[20 Series] How many litres to fill tank from low fuel light?

[kully]

Hello, 

 

I'm finding I add 50 litres to the tank when filling a couple of miles from when the fuel warning light comes on. 

 

That seems low for a 65 litre tank, especially as the 'range left' reading seems to indicate there are 4-5 litres available. 

 

What is your experience? 

[OldWellhouse]

Not had the light on yet but I'd guess the answer is a few miles as possible. I think letting the tank get close to empty is inviting damage. 

[Rojie]

On 5/21/2022 at 8:34 PM, kully said:

Hello, 

 

I'm finding I add 50 litres to the tank when filling a couple of miles from when the fuel warning light comes on. 

 

That seems low for a 65 litre tank, especially as the 'range left' reading seems to indicate there are 4-5 litres available. 

 

What is your experience? 

 

Gen 1 is 70 litres.

My guess is Gen 2 is similar; so 4. litres sounds about right.

[Teekay]

On 5/21/2022 at 8:34 PM, kully said:

Hello, 

 

I'm finding I add 50 litres to the tank when filling a couple of miles from when the fuel warning light comes on. 

 

That seems low for a 65 litre tank, especially as the 'range left' reading seems to indicate there are 4-5 litres available. 

 

What is your experience? 

Good question Kully, I've had Japanese car that had 55 litres capacity, it was supposed to have fuel light turned on when 10 litres was left but whenever I filled up, it never took more than 42-43 litres, suggesting the light had some margin for error. So I'd say for gen 2, 65 litres car light might be set to trigger at about 12 litres but is doing it at around 15. With fuel shaking/level changing in the tank, sensor might be getting triggered earlier?

[Chris.ac]

if i fill up at fuel light in my 2010, I struggle to get more than 50 litres in, I have fuel almost pouring out of the filler.

[Alphard Club]

60-65

[Bazzer1955]

According to the JPNZ manual the light comes on at about 10 litres and the tank is 65 litres

[Alphard Club]

I dont trust my guage, yesterday it said i had quarter of a tank but could only manage to get 38 litres in.

 

However, that still cost me £75

[Voodoo101]

Normally with cars, for safety the light comes on with more miles available then you think or it shows. My last car was a Mercedes A-Class and the warning light came on when the car said it had 50 miles left, it would then do a lot more then 50 miles. 

 

Rule of thumb is never to let it get that low because it will drag up settlement from the tank.

[Teekay]

23 minutes ago, Voodoo101 said:

Normally with cars, for safety the light comes on with more miles available then you think or it shows. My last car was a Mercedes A-Class and the warning light came on when the car said it had 50 miles left, it would then do a lot more then 50 miles. 

 

Rule of thumb is never to let it get that low because it will drag up settlement from the tank.

Often it is said about this settlement in the fuel tank - would it not be fair that service should include a routine to clean it by taking all the fuel out, may be minimum once in five years? Dark underbelly no one wants to do anything about. We might be low on fuel and struggling to complete the journey and the dirt from settlement may come up to f us up! Imperfections 

[Voodoo101]

I'll be honest, for the last 7 years I have had lease cars with services are repairs all built in, so I have had the luxury of not worrying if things went wrong. Many a time I have been on a long journey, and with stations being fewer and fewer and motorway services being a rip off, I have let the tank go well into the red Never had a problem.

 

Now this leads me to conclude one of few things.

• The buildup of sludge in the tank is something that happens over many years, these was new cars kept for a few years. 
• Its a tale that has come from the days when cars happily had fumes and smoke flying out the back, before the days of cleaner fuels and the new fuels have so many additives that the build up is less.
• That the fuel filters in cars are good enough now to collect the particles and stop it getting into the injectors and engines, and provided you change the fuel filter regularly, you will be fine.

At the moment I am just getting my head around the fact that I have to pay extra for premium fuel. The lease cars had the cheapest possible.