Low fuel accuracy?

[wyx087]

How accurate are the fuel gauge near the bottom of the tank?

 

It seems to use about one marker space (from one line to the next line) for my 29 miles commute. Currently I have 3 marker left, needle is pointing at the line above the 2 red marker spaces.

My plan is to refuel tomorrow on my way home. So 29 + 29 + 22 = 80 miles to get to Morrisons and use the 5p off voucher. The car currently thinks it has 85 miles left.

 

Is there much breathing space when the miles reaches 0 or when the needle goes to the empty marker?

How much fuel is left when low fuel warning light is triggered to light up?

 

 

 

With my EV, I know low-battery-warning is triggered when 4 kWh left in the battery. So I can confidently drive at least 10 miles in any condition. I'm aware it's more risky with a diesel, but I'd rather leave early tomorrow, than brave the rushhour to refuel today.

[gregoir]

Just take the warning as that and refuel asap. Many futile threads on different forums discussing the subject.

[themanwithnoaim]

30 miles past 0 if you have to hut, a diesel is a PITA if you run one dry

[gRoberts]

Your car will tell you when you have approx 1 gallon left of fuel. The MTE however is based upon your long term MPG average if I recall correctly.

 

As @gregoir said though, put some fuel in, even a small amount. Don't take the risk, as it's far from accurate. 

[wyx087]

I generally average over 50 mpg. So the moment warning light comes on, I should have over 40 miles to go.

 

Then, by the time that 40 miles has gone, there's still 30 miles past 0, if I read that correct?

 

 

Going to petrol stations is such hassle, I refuse to refuel anything other than all the way to full. I guess it's safer to refuel today rather than tomorrow......

[gRoberts]

15 minutes ago, wyx087 said:

I generally average over 50 mpg. So the moment warning light comes on, I should have over 40 miles to go.

 

Then, by the time that 40 miles has gone, there's still 30 miles past 0, if I read that correct?

 

 

Going to petrol stations is such hassle, I refuse to refuel anything other than all the way to full. I guess it's safer to refuel today rather than tomorrow......

 

To clarify, I'm referring to the MTE (miles to empty), once you reach 0, it's literally a lottery as to how far you get.

 

You should really fill up, before or as the car says it's time to refuel. Taking aside the potential damage (it's often debated) of running the tank dry, should you get stuck in a situation where you cannot leave your car, or you're faced with a diversion etc, you may not have enough fuel.

[wyx087]

Just checked, Morrison's open at 6am, I can fill up in the morning while it's still quiet.  (I hate rush hour and waiting in traffic)

 

So, currently car says 85 miles left, I only need to drive ~38 miles from work to home today then home to Morrison's first thing tomorrow morning.

 

 

If only I can refuel at home and never have to calculate for such things........ why does ICE cars have such a large variance in their remaining range?

[Gerrycan]

Most of the complaints about gauge accuracy from Octavia diesel drivers are about early empty notification ie when they refill they only get 40 litres in instead of the near 50 they expected.

 

Be interesting to hear how many litres your refill takes

 

Where I live in Adelaide the fuel price fluctuates by about 30% over a rough 3 week cycle so I always have a Jerrycan full of my car's favourite tipple to hand to avoid having to refill at peak price.

 

Edited 13 June, 2019 by Gerrycan

[wyx087]

I'd expect around 40 litres. I expect the needle to be just inside the red marker. I personally think there is plenty of fuel left, hence the question regarding its accuracy.

 

There are 8 larger markers and each large marker is divided into 2. Bottom two marker is red. So I should have 1/8 tank left on refuel. If a 45 litre tank, that would translate to 40 litre.

[ords]

3 hours ago, wyx087 said:

How accurate are the fuel gauge near the bottom of the tank?

 

It seems to use about one marker space (from one line to the next line) for my 29 miles commute. Currently I have 3 marker left, needle is pointing at the line above the 2 red marker spaces.

My plan is to refuel tomorrow on my way home. So 29 + 29 + 22 = 80 miles to get to Morrisons and use the 5p off voucher. The car currently thinks it has 85 miles left.

 

Is there much breathing space when the miles reaches 0 or when the needle goes to the empty marker?

How much fuel is left when low fuel warning light is triggered to light up?

 

 

 

With my EV, I know low-battery-warning is triggered when 4 kWh left in the battery. So I can confidently drive at least 10 miles in any condition. I'm aware it's more risky with a diesel, but I'd rather leave early tomorrow, than brave the rushhour to refuel today.

 

[ords]

 

[ords]

 

[Ootohere]

If messing about to save £2.25 on filling a tank at least get a 5 litre can for £4 and have fuel in it. 

On get a 10 litre can and you can get an extra 5 litres in it when you fill the tank saving 25 pence more.

 

As it the fuel prices will take a hike, someone sunk a Tanker in the Gulf of Oman.

[KenONeill]

2 minutes ago, Skoffski said:

someone sunk a Tanker in the Gulf of Oman

According to the BBC, 2 tankers have been hit and damaged, but neither has been sunk. The worse damaged of the 2 was carrying naphtha rater than crude or a road fuel grade.

[wyx087]

12 minutes ago, Skoffski said:

If messing about to save £2.25 on filling a tank at least get a 5 litre can for £4 and have fuel in it. 

On get a 10 litre can and you can get an extra 5 litres in it when you fill the tank saving 25 pence more.

 

As it the fuel prices will take a hike, someone sunk a Tanker in the Gulf of Oman.

But it's diesel, it stinks and any spill will stink for ages. I'd rather not touch the fuel.

 

With my other car being EV, I can usually get around any temporary fuel price increase by not driving the diesel.

[Ootohere]

It is not about what was on the tankers, more about what might happen to the price of crude.

When i heard this morning a tanker had been sunk.  False news then.

 

PS

@wyx087

I have never had spills from a Black Can with Diesel in, it is there just incase.  I bet you would hate needing to call out the 4th emergency service..

 

They say Aberdonians have long pockets and short arms.

 

Edited 13 June, 2019 by Skoffski

[ChoonDoode]

To be honest, the time I filled up when the gauge was in the red and the mileage left was 35, I was filled up with 47 litres.

 

Average mpg was just over 50. So 50 mpg from 3 litres works out roughly 30 miles.

 

Since doing a lot more motorway driving, it's become more accurate.

[Rodge]

I don't take too much notice of the gauge and never look at the miles remaining. I concentrate on the trip counter which I reset when I refuel as I know that I can get about 500 miles out of a tank. I make a mental note of the mileage when the warning light comes on at about 7 litres remaining which will get me another 70 miles. I've still never got near putting 50 litres in.

[Gerrycan]

10 hours ago, wyx087 said:

I'd expect around 40 litres. I expect the needle to be just inside the red marker. I personally think there is plenty of fuel left, hence the question regarding its accuracy.

 

There are 8 larger markers and each large marker is divided into 2. Bottom two marker is red. So I should have 1/8 tank left on refuel. If a 45 litre tank, that would translate to 40 litre.

It is definitely a 50+ litre tank so you will have no problems.

There has been at least one brave soul who refilled his petrol with 55 litres.

The diesel has the same tank but the overly pessimistic gauge on diesels disguises that fact.

I have put a bit over 51 litres in my petrol on refill when running beyond the refill light.

[wyx087]

Refuelled this morning, 41.5 litres. This was around 8 miles after fuel warning light come on.

 

Thanks all, sounds like there's still over 10 litres left. So I should be able to drive another 50 miles in any condition.

 

 

[KevC_Derby]

The low fuel level light on my 2018 Petrol comes on and tells me I’ve 50 miles range left. I’ve gone down to 0 and beyond and put 52 litres in.

Edited 14 June, 2019 by KevC_Derby

[chrisski]

Just fill up. Not worth the dilema of running dry just to save 5p on cr@ppy fuel from morrisons!

[Ootohere]

Where do Morrisons source this crappy Derv, and is it available to other retailers of crappy Derv?

Is there some back street hooky Fuel Depot filling Fuel Tankers that are going to Supermarket Filling Stations?

[Gerrycan]

There is pretty strict legislation covering the specification of all fuels produced and sold in Europe which is backed up by random testing of retail sites and the last figures I saw suggested that the failure rate was very low. Admittedly only a low percentage of outlets would have been subjected to an independent test.

I think the difference between various fuel brands is overrated. There are a lot of people who buy Panadol because they consider it better than generic paracetamol. Marketing is a wonderful thing 👎

I would have thought that the high turnover of fuel at supermarket outlets means that they are less likely to suffer from 'stale' fuel than say a small, remote, low budget independent outlet.

I do know of at least two separate incidents at small outlets in our Australian Northern Territories where polluted fuel caused hundreds of diesel engine failures. I'm pretty sure it was the local retail storage facilities and not the deliveries that were the issue.  It is a bit more a 'frontier' region with a typical tropical climate and only ~250k people in an area about six times the size of the UK.

 

Edited 14 June, 2019 by Gerrycan

[Ootohere]

Own Brand Fuel at Supermarkets in not like Home Brand Digestive Biscuits or Baked Beans.

So much snobbery without knowing what arrives from where with what additive packages with diesel or petrol.

 

Edited 14 June, 2019 by Skoffski