Trip computer terrible?

My truck told me i had 9 miles to go, low fuel light was on. My scan gauge said i had 48 miles to go. I filled it up, and it only took 18 gallons. So, obviously something is off, and its not my scan gauge. Unless Toyota gave me a 18.7 gallon fuel tank.

Im averaging 16 ish mpg city driving dueing the week.

Anyone elae get suck different nunbers?

I know its not good to drive it so low, fule pumps are usually cooled by the fuel. But thia was just way off. I wanted to keep driving and see what happened.

 

Pick one indicator. Use it. You will develop a "feel" for it in a bit of time.

So, out of curiosity...... How many gallons do you want to consume on a fill???

 

There is nothing wrong and perfectly normal. The fuel light comes on early and leaves a reserve of a gallon or two. Search here for low fuel light and you will see.

 

This is the best gauge to go by:

Everything else is just an estimate.

 

You have loads of fuel left. No need to be concerned until the little red pointer falls below the hash mark near the E.

I typically will pick up 19-20 gallons on a fill.

 

I am rarely if ever below a quarter tank.

 

It is a 21 gallon tank but there is a 3 gallon reserve. Meaning it will read “empty” with roughly 3 gallons still in the tank. This is a safety mechanism that Toyota uses so people don’t run the fuel pumps dry which would lead to premature failure

 

Take this for what it’s worth..

Mine at new, the low fuel light would come on quickly with several gallons and miles left. I would run it lower every time the light came on, and the info would change. Granted I did this for shits and giggles. But now, the light comes on with a lot less in the tank and fewer miles to go. I think learns a little from the driver and also as to what kinda driving you are doing, highway vs. city.

 

My average fill-up with about 65k on the Taco is almost 18.75gal. So quite often, I am putting 20gal+ in there. The low fuel light coming on at 18gal used and DTE going 0mi at 19gal used has never waivered. Many folks in many threads have verified this behavior.

DTE at full is a BS number and can vary. Same with the match between the shown MPGs per tank at fillup and the hand calculated ones.


Of course, there are some odd variables between individual Tacos. I'm not discounting your experience, but just noting what I have seen on mine and what a large group of other folks have found.

 

I don’t even know if my fuel light works, I never go below 1/4 tank

 

Every late model vehicle built and sold in the United States after 2015 has the fuel light set to come on with 3-5 gallons left. This was put in place by a request from brother to auto manufacturers, since my sister in law runs every vehicle down to the light on every tank, and leaves the next day with his vehicle that always has a half or tank more. Sorry for any inconveniences, but after running out of gas about every other month, their lives are much better now.

 

Your "miles to empty" is merely an estimate. As many have said, you'll have several gallons in reserve upon getting there. Best not to push it, especially for the sake of your fuel pump. You'll also notice that the "miles to empty" rating falls faster below 1/4 tank. It's best to fill around 1/4 of a tank anyway just so you have plenty of reserve and, if you're like me and live in a winter climate, you'll have extra weight over the rear end.

 

Understand that.. Just saying that when it was new and the first time I had the low fuel light. I put in 16 gallons. I remember this as I thought it was a very conservative number. After that, and running it lower and lower several times. my personal fill up has changed to when the light comes on.

Now, I can really care less to a point about fuel economy, it’s a truck. But my noticing that the fill up is more gallons with the low light changing to lesser miles.

my $.02

I do not usually run it low. But have to see actual fill up from empty.

 

That is weirdly high. It might have been learning?


I don't worry about MPGs as much as Range. For whatever reason, I like to get 400mi per tank.

 

OP's truck warned him that it was starting to get low on fuel and the truck was not wrong. Seems to be working as designed, albeit the truck and the truck owner apparently have different interpretations on what low means. .

 

the dash computer is an AIDE.............

no one has touted it to be 100% accurate

no less it averages the info against the recent driving environs

i just came off a trip hiway legal speeds NO cruise

440+ miles to a tankful

actual miles driven / 19.4 gals used

 

This.


Good info fellas. Im coming from a 2006 xterra that had a light that would go on when i had like 1 to 2 gallons left, depending. 3 gallons still in the tank is alot in my opinion.

 

I would not trust scan gauge, especially with a chronic issue with fuel pump..
Btw, 2017's trip/mpg computer is dead on.

 

same

 

4 hunnndred? The best mine has ever said was 330. Guess I need to really start doing the actual math if I really cared.