Driving your 3rd Gen Tacoma When the Low Fuel Light is On -

I've been there. 17gal when the fuel light pops.

BTW, the lower population counties in OR can now pump their own. There was a recent change in the law. I'm surprised that you missed it because of all the funny articles of quotes from OR folks. Fuel smell, how difficult and dangerous it is, etc.

 

What is with the catalytic converter burning up? Never heard that before. When you are out of gas, you're out of gas, engine stops.
Duane

 

Exactly what I put in when the light comes on, too. 17 gallons in means 4 gallons from Empty.
What is going on with Tharris242 who is only hearing what his computer says? "Please Refuel Me"?? Is that a light or a voice? Just normal top off, not so full it spills out the top, when the light comes on.

 

On mine, at some point below the low fuel like, the center display will say "please refuel soon."

 

Once more and I'm out:
The manual says the light comes on when there is ~3.2 gallons remaining (this is confirmed by OBDII scanner). At that point, it will tell you how many miles you have to "empty". This number will be approximately equal to the number of miles you have been getting per gallon (but not over 24). When that counts down to 0, the display reads "please refuel". At this point you have approximately 2.2 gallons remaining (confirmed by OBDII scanner). I have driven ~50 miles past "empty", using ~2 gallons with an estimated 0.2 remaining.

Now, I don't just blindly believe this; I did an experiment. I added two gallons; I looked at the OBDII reading; it showed 2.2 gallons. I added two more gallons; it said 4.2. Etc. (The sensor only works reliably between ~1.9-19.1.)

The top of the tank is a nebulous idea that you will not be able to reliably fill to. If you are satisfied with your idea of an "experiment with actual data" being 21-17=4; then, this relationship is not going to work out.

TL;DR
~3.2 remaining at fuel light
~2.2 remaining at 0 DTE; please refuel

 

I was looking at this thread, but I'm not finding the answer that I need, I'm a simpleton. I have 38 miles to empty, but my low fuel indicator is NOT on yet. I used to own Fords and the light always came on when there were 50 miles to empty. At what point in mileage is the low fuel indicator supposed to come on in my '18 Tacoma?

 

Low fuel light will come on when you have about 3.2 gallons remaining. It will say 0 miles to empty / please refuel when you have about 2.2 gallons remaining.

 

for me the light comes on around 23 miles until empty.

 

Wow, really?
You are empty when the truck no longer is running! Do not trust HAL and his digital buddies.
Fill up the tank, zero a trip odometer, drive a normal drive, when you are close to 300 miles, fill it up again and record the gallons you put in and divide them into the miles on your trip odometer.
This is now your actual gas mileage and not some computer guess.

Zero the odometer every time you top off the tank and you will know about how many miles are left before you want to fill up again.

As for the needle on the gauge on my truck, when it reaches the E Line, there are still 3 gallons in the tank (the low fuel light comes on with ~4 gallons still in the tank). I have let it get to the E line many times and it always takes 18 gallons (+/- 0.5 gallon) to fill up the 21.1-gallon tank.