Fuel gauge software bug

[JoeJoe]

The fuel gauge on my car is buggy. I have it configured to reset the trip meter A when refueling.

Here is what happened.

1) Ran the car down to 0 miles on the range meter, the fuel gauge was zero bars, drove 5 miles past that warning.
2) Parked the car for a day.
3) The next day, put 3+ gallons in the tank (didn't want to push my luck) . Didn't start the car that day, open/unlock the door or put the key in.
4) The next day, started car, fuel tank still shows as 100% empty, range as zero, fuel warning still on. Drove about 30 miles today.

Kinda strange, will fill up 100% today.

[tsh]

What behaviour do you expect?

[JoeJoe]

I expect the fuel gauge to show a level of around 30%, not zero.

[Currently]

Fuel gauges are notoriously non-linear regardless whether it is a chevy, toyota or honda.

You fill up the tank and when it gets below half, the rate it goes down increases.

They purposely design gauges to have a bit of reserve left at empty for the psychology of filling it before it gets empty. Fuel injection systems are not very tolerant of sucking crud up from the bottom of a tank. Lot of people I know have had problems with their vehicles after running their tanks dry.

Case in point: the second time I filled my car, I waited till I had less than five miles left on the range. I put 11.15 gallons in the car. My tundra was supposed to be a 21 gallon tank. I can't count the times that I put almost 24 gallons in it.

If you would of filled up your car that night, I am sure you would of put more than I put in my tank.

YMMV <shrugs>

[zeropointzero]

per the manual, the gas light comes on with the fuel is low (approx 1.8 gallons/6.9 ltrs remaining). putting 3 gallons in a completely empty tank might not be enough for the sensor in the tank to register.

i have ran mine until the light came on and filled up, it re-set everything. i have also filled up at 1/2 tank and it re-set everything. so i am guessing your 3 gallons didn't move the sensor in the tank enough to make an impact. just my .02 worth.

[gomarlins3]

I pulled into the gas station with 18 miles left in the tank according to the gauge. The car only took 9.1 gallons. I was averaging 42.2 MPG on that tank.

I don't get it.

[zeropointzero]

Originally Posted by gomarlins3

I pulled into the gas station with 18 miles left in the tank according to the gauge. The car only took 9.1 gallons. I was averaging 42.2 MPG on that tank.

I don't get it.

again, you filled up, the OP only put in 3 gallons. there might be a difference due to the in the volume of fluid put in tank.

[JoeJoe]

Filled up, gauge works again. Maybe just a quirk.

go marlins3, you can fit almost another gallon in the after the auto click off pump handle stops, just like a motorbike's tank.

[lexicon]

Quite common to see this if you only put a relatively small amount in - had it a few times on loan or hire cars where I only put enough in to get where I needed to go and the gauge stayed in the red

[lexicon]

Originally Posted by gomarlins3

I pulled into the gas station with 18 miles left in the tank according to the gauge. The car only took 9.1 gallons. I was averaging 42.2 MPG on that tank.

I don't get it.

The range/gauge are on the cautious side. I've been down to single figures range but only took 36litres to fill (and I mean full to the top).
Most cars are like that - my last car, which I "knew" very well, could go 70 miles beyond zero range.
The manufacturers would much rather have you sweating buckets when you actually have quite a bit of fuel in the tank, than have it run out still showing 1 mile left!