From fuel light on ...to empty?

De Hipster

Anyone know an info source a standard manufacturers gauge of roughly how long the vehicle will run(miles/kms) after the fuel indicator light has come on?


Or how much fuel is left in the average tank when the light sensor is activated.

The vehicle in particular in the instance is an '89 1.3 Mitsi Colt ...ugly thing.

ambro25

Toally dependent on your average mpg figures, of course, but urban myth generally has it at about 30 miles / 50 kms, depending speed/road/gear you're in...

De Hipster

Cheers, at least it's an indication.

BrianD3

Well in my car (Laguna) the light comes on with the trip computer showing ~65 miles remaining. This works out at around a gallon and a half for me as I do around 45 mpg.

This also tallies with what I've heard before that the fuel light in most cars comes on with around 1-1.5 gallons remaining. Which is loads of petrol to get you to a petrol station. Unless you're driving an 8.0 litre V8 or something

BrianD3

seamus

My old Punto's low fuel warning used to blink on and off when the fuel was low, depending on how many revs I was doing, how fast I was going, what gear I was in, the incline of the road.

I thought it was some sophisticated fuel consumption measurement dealy.

Borzoi

De Hipster wrote:

Cheers, at least it's an indication.

On of the many wonderous features of a Saab is the fuel remaining calc. It performs some sort of calculation based on recent performance and driving, and gives a 'miles remaining' figure. Usually the fuel warning light goes on about 10 litres, corresponding to 30-50 miles left in the tank.

I've taken it down to 2 before refuelling

De Hipster

seamus wrote:

My old Punto's low fuel warning used to blink on and off when the fuel was low, depending on how many revs I was doing, how fast I was going, what gear I was in, the incline of the road.

I thought it was some sophisticated fuel consumption measurement dealy.

Sounds immensly complex!

BrianD3

On of the many wonderous features of a Saab is the fuel remaining calc. It performs some sort of calculation based on recent performance and driving, and gives a 'miles remaining' figure. Usually the fuel warning light goes on about 10 litres, corresponding to 30-50 miles left in the tank.

Does your SAAB have the aforementioned 8.0 litre V8 10 litres = around 2.2 gallons. 2.2 gallons to do 30 miles is around 14 mpg :eek:

BrianD3

deRanged

if I remember correctly the warning light in mine comes on when I'm down to the reserve tank, which holds 7 litres.

The trip computer tells me how many miles I can go at the current driving conditions. I've always chickened out at about 20

Borzoi

BrianD3 wrote:

Does your SAAB have the aforementioned 8.0 litre V8 10 litres = around 2.2 gallons. 2.2 gallons to do 30 miles is around 14 mpg :eek:

BrianD3

Just the 2l turbo, but if you caught in rush hour Dublin traffic, mileage goes down the toilet.

Actually the second wondrous feature is a rolling calcualtion of average mpg: 27 roughly. I have a very mixed urban and rural driving pattern

robbie1876

Once I was going to Portlaoise in the van (Peugeot Partner 1.9) and the fuel light came on just before the M9 turnoff (about halfway down on a 50 mile trip). I thought I'd wait to get to Portlaoise to fill up. When I got there I realised had no money or cards on me, left them in Dublin. Having carefully checked that I was covered for running out of fuel in my breakdown assistance insurance, I set off back to Dublin for the craic, to see how far it got - I wasn't in any hurry that day obviously

To my amazement, I made it back home to Malahide, got my wallet and drove to the petrol station no bother. I reckon that was close to 75 miles with the light on. In fairness it could be a fault in the indicator, but I drive with confidence with the fuel light on now!

Robbie

fjon

I have it written in my manual. The tank holds 45 litres, and the light comes on at 7 litres, so 15%

Occidental

seamus wrote:

My old Punto's low fuel warning used to blink on and off when the fuel was low, depending on how many revs I was doing, how fast I was going, what gear I was in, the incline of the road.

I thought it was some sophisticated fuel consumption measurement dealy.

I had a Fiesta with similar properties. It could go from near empty to half a tank on left hand bends. Right hand bends however, could make you think that it was time to get out and walk.

deRanged

Occidental wrote:

I had a Fiesta with similar properties. It could go from near empty to half a tank on left hand bends. Right hand bends however, could make you think that it was time to get out and walk.

we used have a car that did that on steep hills. up the hill the car was full, head down and the warning light came on. afair it's the fuel being moved from the sensor.

Oryx

Have never pushed my Focus past 25 miles with the fuel light on... Remember once being stuck in rush hour traffic in Patrick street in Cork in a 2 litre mondeo showing 1 miles fuel left on the fuel computer and an engine starting to chug. Got to the petrol station on prayers and fumes.

Seth Brundle

driving on a low tank of juice ain't good for the fuel pump which uses the fuel to help keep cool!

De Hipster

Cheers...I did indeed make it the 17mile journey to my local (south of the sterling) fuel convenience.

unkel

Borzoi wrote:

On of the many wonderous features of a Saab is the fuel remaining calc

Yeah the OBC in my car does same. Light comes on when there's 7 liters left (not 100% - it's in the manual) which corresponds with 80 miles on the OBC - I know it's rather optimistic

Then a warning bleep warns me when the OBC reckons I've only 30 miles left

Consumption so far is 22mpg btw, mainly short trips, 95% Dublin traffic. I'm not complaining

Hellrazer

I got from Dublin to Wexford(Gorey) on the light in a Hyundai Accent.

Was too lazy to find a statoil(company pays for the car and juice etc) until I hit the one just outside Gorey.Reckon it was running on fumes at that stage.

So about 60 miles or so in an Accent.

alias no.9

My last car, fiat bravo 1.4, would do 100 miles on the reserve (without running out), it wasn't particularly fuel efficient or anything, just a big reserve. My current nissan primera 2.0TD will run out after about 80miles in the reserve (based on one experience about 100 yards from the filling station).

BrookieD

my 03 nissan primera light comes on with 30 mils left on the computer, i ran it down to 9 miles left at one stage but that was enough for me.
just changed to a Renault Scenic II 1.4 i wonder what the MPG is on that :-)

handy

in a car i used to have - when the light came on it indicated that yet more fuel had leaked out of the break in the fuel pipe. So i used to divide the manual's figure by half to account for the fuel/fuel-to-ground ratio. Simple equation i can send on if anyone has a fuel leak.

daveirl

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