JamesP1991 222 Report post Posted March 24, 2015 Noticed this a few times so thought I'd ask the question.. Pulled up from the drive home from work just now and noticed my fuel light was on long before the needle has even reached the red part of the reserve. I have never been brave enough to have played chicken with the fuel gauge, but when the car is switched off I do notice the needle goes a very far way down past the reserve mark. Why is it then that the low fuel light comes on so early when apparently I have a huge portion of the tank left according to the gauge? It's obviously nothing too important, but the thought popped into my head and so I thought I'd ask When do people on here feel the need to fill up and how low do you go? How far do you normally get in terms of miles in the reserve tank?? 1 beexpwebsa reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeps 294 Report post Posted March 24, 2015 Light usually comes on when there's ~10 litres left in the tank (1/5th). Light for me typically comes on at 260 miles and I fill it at 320 or whenever a convenient Shell comes along, depending on driving habits at the time. 1 KevinA reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keethos 842 Report post Posted March 24, 2015 It comes on early so it gives you plenty of time to find more fuel, sure there's a thread here somewhere where someone has managed 30 or 40 miles Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike 458 Report post Posted March 24, 2015 I just fill it up when the light comes on. Only exception is if I know I'll need to fill up on my journey then I'll fill up as I leave and use the local shell garage, saves having to find a shell garage at some point on the journey. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lauren 2259 Report post Posted March 24, 2015 It's pretty much like every other car I've had, fuel light comes on too early. Also noticed you have a check engine light on too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesP1991 222 Report post Posted March 24, 2015 On other cars I have had it never seemed to come on so early.. So it was just my thought of the day Luckily I have a shell garage on the way out of my village so I always just top her up with V power there! I've never had the balls to play chicken with the gauge though, I know a few people out there who let it sit right at the bottom before even thinking about filling up.. That would really drive me mad! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesP1991 222 Report post Posted March 24, 2015 It's pretty much like every other car I've had, fuel light comes on too early. Also noticed you have a check engine light on too! Yep sure have Lauren, that's sitting there annoying me every time I drive her! Its because I no longer have any cats in my exhaust system since replacing the manifold with the Borla UEL. Having to wait until I visit Fensport so they can turn the fault code off! Can't come quick enough as I miss my Cruise control Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adam 70 Report post Posted March 24, 2015 i got 38 miles out of mine on warning till i chickened out and filled up i dont think you could really get much more i just didnt want to pay motorway prices for it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kodename47 446 Report post Posted March 24, 2015 When I saw my car pre-PDI I sat in the car with it idling and the needle was almost the same distance below the R mark as yours is above. There's quite a bit of safety built in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeps 294 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 Filled up tonight, light came on at 260 as usual and filled up at 300 as I've had too many roundabouts, could only put 43 litres in. Could easily have done another 30-40 miles on it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesP1991 222 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 It does seem to be very conservative! I generally don't fill the car right up at the pump and instead prefer to do it on a weekly basis (considering I don't use it much during the week), so when I go to Snetterton on Sunday I will brim it and see how many litres it takes and do a reset on the miles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rob275 1817 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 The Gauge isn't accurate, sometimes you can fill it up and the gauge won't even move. But when the light comes on you can safely assume 10 litres are left in your tank. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Duff 79 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 I've always thought it was a bit bad that Toyburu didn't see fit to include a miles left before empty display based on your current driving style average mpg, considering you can get it on some pretty basic cars these days and I doubt the electronics would add to the weight of anything. 1 JamesP1991 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesP1991 222 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 Funny you should say that Captain, that was one of the first things I looked for on the trip computer, just a readout to say how many miles I had left in the tank before I was empty... As Rob said above the gauge is hardly very accurate! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ztox 230 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 I thought a 'miles left' readout was pretty standard these days, surprised to hear these don't have one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lauren 2259 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 The miles left thing is a bit of a nonsense though. On every car I've had that has had it it goes to zero or just '--' once the light come on anyway, so it's a pointless affair. 1 Polishingpedlar reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tareim 343 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 not to mention they can wildly over estimate the amount of mileage remaining so they are as Lauren says pointless 1 Polishingpedlar reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Duff 79 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 The miles left thing is a bit of a nonsense though. On every car I've had that has had it it goes to zero or just '--' once the light come on anyway, so it's a pointless affair. Well in my vRS (and I'm guessing therefore most VAG cars) you had both, a miles left in the tank number was always available on the trip computer and changed I think in multiples of 5, and I did get it down to 5 miles once after the reserve light had been on from 25 left or so. That was a nervous experience! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesP1991 222 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 Computer says 0 miles left... Can go 10 miles down the road on it haha! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lauren 2259 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 I'll bet there was still some fuel left even after those last five miles. Tbh from years of driving many different cars, I know what the range is. So I can with the help of the fuel gauge easily know where I'm at. I just look at where the gauge was and how many litres it takes to fill it up. Then I can subtract that from the capacity of the tank. Also with an average mpg calculator it makes it even easier. Honestly within a couple of fuel stops, I'll be able to guess how many litres are left at the point of filling up. I reckon I guess to the litre now I've done 58000 miles! So really, who cares about a miles left option? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lauren 2259 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 Mine from today: IMG_3800 by Lauren Blighton, on Flickr You can tell how stressed I am by how good my miles per gallon I get. The more stressed I am the slower I drive! That's over 105 miles or so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tareim 343 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 more stressed I am, the more revs are used Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesP1991 222 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 42.1?!?! That's a pretty decent job! Jeeez the most I've averaged over my ownership is 37 and that was driving like a saint! To be honest though I drive sensible at the start of a journey but by the end of it I just get bored.. Bad habit I know! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keethos 842 Report post Posted March 25, 2015 Lol, same here....I try to stick to 70 but I get impatient and ticked off by the people in front who do less than 70, so I over take but by then I end up over taking everyone else and then stay at that speed..... 1 JamesP1991 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesP1991 222 Report post Posted March 26, 2015 I give in to temptation far too easily to be honest. The amount of cars I see right up my boot lid off roundabouts and slip roads. It gives me just the right amount of encouragement to drop it a cog and listen to the car sing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
