I could not find a match on this topic so here it is: When my wife's 2005 xB's fuel gauge reaches the "E" and the light illuminates I would expect that to mean that I am very low on fuel. However when I fill the tank I can not get more than 9.5 - 10.0 gallons to go in. The xB specs show an 11.9 gallon fuel tank, so maybe I have a bad sending unit?

This has been the case every time so far (5 times or so), also the mileage is only hitting about 23 MPG, but that s different topic altogether.

Anyone else having a fuel gauge issue like this?

 

no thats normal.

 

So I should be able to go another 50 miles after the fuel light coms on? Very odd!

 

i seen the same thing on my xb with the fuel gauge but thats not the only problem i have notice,just a couple of days ago my fuel light came on and stayed on for about 3 minute then it went off and stayed off for another 10 miles or so and never came back on also the fuel marker move from E towards the 1/4 tank mark very strange....

 

with my car after the light comes on i can got between a minimum of 30 miles and a max of 70 miles. so id say 25+ miles are left. and even when my tank is all the way gone with the needleat of below the empty line it still doesnt take 11.9 or even close. thoe most i've ever put in was almost 11.

 

That's perfectly normal. I'm pretty sure that's done intentionally to ensure you will have enough mileage left after the warning to find a gas station. It would be kind of pointless if it came right before you ran out of gas. If they did that, they'd have to change the name from fuel warning light to walk warning light because it would just let you know that you are about to start walking towards a gas station.

 

So true. But still, I think the manual even says the light turns on between 1-2 gallons remaining or something similar. (It probably then starts to ding or buzz or whatever when you're really low.)

 

the fuel warning light comes on with 2 gallons of gas left to warn you that you can only go another 40-60 miles. Also calculating your own mpgs can have accuracy problems. With how you drive, miscalculations, type of gas, highway miles, city, gas pump, etc etc

 

so the light would be a warning for the real warning??
the light is your only warning, no second more stern warnings... thats it, just the light.
almost all cars have this nowadays, a warning that you have 30-50 miles till you are pushing or walking.

its normal.

here is a similar thread...
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6493

 

i second that dude. i guess the whole point in it is to tell u to fil up! not to stop and walk to the nearest gas station!

 

The others have it pretty well covered, but my first thought when I read the subject was that "Fuel Gauge accuracy" is an oxymoron along the lines of "Military Intelligence".

In my experience all cars are equiped with a fuel approximation meter. If the manufacturer wanted to give you an accurate fuel level reading they would install digital calibrated instruments. Of course if they did that, not only would every car cost $500 more, but they would get sued by every person who ran out of gas.

 

My Jetta will illuminate the low fuel light right when the needle hits the "E". This car has a 12 gallon tank and I can put in about 11-12 gallons after the light comes on. My Passat has low fuel light and I have ran out of gas just when the needle touches the "E" line.

I think the gauge should be adjustible via a potentiometer either on the sending side or the gauge side to tweek gauge to show a proper level.

 

oh and so everyone knows nothing dings , or buzzes when you are completely out . lol

 

The same exact thing happens on my parent's sentra since they first got it (new). In fact on that car the needle would dip noticeably below E and still never ran out of gas in it. Different car companies may handle things a different way, so the german companies may have decided to give a more accurate fuel gauge, while the japanese have decided to build in more of an "idiot factor".

I was stuck in South Jersey once (coming home from GA) and couldn't find a nearby gas station (cuz they all closed at 10pm... )... Drove for at least 40 miles till I was close enough to the city to find one that was open. My friend and I were sweating bullets wondering if we would make it. Gauge was below E the whole time. Good to know that Toyotas calibrate their cars in the same fashion.

On the sentra I ignored the first light... the second time it lit though... that's when it means business.

 

when the gas gauge is full where does it sit in your xb's let me know when im full i sit at the last top dot is that the same for youse?

 

I havent' take the walk yet. I have go far below the E line and still the car manage to get me home. I will say that after the light turn on you have 50+ mile. now if somebody has to take the walk becasue they read this don't blame me.