Miles to empty display

[Manny]

In my truck the fuel light comes on with about 22 gallons of space to fill. No problem, that should mean 6 gallons of fuel left to get me to a gas station as I think its a 28 gallon tank?

However, when I filled up today my display read 11 miles to empty and I proceeded to put in only 23.5 gallons. Seems like with 4.5 gallons or so left I should be getting more than 11 miles on the reading, no?

Does the computer not account for those last few reserve gallons in calculating the numbers?

[Vector]

Wow,

Well at least yours is more accurate than mine. My low fuel warning pops on when I still have over 1/4 tank, My distance to empty read out on my nav display shows 0 miles to empty with 8 gallons left in the tank. I have never been able to use it because it is sooooooooooooooooo inaccurate.

[Blackbeauty]

I've noticed this too. I can go 40, 50 even 60 miles after it reads 0 on the miles to empty display. It's a conservative attempt to keep you from running out of gas, that's all. If you've ever run out of gas in the middle of nowhere, you know it's no fun. They're just trying to save you the hassle. Use it like your alarm clock. Some people set it fast to trick themselves into thinking they have less time so they hurry up. They could actually set it for the proper time and just not waste time. So just use the miles to empty as a guideline. When it's at 0, get to a fuel pump before next week.....

[Manny]

My last car was a Saab and the computer seemed to be dead accurate. This is more of a general estimate than anything.

[Carbeaux]

I wish I had the Nav unit to have the function you guys do. I'll say that on the wife's Volvo, hers seems to be dead accurate. Yet still she flirts with empty, I don't know why. As for my low fuel light? Right at 22 gallons used.