Questions regarding tank and trip computer

[Memphis]

Just a couple of questions out of curiousity.

When the fuel warning light comes on, about how many litres/gallons are left in the tank of a 55 Leon FR TDi?

How does the trip calculate how many miles are left in the tank? Is it on the MPG of the last mile, last two miles, etc?

 

[M90TEN]

I dont know but my warning light came on and I did 12 miles and then didnt want to risk doing any more as pick up was being very slow. guess it depends on your driving style.

 

[spikie neo]

The warning light comes on with roughly 25 miles of fuel left in the tank, i guess it works it out on the amount of fuel left and an average mpg. Its not to be trusted!!! Mine goes from 20 to 5 miles in seconds, depending on corners or hills.

 

[lc_allan]

Somone said when it's on zero you still have a good few miles left but I wasn't brave enough to try it. I have drove about 5 miles very slowly in high gears while on zero. Was in a panic also because I couldn't find a petrol station

 

[Fergal84]

Somone said when it's on zero you still have a good few miles left but I wasn't brave enough to try it. I have drove about 5 miles very slowly in high gears while on zero. Was in a panic also because I couldn't find a petrol station

Snap happened to me on Christmas Eve, couldn't find a petrol station open in York for ages, was on 0 miles for a good few miles!

 

[Tarnac Terror]

I have the same issues. Can drive for miles on a full tank but as soon as it hits half way, it goes down like its leaking fuel Noticed as well that when it hits a qtr tank says it has something liek 50 miles (bizzarre when Ican clock 200 miles and the first 2 1/4's of the tank from full), and then rapidly goes from 50 to 10 to 5 to zero in the blink of an eye - Scary fuel gauge system these cars use, but worth it though, just got Sat Nav set up for show all Petrol stations now

 

[Mitchy]

Well on a tuned LCR, you can easily get 20 miles past the 0 if you drive off boost.

Done it many times.

 

[JamesL]

I remember my dad once having to drive something ridiculous like 5 miles apparently just on fumes, it went to zero then went down to '----' before we found anywhere to stop! that was in a 530i!

 

[Leigh15]

I think the light comes on when 7 litres are remaining in the tank - it should say in the manual

 

[Husbandofstinky]

PD150 - warning light will come on at 35 miles left.

I've hit zero on the computer quite a few times and I think that it'll even go minus 5,10 etc.. I have vague recollections that it did this but don't quote me as they say.

I wouldn't do this through choice due to tank crud/water etc. but they do build in some 'extra' on the computer so you don't get caught out. Remember Clarkson on Top gear with the A6 Audi (London - Edinburgh and back on a tank of diesel) I think he did a good 40 miles on top of the zero - again don't quote me on it.

Lights on at 7 litres is also a common consenses here me thinks

 

[cstevens]

Phew, you guys have given me good news, the other day I drove to work and the light came on just before I got there (at 35miles). I have a 19mile trip home (about 17 miles to the nearest petrol station). When I started up it said I had 25miles.

Unfortunately god was not smiling on me, I got stuck on the Parkway (Sheffield) for 25 mins and averaged about 15mpg, but the time I hit the M1 the gauge was saying 15miles!...no sweat I thought...just drive sensible.

M1 STANDSTILL! got on it and stopped! - for an HOUR! basically inching forward and stopping all that time....I crapped it, the gauge went down to 0 very very quickly, but each time I stopped and put it in neutral it went back up to 5 miles remaining. All of this was uphill so I just wanted to make it to the flat bit and then it was only a mile to the turn off and another 4 miles to the station.

Anyway, I made it to the sliproad and gingerly turned off, when the remaining miles went up to 10 again, and then 15. By the time I reached the garage it was 10 mile remaining.

So I filled up and only managed to get 51 litres into it at a cost of £68...so I guess I had quite a few miles remaining....so I presume that when the light comes on you should try to fill within say 15miles to be on the safe side, but realistically you might have about 30?

What annoys me is we used to keep topping up our cars, but went to only filling them when on about 1/4 tank. If I had filled up the day before, desiel would only have cost me 1.25 a litre, as it was the next day it cost me 1.28 I think....I am going back to just topping up every few days, just to benifit from the price at that day, because its not like its ever going "down" is it.