pharmergt

jimv1983

Considering it takes 12-13 gallons with 25-50 miles left and taking into account the MPG it should take about 14 gallons when it shows 0 miles left. When it shows 0 miles that doesn't mean the tank is empty. There is a reserve amount still left once the remaining miles reaches 0. I currently drive a 2011 Camry hybrid (my ES hybrid gets here next month). It has a 17.2 gallon tank and usually takes almost 15 gallons if I run the remaining miles to 0 which means a reserve of about 2 gallons. The ES 350 has a 15.9 gallon tank which means also about 2 gallons reserve.

To sum it up, what you are experiencing is normal.

calgold06

Once I drove 70 miles after the warning light and it took 16 gallons at fill up. YMMV....pun intended

95bat

made me laugh!

mikemu30

The miles left to empty is a highly conservative calculation by design to ensure nobody runs out of fuel. Same on most newer cars.

lesz

More information about this topic can be found in the similar thread on the Generation 6 ES board.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...-on-empty.html

jimv1983

It couldn't have been over 15.9 because that's the capacity on the tank. If you really put in 16 gallons you over filled your tank.

lesz

The stated 15.9 fuel tank capacity does not include the reserve capacity, which is likely at least 2 gallons.

CJS57

From my 2010 ES 350. Drove it .5 more miles after the display read 0. Angled the gas filler up at the station. I was on a gasoline alley type of road so risked it.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...8-fill-up.html

jimv1983

That's incorrect. The stated fuel capacity is the actual capacity. The estimated remaining miles hits 0 when there are about 2 gallons left. If you fill up right when the remaining miles hits 0 it would actually take about 14 gallons to fill up.

lesz

No, that is not correct.

Depending on how many mpg you are getting, you will still be able to drive another 40-60 miles (or more) beyond the point where the computer says 0 miles to empty. That is the whole idea of having a "reserve", and that is the way it has been for every Lexus and Toyota vehicle for years.

mikemu30

I would think the total capacity includes any reserve but not certain. Doesn't matter to me anyway as I generally fill up at the halfway mark.

jimv1983

Yes, you are correct that there is a reserve and you can still go a while after the estimated miles reaches 0. I never said that what wrong.

What is incorrect is saying that the fuel tank capacity of 15.9 gallons stated in the owners manual doesn't include the reserve. THAT is incorrect. What is stated in the owners manual is the actual physical capacity of the gas tank. If you were to get to a gas station right when the remaining miles estimate reached 0 the car wouldn't take the full 15.9 gallons. It would take 13.5-14 gallons. That difference of 2-2.5 gallons is the reserve. If you have to put in the full 15.9 gallons it means you used up the reserve and are actually about to run out of gas. If you go over 15.9 gallons you are overfilling.

I know Toyota and Lexus have been doing it for years. My current car is a 2011 Camry hybrid. The owner's manual states a tank size of 17.2 gallons. If I get to the pump right when the remaining miles says 0 it takes just under 15 gallons not the 17.2 stated as the capacity in the manual.

lesz

I stand corrected.

The reason why I thought that the 15.9 gallon number did not include the reserve is because the 2019 ES evidently has a smaller fuel tank than did the 2013-2018 ES, and I was assuming that the smaller number for the 2019 ES was an indication that they were not including the reserve in that specification, but, after thinking about it more, I think it just means that the 2019 actually does have a smaller tank.

jimv1983

I never bothered looking at the tank size for previous generations since I wasn't considering buying one until the 2019. All I knew was the tank size of the 2019 which is 15.9 for the 350 and 13.2 for the hybrid which is what I'm getting.

Since we are on the topic I decided to look up the 2018 ES. The 2018 ES has a 17.2 gallon tank for both the 350 and 300h. Lexus decreased the tank size in the V6 by 1.3 gallons but decreased the capacity of the hybrid by 4 gallons which I'm guessing was done to allow the hybrid battery to be moved from the trunk to under the rear seat.