Hi Folks,

When I got to work this morning the gas gauge dropped from 2 bars to one (just as I pulled into my parking place). One the way home (26 miles) I got the add fuel message and (luckily) right when I was getting off the highway to go to the gas station all of a sudden the caution light came on along with the check engine light (with the word "check" below the picture of the engine. When the lights came on it felt like the car slowed down a bit but I was able to get to the gas station and had 2 bars left on the battery indicator. I gassed up (10.526 gallons) and after I turned on the engine all the lights went back to normal after abut 4 seconds.

What happened?

Was the car telling me that I had actually run out of gas? Or was it telling me that I was getting REALLY close to running out of gas?

According to the owners manual the tank hold 11.9 gallons.

Brian

 

Sounds to me like maybe the incline of the offramp caused the fuel to rush away from the barely-submerged fuel pump, causing the engine to stall. Once you filled it back up, no problems.

The tank may be 11.9 gallons, but the bladder shrinks as the temperature drops and I don't think anyone has ever actually been able to get more than 11 gallons in.

For safety's sake, I never have seen only one bar on my gauge. I always get gas at 2 or 3.

 

Yeah I think I will start filling up when it gets down to 2 or 3 bars. Heck, since I do 50-55 miles per day maybe I will just fill up on the way home on fridays.

Oh well, live and learn.

 

I think i read somewhere that the pump which pumps fuel into the engine heats up and thus having some fuel in the tank helps cool it off. You already do amazing high mileage with your car, why not just fill it up when when you see the gas prices go down; i mean minimum half (5 or 6 Bars) at least or else you'll just be filling up about 17 litres; but it's up to you.

Be proud of your mileage (MPG) not how far you can go on one tank