 mins of driving and not across the whole tank. So thrash it a lot and the range will drop sharply, then drive normally and watch the range increase. When I used to do the nurburgring, you could fill up with fuel, and pull away from the petrol station with a range remaining of less than 100 miles (full tank).

 

The tank shape means the gauge is not linear either, so it typically takes ages at the top but the rate of drop speeds up the further you travel.

I've twice run mine (tsi) about 7 miles past 0 range, got 49.01 and 49.21 litres in on fill up. I guess the 5 litre reserve is from when range is 0 and to have got 49 litres in I must have squeezed a litre or more in the filler tube, over and above the tank capacity of 50 l.

Not sure that's the case as the warning light on mine comes on at 60 miles to go(under normal driving) and from the manual this states there are approx 7 litres left.

So it does (page 21). Page 192 matches it, saying 50 litre tank with 7 litre reserve.  50 litre when filled to first shut off if the filler, going past that is filling the expansion volume.  Well since I was about to drive 200 miles both times I wasn't worried about that and squeezed an extra litre or 2 in past the first shut off.  So 49 litre fill got me to ~52 litres in the tank, so I had 3 litres as I reached the filling station and about 4 when range hit zero.... This proves nothing except the gauge isn't perfectly accurate.

The other day I rolled into my local Aral petrol station the fuel tank gauge was empty the info system was saying 5 miles range. So I filled in 5 of my little fuel coupons cheeky bonus for us forces guys out here in Germany cheaper fuel!!!( about 70 cents a litre)and managed to squeeze in 43.65 litres. This is another reason why the VRS is going in January( for a fully loaded 170 elegance Superb estate). Where do Skoda get this totally mythical 60 odd miles per gallon from I have seen 60.4 and 61.3 mpg I was so shocked not to mention bored I took photographs as evidence. You would think in this day and age car makers and their suppliers could make component parts that are quite accurate. Oh heck went off on one there.!!!

So it does (page 21). Page 192 matches it, saying 50 litre tank with 7 litre reserve.  50 litre when filled to first shut off if the filler, going past that is filling the expansion volume.  Well since I was about to drive 200 miles both times I wasn't worried about that and squeezed an extra litre or 2 in past the first shut off.  So 49 litre fill got me to ~52 litres in the tank, so I had 3 litres as I reached the filling station and about 4 when range hit zero.... This proves nothing except the gauge isn't perfectly accurate.

Yes agreed! Gauges always dodgy! Even in 2014!

I have to admit I do the same as you in that I fill up right to the neck but then always have to drive about 15 to 20 miles if going home or 170 if going to work, so expansion/charcoal filter filling up( as some suggest), is not a factor.

Lets swap problems in life

Most I've managed to get in the tank was 49.84 litres when at 0 range, I do go past the first shutoff on the petrol filler, usually by 1 or 2 more litres.  It seems from what I've read that the petrol models are pretty accurate but, the TDI's have an in-built inaccuracy probably due to them being a bit more of an issue should you run them dry, thats just the way I see it from what I've read though.

Put 54.45l yesterday. I'm thinking I must have a 4x4 tank on mine. 

Mine was showing 10 miles remaining at the weekend when I filled up, but the needle was exactly in the middle of the red zone. I put about 43 litres in there to fill it to the brim.

For those of you who have got down to zero miles shown, where was the needle?

 

On my Bravo I managed to run it down below red and get 55.5 litres in a 55 litre tank.

Most I've managed was 52.5 litres on my tsi Vrs with a range of 16 miles to empty .

The other day I rolled into my local Aral petrol station the fuel tank gauge was empty the info system was saying 5 miles range. So I filled in 5 of my little fuel coupons cheeky bonus for us forces guys out here in Germany cheaper fuel!!!( about 70 cents a litre)and managed to squeeze in 43.65 litres. This is another reason why the VRS is going in January( for a fully loaded 170 elegance Superb estate). Where do Skoda get this totally mythical 60 odd miles per gallon from I have seen 60.4 and 61.3 mpg I was so shocked not to mention bored I took photographs as evidence. You would think in this day and age car makers and their suppliers could make component parts that are quite accurate. Oh heck went off on one there.!!!

 

As much as I love my vRS, it's probably going to have to go when my PCP runs out in June 2017.......I took the 61.4mpg Skoda quote with a pinch of salt but assumed I'd get 50+.

 

I can NOT get above 47mpg even when in eco mode on the M5 in 6th gear @ 70mph.

 

Plus Skoda have been quite creative with their advertising; rear led lights, for example, means tail lights only?  The fog (singular), indicators and brake lights are regular bulbs?

 

Twin exhausts means one is a fake?  How was that ever going to work?

 

Three free services?  The first and third are apparently oil and filter changes only; I can do those myself, don't be quoting me £149+VAT for 30 minutes work.

 

It's a lovely car, it really is........and if they bring out a 2.2 with 230+bhp I'll be all ears.......but also a little older and wiser.

As much as I love my vRS, it's probably going to have to go when my PCP runs out in June 2017.......I took the 61.4mpg Skoda quote with a pinch of salt but assumed I'd get 50+.

 

I can NOT get above 47mpg even when in eco mode on the M5 in 6th gear @ 70mph.

 

Plus Skoda have been quite creative with their advertising; rear led lights, for example, means tail lights only?  The fog (singular), indicators and brake lights are regular bulbs?

 

Mine easily manages mid to high fifties on a decent motorway run. Yours isn't a DSG is it?

 

Brake lights are also LED.

Mine easily manages mid to high fifties on a decent motorway run. Yours isn't a DSG is it?

 

Brake lights are also LED.

No, bog standard manual although I do tip some Millers in now and then.........but that shouldn't affect day-to-day mpg.

I can NOT get above 47mpg even when in eco mode on the M5 in 6th gear @ 70mph.

 

You're driving it wrong then (or at least that's the response Apple would probably give   ).

 

In all seriousness - take a look at how the test is conducted here:  http://www.dft.gov.uk/vca/fcb/the-fuel-consumption-testing-scheme.asp - it's impossible to get the quoted figures, but the whole point of them is to be able to accurately compare between cars.

 

Also, 70mph is not the most fuel efficient speed to drive at.  Try driving at 60-65mph and you'll notice a much increased range over even 70mph.  But, of course, you won't get where you're going quite as quick.