I ran out of fuel this morning :-(

[rhumber]

Yep as the subject says I had the dreaded beep when I was near my house last night.

So this morning on the way to work I kept a good eye on the fuel gauge and thought if it goes on the red bar then I would fill up at a station on the way.

I have only ran out once before and that was when the needle was at the bottom on the fuel gauge at the bottom of the red bar (I was really pushing it).

But this morning it didn't even reach the red bar and it died on a very busy dual carriageway, luckily I managed to coast into a lay-by with my hazards on!

Anyone else had this problem?

Is there any easy way to clean fuel filter? maybe I've got some crap in there that it stopping the gauge going all the way to the bottom?

Oh and I don't have the trip computer on my car, so it doesn't tell you how many miles left in the tank

 

[chrisphysics]

I don't think the fuel gauge is in any way related to the fuel filter.
You just need to stop going so low and start filling up when you have 1/4 tank left.

 

[vwbassett]

You mean your tank rather than the filter dont you? Could try a petrol additive see if that helps but i doubt it. Like chris said your going to have to fill it up eventually so keep it above 1/4 anyway.

 

[si-mate]

I'm going to do the same one day. I really gave myself on a drive up to Preston the other week when my trip computer went from 30 miles left to 0 on the m6. I dropped back to 50, turned off the air-con and luckily made it to a garage. I vowed never to do that again but I'm sure I will!

I find the trip computer worse than the gauge as they often drop to zero rapidly.

 

[HallycupraR]

Si-mate ill second that

 

[andycupra]

simply going around a corner can vary how much fuel is available.

 

[rhumber]

simply going around a corner can vary how much fuel is available.

And up and down hills also!

 

[t0m]

Never go below a quarter mate...

 

[dmmsta]

Never seen the "low fuel" light / buzzer...

Have a habit of filling up @ around 1/4 tank.

 

[BoomhaueR]

As soon as the tank goes under 1/4 full I think about topping up. Anything under 1/8 or as soon as the light comes on I'm straight down the garage!
I've even thought about carrying a jerry can full just in case. Never good for your car (or your credibility) to run out of fuel!

 

[Tom B]

I always fill up at 1/4 tank as well, my MK2 Ibiza got me into this practice as 1/4 tank=20 miles!

 

[slim20vt]

in my lcr when i get the light and the beep to tell me to fill up,the trip counter reads,30 miles if i hit the boost once it will go to zero( thanks to a 20psi remap) so my advice would be when the gauge goes beep and the light comes on,go and fill her up there and then!!!!!!!!!!

i changed my fuel filter gen Seat one was about £9 and i felt a diffrence in the cars performance and mpg,the other one had done 50k and never been changed try it its a cheap part and migt help mpg,what you got to lose?!!!!!!!!!

hope this helps!!

 

[DOLBY]

i can understand some of you people...just the other week i was SO skint 4 days before pay day, and my fuel light came on...normally a range of 25 miles. anyway i resisted gettin fuel for a day, but it rapidly went down to 6 miles left......now, my daily journey is 12 miles, so i was driving it like a granny (my god trust me 20 mph all the way)!!...done 6 miles reading zero..hahah

got my jerry can filled with £5, lasted 35 miles....I HAVE NEVER DRIVEN SO CAREFULLY EVER!

 

[Dave H]

run out of fuel

 

[godber225r]

I usually fill up at 1/4 of a tank. i have ran it down to 0 miles, pretty scary i dont really trust that trip computer. You should change the fuel filter probably would make it better

 

[JamesL]

my dad once had his 5 series so low the computer didnt even read zero... it went down to zero and then just displayed a series of flashing dashes! uh oh.

 

[UncleFester]

No excuse Rob

 

[TheMikeh]

Only ever run my LCR down once and that was because no fupping garage was open at 4am! never again, was driving so slow and carefully ... poor LCR

 

[rhumber]

No excuse Rob

No, but I've been driving this car for over 6 years now and this has never happended to me before.... well..... not with the needle not even making it to the red bar!

Also the fuel filter was changed about 6k miles ago and he said it was very dirty so I should get better mpg after that change.

Anyway lesson learned!

 

[UncleFester]

No, but I've been driving this car for over 6 years now and this has never happended to me before.... well..... not with the needle not even making it to the red bar!

Also the fuel filter was changed about 6k miles ago and he said it was very dirty so I should get better mpg after that change.

Anyway lesson learned!

Yup just keep it nice and full, it doesn't cost any more and you don't run out