6 Gallons only 3 bars down on the Gas Gauge??? (How accurate is it)

[uart]

I'm wondering if the gas level indication (gas gauge) is very accurate. So far I've gone 282 miles on this tank and it's still showing 7 pips on the gauge. My fuel consumption is hovering at 47 to 48 MPG so that means I must have used about 5.9 to 6.0 gallons. I would have expected to see the gauge reading lower than this (probably only 5 pips). What do you think?



[edit] My readings are really in litres and km but I converted to Miles and US gallons since I know that's what most people here are using.

[MJFrog]

Originally Posted by uart

I'm wondering if the gas level indication (gas gauge) is very accurate. So far I've gone 282 miles on this tank and it's still showing 7 pips on the gauge. My fuel consumption is hovering at 47 to 48 MPG so that means I must have used about 5.9 to 6.0 gallons. I would have expected to see the gauge reading lower than this (probably only 5 pips). What do you think?



[edit] My readings are really in litres and km but I converted to Miles and US gallons since I know that's what most people here are using.

It's not referred to as the guess guage in these forums for nothing!

[richard schumacher]

The gauge is not linear. The one thing to rely upon is, when the last pip starts to flash the tank is nearly empty.

[JimboPalmer]

I have had it take 100 to 160 miles (160 km to 250 km) for the first pip to go away, my advice would be to find a safe mileage (I use 400 miles (650 km) as my safe distance) and get gas as soon as I can after that distance.

Actually, it's more of a guideline than a rule... Dr. Peter Venkman - Ghostbusters

[Genoz World]

AGREED. the "guess-gauge" is NOT linear. i will tell you all this. after about 33.5K miles, my tank (bladder) has stretched out. it used to be only 85-ish miles when the first pip went away. now, i can get 120 before it goes. So it's gotta have stretched out a bit.

How i wish the gauge could be linear. We've done a great job with rocket science......you figure we could get a great working gas gauge. In toyota's defense, my cadillac fuel gauge was NOT linear either.

[djasonw]

I have never seen a linear gas gauge in all the cars I've owned. It seems that they all show close to a full tank for a while then go down dramatically. As for the Prius. For me it has been accurate to the point that when the last pip is flashing and I get gas, it takes 8.5 gallons till it clicks. I also use the rule of thumb and fill up after 400 miles regardless of what the fuel is reading.

[uart]

Ok thanks for the answers all. It looks like I can expect it to drop pretty fast on the second half of the tank so yeah I'll have to be careful.

BTW. When I filled it up it took just over 38L (about 10.1 Gallons) and it was still showing a few pips on the gauge prior to fill. So I'm guesing those last few pips aren't going to take long to use up.

[jchilton]

Same experience here. On my 2009, it seems that the first pip represents 2.5 to 2.9 gallons, while subsequent pips (and I've never gone below 2 remaining) are somewhere between 0.8 and 1.0 gallons each.

[eagsc7]

Personally, I have found that AFTER the "Low Gas Warning" on my 08 Prii starts beeping*RESET Trip ODO1* that I have between 50-60 Miles... I fill up between 40-50 Miles... Check the Cheapest Gas Prices at GasBuddy.com - Find Low Gas Prices in the USA and Canada...

Of course, I STILL have to visit the Gas station more often than that... Only to clean the bugs off the windshield.

The Steaks

[uart]

Originally Posted by eagsc7

Personally, I have found that AFTER the "Low Gas Warning" on my 08 Prii starts beeping*RESET Trip ODO1* that I have between 50-60 Miles... I fill up between 40-50 Miles...

Hey you like living dangerously then. But seriously it's not good for the car to run the tank dry. If there's any crud that's settled in the bottom of the tank then you're going to suck it up and block a filter or something.