2.0CRDI Fuel Light Roulette (Pics)

[lpt100]

So, the OH is 32 weeks pregnant and keeps nagging me to fill up as soon as the light comes on. I refuse knowing full well there's loads of fuel left   (why is it simply clever to build a warning device that is ignored because it comes on too early?!).

 

 

This is just as I pull onto the forecourt. Satisfied with self much.

 

I was expecting a few more 'fireworks' from the infotainment, a flashing car, driving into the petrol pump etc, even after I let Betty 'find a petrol station'. (The car is called Black Betty, as that's the song that appeared on the play list when I was wondering what I'd call the car if I had to choose)

 

 

So filling up with my 8p off a liter voucher, off a pleasing 112.9p per liter (2p less than petrol, smug much) the pump clicks, from an empty tank at 42.2l. Hmm. I manage to force in another few liters until the petrol pump refuses to even start and manage a grand total of 45.62l.

 

 

45.62 liters from empty, 0 miles remaining, Needle just touching the bottom of the scale.

 

That's roughly a gallon remaining in the 50l tank before the engine 'coughs'(?), so worst case scenario in sport mode 'boy racering' from light to light approx 30 miles. Or driving with some care around 50 miles.

 

So the question is, is there a fault with my car that explains why it starts warning me so early? Or is it simply clever to have the wife nag me about the fuel light for a week before I fill up? 

 

Zero is probably as far as I'd take it, as I wouldn't want to pull any crap through the fuel system (assuming diesel still leaves rubbish in your tank after a while?) but I'm curious if there are any further warnings if you go beyond 0 and get close to the actual limit? Considering the fuel warning light comes on at 55 miles remaining?! Is there any other 'reserve' beyond the 50l?

[Tim1631]

Do what taxi drivers do and rock the car from left to right to release the air gap to get more fuel in. I don't do that. Just what I have been told haha

[Igdos]

Have this also, I've driven 50 miles, dual carriageway/A roads, with Range showing zero.

Fuelled up and got 49 litres in.

Light comes on way too early!

[Sheldon.Cooper]

Mine does pretty much exactly the same.

 

Always fill up with a range left of somewhere between 30 & 50 miles.

 

By the time the pump has clicked off for the second time it works out that there was still 7-8 litres in the tank so in reality a range of around 70 miles

 

It's not a fault, be nice if 0 meant 0 but it's good to have a reserve.

[Neily03]

Same here. I've done about 40 miles with the range on 0 and only managed to get 47 litres in....

[Coops]

Ah the old petrol station roulette game!

 

Yes done it plenty of times - best I got in the Superb was around 40 miles.

 

Great fun but the lower you leave it the greater the risk of dredging up junk from the bottom of the fuel tank perhaps.

[M12MKD]

better early than late!! :P

[MoggyTech]

better early than late!! :p

Exactly, people need to remember these cars are used all over Europe, a good designer will do the fuel warning maths based on a country/region, that has few filler stations. He will look at the longest stretch of road and distance between the furthest filler stations, then add a few percent on for silly people.

[Rodge]

When the fuel warning light comes on on my petrol Focus there are 10 litres left, which will get me at least 90 miles. So I make a note of what the trip counter said when the light came on and fill up after driving another 50-70 miles. I usually put less than 53 litres in the 55 litre tank, although there was once when I put 54.5 litres in.

[Gabbo]

It also illegal in many countries to run out of fuel on the highway (you can face a fine & maybe points on your license).

The sensitivity probably also comes from older diesels, without run-dry protection when it could be at best very difficult to restart or at worse cause camage to your engine if you run out of diesel.

 

I believe the distance to empty is based on your recent driving style rather than actual litres in the tank.

I find I can get around 47-48L in the tank if I run the car on long-distance motorway runs but when I drive around town or different kinds of driving its usually around 40-42L.

 

 

So I'd say theres nothing wrong with your car but would agree with the other comments that its not so reliable in the Octavia compared with other cars I've had.

[timbris93]

I start to get twitchy if it gets to a quarter of a tank left. Probably a habit i picked up from my last car which was a gas guzzler.

[steveo82]

And on a slightly different make and model, our mk3 Galaxy flamin' conked out still showing 24 miles range not amused!

 

The light on mk3 vrs usually pops on at between 60-65 miles range which is needle just and so touching the red, it must be simply doing that so you can NEVER say "I didn't know it was going to run out".

[Rodge]

According to the manual there's supposed to be about a 6 litre reserve left when the warning light comes on, which fits with 60-65 miles range, but from what some people have said it sounds like there's still quite a lot left after that has been used.

[meta55b]

I don't see any funny part to this post, in fact I find it quite irresponsible giving the fact the partner is 32 weeks gone and could drop any day. My partner is a midwife and I know all to well how bad and fast it can hit the fan with pregnant women, then she or they are transferred to another hospital, sometimes 200 miles away for specialist care. So if this happens to your partner/ child, in the middle of the night and your running about with the fuel light on and can't find a petrol station open or one near, remember you don't get to go in the ambulance. One bit of advice I can give you, keep that tank full at all times, because you just never know. All the best for when the baby arrives.

[Skodev]

At least the gauge appears to err on the side of caution as opposed the Hyundai ix35 hire car I had this week. On my way back from Gatwick it was showing a range of 115 miles when the light came on, then dropped to 105, then 85 and then 65. Ten minutes later zero miles and the fuel light began to flash. Cruise was set at 75 (ahem) so no erratic driving, purely motorway. Regarding the OP. I'd say just make sure you top up the tank until the OH goes in. Common sense really.

[Skodev]

Oh and good luck lpt100. Life's little miracles.

[moley]

If I let my old Mk2 go to 10 miles range I could get 52 litres in it (55 litre tank) on the MK3 at 10 miles range I can just about squeeze 45 litres in it.(50 litre tank)

[Sheldon.Cooper]

Volvo S60 T5 hire car a few years ago in the states, took out the prepaid gas option and was told to bring it back empty.

Distance to airport on last day was 120miles, range showed 100.

once on freeway range improved.

Distance 80 miles, range 100

distance 50 miles, range 80

Distance 30 miles, range 50

got to 10 miles out and range 0 with constant beeps and fill up now warnings

made it without coughing but not fun for last few miles dreading running out of fuel and possibly missing plane.

Leason learned...don't like that kind of stress.

car was wonderful though, stupidly quick (US got a 260HP version)

[neiln]

The petrol seems to hit zero range with about 2.5 litres left, or mine does.

[Warkman]

Not all fuel within the rank us useable. This can be a factor of reasons, including the positioning of the fuel pump,debris within the tank and the inaccuracy of the float chamber.

Why on earth anyone would want to run a tank all the way down is beyond me

[lpt100]

I don't see any funny part to this post, in fact I find it quite irresponsible giving the fact the partner is 32 weeks gone and could drop any day. My partner is a midwife and I know all to well how bad and fast it can hit the fan with pregnant women, then she or they are transferred to another hospital, sometimes 200 miles away for specialist care. So if this happens to your partner/ child, in the middle of the night and your running about with the fuel light on and can't find a petrol station open or one near, remember you don't get to go in the ambulance. One bit of advice I can give you, keep that tank full at all times, because you just never know. All the best for when the baby arrives.

Cheers! Don't worry we have a back up car that's always near full. The women's (the specialist place) is 6 miles away.

[lpt100]

This is annoying.

I get the light is trying to help but "zero" comes on way too early. This time I got to -22 miles (i reset trip when it said zero) and managed to fill up 46.7L. 50L tank I believe?

[pist0nbr0ke]

Other half pregnant again?

[lpt100]

Ha. No. Just leaving work late and putting it off.

[AnthonyDi]

I think this is only for the diesel engined cars, the petrols give you barely anything when the fuel range is at zero from what I've read elsewhere.

Most I've gone whilst at zero range was about 5 miles of gentle motorway driving, and that will then fill up to the click just over 50 litres.