TheMaOdy66
Drag Racing Champion
- Location
- Germany
I once had the display saying 0 Km as well, drove further 30 Km to the next gas station and then put 52,6 liters into the tank. Lot of safety obviously calculated by VW. 
7
5 miles to empty. How Many Miles left?.
- Thread starter rapport25
- Start date
GeoBog
Ready to race!
- Location
- Space the final frontier
It's not just VW, most car manufacturers advertise the fuel tank at least 5L smaller than it is.
goodman312
Passed Driver's Ed
- Location
- Central OH, United States
I'm not sure I agree with this. In many cases the early wolf-cry serves to make the warning less valuable and teaches many drivers (as illustrated by comments in this thread, and including me) to ignore it. All it means to me is that I have to fill up tomorrow or the next day!
I only have 1000 miles on my car, but find that I now rely on miles traveled since last refill and ignore the gauge and warnings. The automatic reset when refueling (a feature new to me) makes using this approach safe and predictable since there is no worries about forgetting to reset the trip meter.
One low fuel warning side effect that I find annoying is that the yellow fuel pump lamp that comes (and stays) on is illuminated in place of the trip-meter. On previous cars, I would reset that meter when I refilled. I probably would still use it for that since it since it is always displayed and no need to fiddle with the MFD - if it weren't covered up...
Matt Goodman
Columbus OH US
goodman312
Passed Driver's Ed
- Location
- Central OH, United States
buyingconstant7
Ready to race!
- Location
- Calgary, AB
- Car(s)
- 2007 GTI 3 Door 6spd
Hi Guys,
For the first time, I have let my Golf run down to nearly empty. Showing 5 miles till empty. How many miles will the reserve tank last?. I have a further 26 miles to travel, should I risk it?
Thanks in advance,
Rappy
I always fill up when my fuel light comes on. I find I have 7 litres left when the needle is just on the red. I once let it down to where it was at the very bottom and couldn't get any lower. Then I had 3 litres left. Depending on your gauge reading, you should be fine to do 20 miles but I'd keep a jerry can to be sure.
GOLF NUTT
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Planet Earth for now
- Car(s)
- 2019 Golf GTI
WHY run the tank so low? In tank fuel pump depends on the fuel to keep it cool.
1/4 tank or more and it's time for me to fill up.
1/4 tank or more and it's time for me to fill up.
Samzeroh
Passed Driver's Ed
- Location
- Los Angeles CA
Honestly anyone that keeps on doing that thinking they're saving money or any other reason, is asking for trouble. Try not to do that at all. You're shortening the life span of your fuel pump and risking your engine and/or turbo of having serious issues. Just plan the for a gas stop accordingly. I always refuel once the needle gets to red or the latest once the light comes on.
dragoncoach
Ready to race!
- Location
- SF Bay Area
The manufactures always over estimate how much fuel left when the light comes on. They would rather warn you early than to have you run out of gas when it says you have 1/4 tank left. I wouldn't be happy if that were the situation. AND there would be threads galore talking and bitching if people kept running dry. Just fill up when the light comes on and all is good. I also agree that running out of gas is bad, not only on the fuel pump and fuel filter, but on one's attitude/psyche as well.
rsfVW
New member
- Location
- Denver, CO
As stated here before, one should fill up once the light comes on for two reasons:
1. Fuel is the coolant/lubricant for the fuel pump
2. You risk picking up sediment in the bottom of your tank and messing with you fuel system. Think of that last teaspoon of your coffee, yeah you filtered it, but there's still sediment. Same thing here, other wise cars wouldn't need fuel filters.
Conversely, and no one seems to know this because I hear it all the time, but when filling up, you shouldn't keep grabbing at the fuel filler handle once it clicks. I hear click, click, click at the gas station all the time. Just like I had replaced customer's fuel pumps and filters for "playing the gas light game", I replaced charcoal canisters for the evaporative emissions systems (CEL) because people were forcing too much fuel in to the system and breaking apart their charcoal canisters, thereby clogging their fuel systems.
Either way, too little or too much isn't well received in the fuel system of a modern vehicle. Just thought I'd share info I never knew about until I was the guy telling the customer why their car wouldn't run.
1. Fuel is the coolant/lubricant for the fuel pump
2. You risk picking up sediment in the bottom of your tank and messing with you fuel system. Think of that last teaspoon of your coffee, yeah you filtered it, but there's still sediment. Same thing here, other wise cars wouldn't need fuel filters.
Conversely, and no one seems to know this because I hear it all the time, but when filling up, you shouldn't keep grabbing at the fuel filler handle once it clicks. I hear click, click, click at the gas station all the time. Just like I had replaced customer's fuel pumps and filters for "playing the gas light game", I replaced charcoal canisters for the evaporative emissions systems (CEL) because people were forcing too much fuel in to the system and breaking apart their charcoal canisters, thereby clogging their fuel systems.
Either way, too little or too much isn't well received in the fuel system of a modern vehicle. Just thought I'd share info I never knew about until I was the guy telling the customer why their car wouldn't run.
branger
New member
- Location
- Maple Creek, sk , can
just browsing the forum and came across something I have experience with , my 1.8 tsi can go 50 km after it reaches 0 to empty time and time again on the highway ive done it about half dozen times. So like anyone curiousity got the best of me and I tried to make it 70km one day, well as I reached the top of the hill going into my town she figured that was it, so luckily coasted down the hill into town and filled up. Anyway that's my 2 cents
If you live in a town/city then there's no reason why you should need to wait until you see a fuel warning to fill up. Personally I fill up when I get to half empty yet I live 30 seconds from a petrol station.
I think this is a hangover from the 2000 fuel crisis (UK) when petrol stations ran dry and queues formed for hours to get fuel. That probably won't happen again, but if it does, I'll be OK!
I think this is a hangover from the 2000 fuel crisis (UK) when petrol stations ran dry and queues formed for hours to get fuel. That probably won't happen again, but if it does, I'll be OK!
