Gas Light?

[Krista]

So the car thinks I only have about 46 miles left to go on the tank, but the gas light hasn't come on. This is only my second tank of gas... It came on, on the first tank, sooner than this I'm sure. Think I should take it to the dealer?

[mrkcohen]

The tank has 1.8 gallons left when the low fuel warning pops on. I would pay more attention to where the needle is on the fuel gauge than what the estimated range says. The needle is usually just above above the empty line when the warning comes on. As long as the warning comes on with the needle in roughly the same place each time I wouldn't worry about it.

The estimated range is a rapidly changing variable that's heavily dependent on speed traveled over a given previous distance and other factors.

For example:

You have a gallon of gas left and have been averaging about 50 MPG.

If your travel over that last gallon is on flat terrain at 55 MPH you will probably get 50 miles, but if you drive that last gallon on hilly terrain at 85 MPH you definitely won't get that 50 miles.

Or to put it another way the only way the estimated range could be accurate is if you drove from a given point at a constant speed, over flat terrain and with consistent environmental conditions (temp, humidity, wind speed/heading) over the course of the remaining miles.

Take the estimated range with a gigantic grain of salt...

[Cobb]

Mines doesnt come on til I hit like 78miles to go.

As a side note, Ive added a gallon when the low gas light is on and it stays on and can not see any movement in the needle.

[Krista]

Yeah, looks like that was it. I only got about 8.4 gallons into the tank so it hadn't hit the 1.8gal yet. This time the estimated mileage that I got on the tank was higher than actual :P I haven't hit 40 yet. I'm getting mid 38-39. but that's probably because I average 20mph on my commute. sad.

Tank 3 has started. We'll see if it gets better.

[CraigCA]

There's still gas in the tank after the 'miles to empty' has gone to zero.

I had 10 miles to go on Wednesday and passed a gas station because there was a line. I thought I'd jump on the freeway and get off at the next exit. What I didn't know was the next exit was 20+ miles and there was no way to turn around. That was the 5 freeway through Camp Pendleton if any of you are familiar with it.

My 10 miles to empty was gone in about a mile, and I crept in the slow lane at 55 until I got to the next town. When I filled the tank it only took 9.94 gallons so I still had some left.

I'm glad Honda left extra for knuckleheads like me

[Krista]

Originally Posted by CraigCA

There's still gas in the tank after the 'miles to empty' has gone to zero.

I had 10 miles to go on Wednesday and passed a gas station because there was a line. I thought I'd jump on the freeway and get off at the next exit. What I didn't know was the next exit was 20+ miles and there was no way to turn around. That was the 5 freeway through Camp Pendleton if any of you are familiar with it.

My 10 miles to empty was gone in about a mile, and I crept in the slow lane at 55 until I got to the next town. When I filled the tank it only took 9.94 gallons so I still had some left.

I'm glad Honda left extra for knuckleheads like me

Heh. Well it's good to know that the range estimate is wildly inaccurate. I figured it had to be, somewhat, but didn't realize it would be that bad. I think it's a 10.4 or 10.6 gallon tank... You had plenty

[Cobb]

Yeah, Ive done the 45mph cruze before when I see it approach zero in a hurry. Ive put in almost 11 gallons before.

In my scion xa I was doing 80 with traffic, getting 40 mpg, but burning 4 gallons an hour according to my scanguage. Before i Knew it my loa gas light was blinking on the display. I did a lot of coasting once that happen til I got to a gas station.

[circa1986]

Dang it, what the heck is the point of the Insight if a Scion can get 40 mpg at 80 mph and the Insight barely can?!

[Cobb]

Opps, I ment 20. Best I got with the xa was 46 if i did not exceed 45 mph.