Notices
Scion tC 1G Owners Lounge
2005-2010 [ANT10]

Gas Gauge & Low Fuel Light Question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 12:48 AM
  #1  
deadtoaster2's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 108
Default Gas Gauge & Low Fuel Light Question

So I can get about ~200 miles on the first half of a tank, but then I can only get about ~100 miles from half a tank to low fuel light. Does anybody have any idea why this could be? Does the car suck down more gas when there is less in the tank or is the gauge just really off?

Also does anybody know aprox. how far you can go once the low gas light comes on?

One last thing: my low gas light comes on at about 1/8th a tank. Should it really come on this early?


Thanks
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 12:50 AM
  #2  
RodC's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,581
From: Los Angeles, CA
Default

Fuel tank = not a cube.
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 12:53 AM
  #3  
deadtoaster2's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 108
Default

Originally Posted by RodC
Fuel tank = not a cube.
Guess I never really thought about it like that... That does make sense.

Any idea of how far you can go once the light comes on?
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 12:54 AM
  #4  
RodC's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,581
From: Los Angeles, CA
Default

Most I've done is about 20 miles after the light came on. I wouldn't want to push it further than that (no pun intended).
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 12:56 AM
  #5  
draxcaliber's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,141
From: Maryland
Default

yeah, the fuel tank is not one symmetrical shape. the same thing happens to me.

as for when the fuel light comes on, mine usually some on as it closes in on the lowest mark of the fuel gauge. but there are lots of things that change this. how fast i'm going, how much load (gas consumption) on the engine, and i notice that when i start going up and down the long hills of frostburg, my gauge starts reading lower than when it is on level ground.

but usually when i fill up when the gas light comes on, i end up putting in about 12.5 gallons or slightly more in the tank. the tank holds 14.5 gallons, but at that point the fuel pump is probably starting to work very hard.
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:02 AM
  #6  
scgon's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 139
From: Yorktown
Default

why is there a R instead of an E ?
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:04 AM
  #7  
deadtoaster2's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 108
Default

R stands for Reserve I believe.

As in... reserve your gas and get to a gas station.
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:06 AM
  #8  
scgon's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 139
From: Yorktown
Default

lol that makes no sense y didnt they just put E
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:06 AM
  #9  
draxcaliber's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,141
From: Maryland
Default

anyway, you have a 14.5 gallon tank, nearest i can figure, the low fuel light comes on somewhere around 12.2 and 12.5 gallons consumed. so you could drive around 20-70 miles (depending on conditions and driving habits), BUT your fuel pump will start working really hard to keep gas going to the engine, and if you take a turn too hard, all the gas will slosh to one side of the tank and you'll sputter out for a second because the engine will be temporarily fuel starved.
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:07 AM
  #10  
RodC's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,581
From: Los Angeles, CA
Default

Originally Posted by scgon
lol that makes no sense y didnt they just put E
Because E means "you're screwed" and R means "time to get gas".
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:08 AM
  #11  
draxcaliber's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,141
From: Maryland
Default

i believe the "R" stands for "Refill" just my guess.
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:09 AM
  #12  
RodC's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,581
From: Los Angeles, CA
Default

^ Reserve
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:10 AM
  #13  
deadtoaster2's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 108
Default

So you could probably go close to another 50 miles if you were driving conservativly. Good to know, thanks.
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:13 AM
  #14  
draxcaliber's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,141
From: Maryland
Default

i believe what i choose to believe, you say reserve, i say refill, because when it gets to R, what do you do? refill it.

but atleast you don't have that stupid italian gas gauges from that lamborgotti fasterossa on simpsons that read "maximia!", "notsobadda", and "abandonossa" or something like that.
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:26 AM
  #15  
RodC's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,581
From: Los Angeles, CA
Default

Originally Posted by draxcaliber
i believe what i choose to believe, you say reserve, i say refill, because when it gets to R, what do you do? refill it.
It's written in the manual.
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:27 AM
  #16  
dos_techie's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 140
From: Miami, FL
Default

I thought R stood for "Retarded" As in " Hey Retard! You are about to run out of gas." J/K
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:35 AM
  #17  
draxcaliber's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,141
From: Maryland
Default

Originally Posted by RodC
Originally Posted by draxcaliber
i believe what i choose to believe, you say reserve, i say refill, because when it gets to R, what do you do? refill it.
It's written in the manual.
lord be praised! somebody who read the owner's manual! anyway, i still like to say refill.

kinda like "E" stands for "Ehhh, there still some left."
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 02:20 AM
  #18  
CSUnited14's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,004
Default

one thing i did notice but could be because of the fuel pump or what not... well when im driving the needle is at half a tank. I get home still at half get out let it sit roughly over night and in the morning the gas needle is lower then it was when i turned it off why is this??

Im guessing gas is hot takes up more volume dunno... or the fuel pump empties? dunno
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 03:02 AM
  #19  
BuddhasTC's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SoCal tC Club
SL Member
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,003
From: Diamond Bar, CA
Default

Originally Posted by dos_techie
I thought R stood for "Retarded" As in " Hey Retard! You are about to run out of gas." J/K
damnit, somebody beat me to it!
Old Feb 5, 2008 | 03:06 AM
  #20  
WAlterEgo's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Year Member
5 Year Member
SL Member
Scion Evolution
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,381
From: Chicago, IL
Default

Originally Posted by RodC
Originally Posted by draxcaliber
i believe what i choose to believe, you say reserve, i say refill, because when it gets to R, what do you do? refill it.
It's written in the manual.
what a fun fact! im gonna look that up tomorrow i try not to go more than 20 miles when the light is on



All times are GMT. The time now is 03:17 PM.