This morning when I started my car, there were 26 miles of cruising range stated on the trip computer and the gas gurage was point a mark above E. My officer is 2 miles away and the outside temperature was 10 - 15F. When I was less than a mile away from the office, my cruising range was still around 23. After a stop sign, when i look down, it dropped to 0............and my gas gurage was pointing to E.

I was thinking it is because of the acceleartion which affects the MPG, which then affect the Cruising range calculation. However my light acceleration will not be that effective that can lower my cruising range from 20 to 0.

Any suggestions or comments?

Thanks .
Ian

 

Fill up the tank when the gas gauge shows 1/4 of a tank left. Then you don't ever have to waste time worrying about running out of gas.

 

I have seen the same thing on several occasions. I don't know what causes it but am not concerned. When it hits empty, I have gone 60 miles and still had gas left in the tank.

 

I don't trust the cruising range. As they say in financial circles, past performance is no guarantee of future results. It's a guessing game.

 

I have gone over 100 miles after a DTE of 0. Don't recomed doing it, but it can be done. I tink I still had 3/4 of a gallon of fuel in the tank when I filled up.

 

There already are enough threads discussing "likely" tank level past MTE, so I won't belabor it here... but 100 miles & .75gals left?!? Man, that's amazing! At ~40mpg, that's way beyond the assumed "consensus" of 2-3 gallons so far.

I haven't dared risking it beyond 30mi, and have no need for it based on my commutes. I do like to go beyond MTE each & every time, though, just to see if my cruising range will ever make it to 600 (and nash: hush! I don't want to hear or see your picture again! Re: For fun: most miles on one tank of gas? -- just kidding: it looks great!)

Anyway, to get back to the main point of this thread: Ian -- yes, a sudden drop seems common but I have yet to see such a drastic jump (or "fall"): mine have been more in the teens. As everyones knows, it not only depends on sudden acceleration but road angle as well (i.e. going "up:" or "down")... and once it marks 0 MTE, it doesn't come back up again -- although I have had two occasions where the needle got out of E and climbed back "up" for ~5 more miles, but MTE remaining at 0. Go figure.

 

Hey everyone, thanks for all your input and experience. I usually go to fill up my car when the 'low gas' light is on, but not today. I think the cruising range should be seen as an estimate in stead of a solid or close figure to be relied on from now on~

 

I'm not a fan of the cruising range display. My wife is already nervous enough about running out of gas, so the last thing she needs is a display that drops from 20 or so miles remaining to 0. No big deal, I say. Not to worry, relax, stay calm, breath into a paper bag, but for some reason, a car's display seems to trump spousal reason. We pulled into the nearest (and most expensive) gas station and filled up the car with a 14 gallons. We had about 100 miles left on that tank.

 

Freeze, think of the mileage you'd get if you just dumped your wife!

 

Nah, I like her too much. Besides, if we had run out of gas, she would have had to push the car.