Hey all - I did do a search but found nothing relevant to the RX. I drive an '07, AWD, 97K, 87 Octane.

I drive 100 miles per weekday, and this morning with 330+/- miles on the last tank, my fuel light was on and the range was telling me about 15 miles to go. I drive fairly aggressively but stay on cruise almost the entire 50 mile trip, at 68 MPH.

So when I filled up (I never top off, been there done that with that CEL on previous car) this morning, it only took 16.3 gallons on a 19.2 gallon tank.

My question is, do you all find the range to be extremely low, or at least conservative? I think I could have made it to the city in which I work this morning, which would have saved me a couple $$$ in fuel... thanks.

 

Most cars I've been in you could always go at least 50+ miles when the light comes on and still have a little over a gallon left when filling up.

 

50 miles? Really? I don't know that it's worth the risk trying that. I mean.. I'd hate to be wrong in assuming it, and run out of gas, be on the side of the road, and possibly cause some engine damage.

 

I've driven 82 miles one time after the light went on. Fact. I was light footed and didn't gun it at all. I noticed the light in the morning on way to business trip 40 miles away. Made it all the way back before remembering to fill up.

 

Thanks guys. There mere fact that it took nearly 3 gallons less than the actual tank size is proof that I could have made it the last 30 miles of my trip this morning, but it's the range reading that got me wondering. Once I have pushed it a couple of times I will know how many miles I can really get without fueling up too soon.

 

In all the years with my RX I have never put in 17 gallons of gas even when I have run the Cruising Range number down to single digits.

 

Most vehicles are conservative to keep things on the safe side.

Did you check your manual?
http://drivers.lexus.com/t3Portal/do.../sec_05_02.pdf

 

When your fuel light comes on, you should still have about 3 gals left, if you stay constant at 68mph
you can stretch at least 50 miles before needing to gas.

So when you gas up, you got 16.3 on a 19.2 tank which is correct besides Lexus/Toyota do not recommend topping off as it will damage the filler neck and that can get expensive

 

Okay, I am CERTAIN I'll never even come close to that. I try to generally keep our gas tanks at half or more full, since never know when I'll need to go somewhere in a hurry - not all that likely or often, but I'd rather stay on the safe side. A few times we've gone below 1/4 or 1/8 a tank, but I don't think I've even SEEN the fuel warning light but maybe once or twice.

Anyway, surely that (82 miles) has gotta go in a record book somewhere.

 

I tend to drive my full tank until the light comes on before I fill my car up again. It seems to almost cost the same to fill the car up at half-way as when it is on the warning light. So I get my "full range" and then fill up rather than get half-way and pay a negligible difference in cost.

 

I'm getting about 21mpg out of mine so far on pure highway trips. I've only taken one so far.Mixed driving seems to have me closer to 16-17mpg. The highway number isn't quite as much as I'd hoped for but it is winter and I was driving in temps around 8 degrees so hoping to see a bit better milage once it warms up a bit.

 

I get close to 23 on normal days (i.e. not below zero) on the highway, so I know it can be done.

 

I've had very few normal days here in the Midwest . Our 08 400h is getting around 22/23 highway trip with some normal town driving. It's very cold here, that's temp from zero to 30 degrees so not bad . Now in town it's really bad ...around 13/15 but we start it up and let it run and lots of snow lately . I totally understand some of its nature and me. My Prius went from 50 to high 30's and low 40's highway and mid 30's in town . Cold is just a killer on any car. But who cares I bought it to drive and really like the RX , it is what it is

 

I've ran my tank down until the next time it was filled up, it was just a hair under 19 gallons. That's when the pump stopped on it's own, I'm sure the attendant could of put more in.

But I stopped doing this because of 2 clips I've seen on Youtube that stated you can harm the fuel pump inside the vehicle if you're always running on empty, 2.) During the winter months, the less gas you have in your tank you create condensation which can lead to more water mixture in your fuel.

So what I try to do is fill up in NJ and top off in NY.

 

I wouldn't continuously run the tank low, it's not good for the fuel pump. The gas cools the pump and when there isn't as much fuel in the tank, it run's hotter.