Gas empty indicator

delsol7 · 08-27-2010, 03:35 AM

What is the average miles you drove since the gas empty indicator turned on?
Is the reserve about 1 gal?

**MN Driver** · 08-27-2010, 11:48 AM

The gas light itself comes on at different bar levels and is very inconsistent. I once parked the car and the next time I drove it the light turned on after 20 miles of driving, but when the final bar on the gas gauge goes out you've gone through 10 gallons or so and have about a 1/2 gallon left. I usually use the bar count to determine how much is less.

timny1984 · 08-27-2010, 01:44 PM

I pushed my car and my nerves to see if that fact was true. I didn't have any extra gas in the car and it was 2am so no one was awake to help me out if i ran out of gas. well the last bar went out as i was pulling down the street to the house. The next day I drove about 2 miles to fill up. Fill up was 10.032 gallons. so basically half a gallon left, about 35 miles for me since I have a CVT.

I agree that the "idiot" light is pretty dumb itself. The day before I pushed the tank to the end, the light came on right before I parked. When I turned the car back on to drive to work the gas gauge had 3 bars lit up and the light was still on. So I will not be trusting that light when it goes on.

delsol7 · 08-27-2010, 02:41 PM

One day, I actually topped off my gas and it was 2 bars less. I drove and it was awhile to have 3rd bar lower. So, I guess the tank was full but indicator didn't show it was full.

lorrwill · 08-27-2010, 05:29 PM

I got hit on Friday (rear ended) and went from about half a tank to zero bars and the out of fuel indicator on. I put in another 3 gallons and it went up to 2 bars. It didn't stay there but sometimes would be 2. sometimes 1, sometimes none and the indicator stays on. There are no leaks.

The body shop I took it to told the dealer who is doing the diagnostic they don't think the accident caused it. I am going to be out several hundred dollars soon.

So has anyone else figured out why these things mysteriously go bad like this?

timny1984 · 08-27-2010, 05:41 PM

This problem is from the sensor in the gas tank. I read about it awhile ago on here. There is a clip that pops off or maybe breaks which causes the gauge to not function correctly. People have fixed it themselves, search the forum and i'm sure you'll find the answers you're looking for on here. I hope they don't charge to much to fix it. maybe you can direct them to the problem to get rid of some of the cost with trouble shooting it. good luck!

lorrwill · 08-28-2010, 04:08 PM

It is, and I quote "snapped in 2" (pretty much says it happened in the collision for sure thank goodne$$!). The dealership said they had never heard of one of these going bad, let alone breaking but I see here that parts of them do. Thanks for the info timny1984.

delsol7 · 09-02-2010, 04:22 AM

Yesterday, I got fuel empty indicator and I ran up to 35 miles. The gas gauge was all out when I drove in to gas station and filled up 9.871 gallons.
I think gas tank is about 10.2 or something?

Varak · 09-02-2010, 02:31 PM

The tank is around 10.6.

For my car, when the light comes on with 1 bar, I have ~1 gallon left. When the last bar disappears, I have .5 gallons left.

delsol7 · 09-04-2010, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Varak

The tank is around 10.6.

For my car, when the light comes on with 1 bar, I have ~1 gallon left. When the last bar disappears, I have .5 gallons left.

Um... i felt like i drove long without the last bar but I guess i had almost a gallon. =]
Thanks for confirming.