Low Fuel Light Coming on at 1/4 Tank
#1
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Low Fuel Light Coming on at 1/4 Tank
About 2 weeks ago I got my gauge cluster replaced under warranty due to the LED's being burnt out on the tach & speedo needles. Then last week while I was driving my fuel light came on at about 1/4 tank, which I thought was kinda odd, but I just filed it up without thinking much about it or paying attention to how much fuel it took.
Then this morning when I was leaving for work I noticed that my gas gauge was at 1/4 tank, and I was in a hurry so I decided to just stop on my way home since 1/4 tank normally gives me about a 50-60 mile range and I have a 25 mile commute each way (I have even made a full round-trip on 1/4 tank before with no problems). So I got on the highway and about 5 minutes into my drive the fuel light comes on, and I checked my range and it said 17 miles - and I still had 21 miles left to get to work! WTF? The needle was almost exactly at 1/4 tank, maybe half a tick below it (see photo below). With my previous cluster the light wouldn't come until about 1-2 ticks above E, and I had even driven it to slightly below E before and still took less than 16 gals to fill up (out of a 16.9 gal tank).
Anyone have any idea why this might be causing this? Or was my old cluster the one that was a fluke with the light coming on when it was low, and this one is how it should be? I just want to get some input before going back to the dealership and having them take a look at it.
Then this morning when I was leaving for work I noticed that my gas gauge was at 1/4 tank, and I was in a hurry so I decided to just stop on my way home since 1/4 tank normally gives me about a 50-60 mile range and I have a 25 mile commute each way (I have even made a full round-trip on 1/4 tank before with no problems). So I got on the highway and about 5 minutes into my drive the fuel light comes on, and I checked my range and it said 17 miles - and I still had 21 miles left to get to work! WTF? The needle was almost exactly at 1/4 tank, maybe half a tick below it (see photo below). With my previous cluster the light wouldn't come until about 1-2 ticks above E, and I had even driven it to slightly below E before and still took less than 16 gals to fill up (out of a 16.9 gal tank).
Anyone have any idea why this might be causing this? Or was my old cluster the one that was a fluke with the light coming on when it was low, and this one is how it should be? I just want to get some input before going back to the dealership and having them take a look at it.
Last edited by jleonard71; 06-24-13 at 05:28 PM.
#2
Tech Info Resource
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Mine comes on at about 14 gallons from full. Sounds like your cluster is a little too aggressive with the warning.
#3
#4
Intermediate
Thread Starter
My issue isn't necessarily with the light coming on too early, because if it came on at 1/4 tank and told me I had 75 miles of range left (4 gals @ 19mpg) I could live with that. The annoying part is that the instant the light comes it it says my range is only 17 miles, which would indicate less than 1 gallon of gas, but the needle says I have about 1/4 tank (~4 gallons) which should get me about 75 miles.
And no, I don't always wait until the light comes on before I refill, but in a situation like today where it was at 1/4 tank and I didn't have time to stop and fill up right away then I need to know how much range I truly have before I'm running on fumes
So at about 14 miles from empty is when it should come on? And it should show about 50-60 miles of range if I'm getting 19-20mpg, right?
And no, I don't always wait until the light comes on before I refill, but in a situation like today where it was at 1/4 tank and I didn't have time to stop and fill up right away then I need to know how much range I truly have before I'm running on fumes
So at about 14 miles from empty is when it should come on? And it should show about 50-60 miles of range if I'm getting 19-20mpg, right?
Last edited by jleonard71; 06-24-13 at 10:03 PM.
#5
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Short and Long term read outs were erased when the speedo was unplugged & replaced.....
It will take a while for it to get back to your behavior of driving / cycles.
Mine is going in for a new cluster very soon..!!
- Joe Z
It will take a while for it to get back to your behavior of driving / cycles.
Mine is going in for a new cluster very soon..!!
- Joe Z
#6
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
My issue isn't necessarily with the light coming on too early, because if it came on at 1/4 tank and told me I had 75 miles of range left (4 gals @ 19mpg) I could live with that. The annoying part is that the instant the light comes it it says my range is only 17 miles, which would indicate less than 1 gallon of gas, but the needle says I have about 1/4 tank (~4 gallons) which should get me about 75 miles.
And no, I don't always wait until the light comes on before I refill, but in a situation like today where it was at 1/4 tank and I didn't have time to stop and fill up right away then I need to know how much range I truly have before I'm running on fumes
So at about 14 miles from empty is when it should come on? And it should show about 50-60 miles of range if I'm getting 19-20mpg, right?
And no, I don't always wait until the light comes on before I refill, but in a situation like today where it was at 1/4 tank and I didn't have time to stop and fill up right away then I need to know how much range I truly have before I'm running on fumes
So at about 14 miles from empty is when it should come on? And it should show about 50-60 miles of range if I'm getting 19-20mpg, right?
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