General Fuel Range

[robkerrigan]

Don't know if I'm just getting used to my car but the digital fuel gauge had 2 bars left on it this evening on the way home from work, the low fuel warning came on and the range left didn't display anything. Is this normal behaviour or could the level sensor in the fuel tank be sticky/faulty?

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

‘They all do that…

The Panda’s fuel gauge is not very linear -to say the least. Mine too will show an alert with two bars remaining (by the way, the last bar is actually split in two and you can get ‘half a bar’ if you let it get really low!)

With one bar left and it screaming ‘fuel needed’ I can just squeeze in 30 litres. Mines a 4x4 so the full tank is 35… and with 5 litres left I can go another 50 miles or so.

 

[robkerrigan]

‘They all do that…

The Panda’s fuel gauge is not very linear -to say the least. Mine too will show an alert with two bars remaining (by the way, the last bar is actually split in two and you can get ‘half a bar’ if you let it get really low!)

With one bar left and it screaming ‘fuel needed’ I can just squeeze in 30 litres. Mines a 4x4 so the full tank is 35… and with 5 litres left I can go another 50 miles or so.

Thanks for putting my mind at ease

 

[Panda IIs]

Don't know if I'm just getting used to my car but the digital fuel gauge had 2 bars left on it this evening on the way home from work, the low fuel warning came on and the range left didn't display anything. Is this normal behaviour or could the level sensor in the fuel tank be sticky/faulty?

Yep, mine's a TwinAir and shows the same behaviour. With three bars the light comes on and, initially, no range indicated. You will get a range calculated once it has been going along for a bit and it has some consumption data for the current trip, The range value disappears when it gets really desperate! Being a TA I don't push my luck and certainly wouldn't anticipate 50 miles once down to the last bar

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

… I don't push my luck and certainly wouldn't anticipate 50 miles once down to the last bar

I don’t either (mines a diesel and that can be a problem if the tank runs dry). But I did, deliberately, drive locally as long as I dare to see where ‘empty’ was. Even with the last ‘bar’ split to only show the last little bit of gauge, I could only get 33 litres in.
I usually drive with the dash display showing ’range’ and fill up when that gets to the point where ‘35 miles’ turns to ‘- - -‘
On a run I make regularly to Norfolk, I can set off with it showing range of 380 miles. During the 100 mile trip that can go up to showing 450 miles, and often I arrive with more range than I started with! All a bit vague.

 

[Panda IIs]

I don’t either (mines a diesel and that can be a problem if the tank runs dry). But I did, deliberately, drive locally as long as I dare to see where ‘empty’ was. Even with the last ‘bar’ split to only show the last little bit of gauge, I could only get 33 litres in.
I usually drive with the dash display showing ’range’ and fill up when that gets to the point where ‘35 miles’ turns to ‘- - -‘
On a run I make regularly to Norfolk, I can set off with it showing range of 380 miles. During the 100 mile trip that can go up to showing 450 miles, and often I arrive with more range than I started with! All a bit vague.

Agreed! The reality is it's probably too smart (or do I mean not quite smart enough?). It all seems based on real time consumption data from the ECU so in the relative flatlands of Herts we can get incredible consumption data (for a TA!) but if I flog it up the A1(M) hill from Hatfield then it can tell me I am running on fumes!

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Thanks for putting my mind at ease

The range display, fuel warning and level displays don’t always tally.
The range display goes from 35 miles to three dashes the point where the computer feels it can’t make an accurate prediction. But it’s based on how you’re driving at that moment and immediately before (it doesn’t know if there’s a big hill ahead).
The warning light is triggered by level in the tank, and that comes on in my car separately to the message ‘warning low fuel’ which usually shows some time later.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Are we talking about the Fuel Gauge Range Speculator Device?

 

[Panda IIs]

Are we talking about the Fuel Gauge Range Speculator Device?

No, this thread concerns the fuel gauge random number generator- frequently used to identify winning lottery combinations...

 

[Bonefish Blues]

No, this thread concerns the fuel gauge random number generator- frequently used to identify winning lottery combinations...

Now you tell me...

 

[Panda IIs]

Now you tell me...

You should be advised that it is equally poor at picking winning combinations in my experience

 

[jrkitching]

Thanks for putting my mind at ease

In times past, some have intentionally run the car to empty (with a can of fuel handy); you can, with care, get another 100 miles when the fuel warning light first comes on. 50 miles is practically guaranteed.

And with the car filled to the first cutoff of the fuel pump (never add fuel beyond this!), it is possible, again with some care, to go 500 miles without refuelling.