I have been averaging about 46mpg so far after a week. I haven't been too obsessed with it - have done a few experiments with the S gear and hills, some brisk acceleration to see what she will do, etc. Been in traffic and some freeway driving. Can't wait to see what she'll do if I really try...

 

I averaged 42.1mpg on the computer and 43.2 mpg actual when I filled up with my first tank yesterday. These numbers are very misleading though, as this is my wife's car and she does not know how to drive it well even though I have tried to teach her. I read the hypermiling article and got 64 mpg on th way to work w/o air and got 48 on the way back for a 56 average yesterday. In fact, I probably put 200 of the 466 miles that we got on the tank on and never averaged below 48, with most trips above 50. Not bad for a car just breaking in. We also filled up at two segments left on the gas meter so the gas light never came on. It took 10.8 gallons, so I guess the manuals 1.7 gallons with the light on is a little high if the tank is really only 12.4 gallons. What is everybody elses experience with how much gas you have left when the light comes on?

 

My last tank I filled up shortly after all the fill lines disappered and I was able to
put in 10.4 gallons. If the fill was correct I should have had around 1.9 gallons left
after all lights disappered. The most I have tried driving after lights disappered was
30 miles and I still haven't hit 11 gallons at a fillup.

 

Wow our calibrations on the bar graph must be way different. I overfilled the tank as the pump originally kicked off at 10.2 gallons and I nursed it up to 10.8, but there were still 2 bars left on the display. I assume that the low gas alarm light comes on when you hit the last bar segment that is colored red on the display? Can somebody please confirm? Also has anybody ever pushed the car until it took slightly over 12 gallons? Does the tank really have 12.4 gallons until dead empty?

 

My fuel light always comes on when there are two bars remaining. The light doesn't come on immediately when it drops from three to two. It's like mid-way between two bars and one bar!

I've never taken it much below zero bars, so I don't really know how close I was to running out.

I routinely fill to the filler neck on mine. It always takes 1.8 gallons after the first click off. I like having the extra capacity and range! I've filled with over 12 gallons before, but that includes the extra 1.8. I don't think Honda means 12.4 with the extra pumping I do... I'm guessing it's 12.4 to first click (with an almost-dry tank)... and 14.2 if you were to add the extra 1.8.

 

That is exactly when my low fuel light also comes on but it seems premature
compared to how much fuel I put in my car (always to first click - haven't tried
overfilling yet).

 

Anahymbrid,

My light might have come on at 2 bars if I drove more. I still had 2 bars left on the display, but I filled up and never saw the light. Can you really fit another 1.8 gallons in after first click? I put in another .6 gallons, but then got timid as I did not want to overflow the tank. I still would like confirmation from somebody who has pushed the tank further on how much is the real capacity left over when the light comes on.

 

Judging from how much I can fill after the light comes on and from the specified 50 L tank capacity, there is at least 8 L left in the tank.

I have not managed to overfill more than one liter, after the first click. The most I have filled is 45.59 L (to first click), and the low fuel light was lit consistently that time as well.

You'll hardly find anyone who wants to run their tank completely empty, just to verify the tank capacity. But you can be sure Honda has done this. Car manufacturers do many tests to measure tank capacity and calibrate the low fuel light. The car should be able to drive and start in a steep hill, unless the fuel light is on. You should be able to get the specified capacity during normal driving (turning, starting and stopping), which means that if you drive the car slowly on a perfectly flat road (i.e. an oval), you can squeeze out a few liters more.

If you decide to run the tank empty yourself, I guess you'll get around 52-53 L. Tell us how it went.