As I know, if you put a little amount of fuel in the car, the fuel gauge won't notice it (usually 4 or less liters), so it dosen't climb up, same goes for the estimated range. From my experience, f.e. if I have a range of 60 kilometers and I fuel up extra 4 liters of fuel, the estimated range won't go up, but it also won't go down for some 50-80 kilometers, depending on you'r driving style and route.

Which brings me to my experience this evening. I had about 50 kilometers left on my estimated range, but I had to do a little trip arond the city. Decided to fuel up, but forgot my wallet at home, so I had to do with the 4 euros in my pocket, so I put about 3 and a half liters of fuel in my Fabia and continued driving, but to my suprise - the fuel gauge and the estimated range kept falling down. To my luck, I found 2 more euros in my pocket and once my range wen't to 15 kilometers, I decided to fuel up again (a bit less then 2 liters of fuel). The gauge and the range was still going down and by the time I got to my garage it was 5 kilometers.

Has anyone had similar experience and what happens when you drive those 5 km's? I am absolutely sure that my fuel tank isn't completly empty and I should be able to cover atleast 50-60 km's more. :?

I have a 1.2 TSi 110hp Fabia Combi.

It is calculating the range from how you are / were driving, so if being quite economic in you driving it might show 50 km because you were / are using little fuel.

If you then start driving short trips / cold starts / slower / stop / start and using more fuel them obviously that 50 km range is not possible.

Even more fuel added needs calculating as it is being used as the car works out the Average Use or Instantaneous use.

 

The system is just an indicator not to be trusted that closely.

The tank will not be empty but then the gamble is yours if it is, only a trial will tell if you run on vapours or actual go juice.

Edited 22 September, 20169 yr by Offski

I do know this, but I'm not sure you understood me. The car didn't sense that I've put more fuel in it (5-6 l, that's good for some additional 100km). My trip yesterday was about 50km long, with the usual consumption of 5-6l/100km.

I know what you mean about it not sensing the additional fuel added.

It is what it is, not an actual accurate system but it at least warns you the fuel is low, and you know how much you add. You just have to zero the Miles / Km and pay attention.

 

With a Toyota iQ i had it only made any adjustments if 11 litres or more was added, add less and it never changed, but they have a flat tank and only 32 litre capacity.

I'm trading my Fabia estate Mk2 car today for a new Mk3. As a result I let the fuel run very low yesterday. I decided it was too low (fuel light on and 20 miles left). I ended up putting £3 worth of fuel in to make sure I didn't run out. The fuel gauge didn't initially show any new fuel in the tank, the low fuel light remained on and the mileage to empty remained the same as I drove away from the garage. But after about 1/3 of a mile the light went out and the gauge registered the new fuel. This is because the car calculates everything to do with miles per gallon in distance travelled and driving style. The car has to cover at least 1/3 of a mile before it can register the remaining miles left in the tank and that is based on how the car is being driven. It's the same if you zero your mpg counter on the dash. It won't read anything until you have covered 1/3 of a mile. 

Intresting enough, I drove a few kilometers today with it while having a range of 0km. I figured that I should play a little and fuel a bit up again, maybe the remaining fuel would actually show up then. So I put 4 more liters of fuel in it, and gauge climbed a little bit, now showing 65km of range, which is still a lot less then I should have, even for aggresive driving style (which I wasn't doing).