'Estimated miles till empty' feature is incorrect

My 2023 Tacoma with the 'estimated miles till empty' feature is incorrect.

Today, the estimate was 6 miles remaining, when I filled the tank - with slightly less than 19 gallons. The gas gauge too was low and the low gas light was on.

With a 21 gallon tank, there was 2 gallons remaining or approximately another 36-40 miles.

Is this common, the tank gauge @ empty, the warning light on, the estimated miles low, and still 2 gallons in the tank?

 

Yes. It’s designed so idiots don’t wait until the gas light comes on and the gauge says empty and then run out of gas.

 

Yes, perfectly normal. The tank typically has about 3 gallon left. This is so the fuel pump in the tank doesn't run dry and burn itself out.

 

Some people do not even see that light and need another person asking if there is any fuel in the tank.

 

I’ve got a buddy,,,,,,

 

Yup!

 

Wow, can't believe some of the shit that gets posted here.

Fill it when it's at a quarter tank, don't let it get to the point where the light comes on, and move on with life, holy shit.

 

Same way fuel gauges have always worked. Who waits until the tank is empty to fill up anyway?

 

Do not feed me any reality duuude ... I want to complain about everything ...

 

Says right there.. estimated.

Doesn't say exactimated.

 

Oh boy - the information has leaked !! Now everyone knows to drive another 35 miles before starting to look for the best priced gas station.

 

That would be me.......quite often. I tend to run mine pretty low before filling up, always have. Haven't run a vehicle out of gas in over 30 years though.

 

well shit, thanks for the feedback.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDnAzGpxR4k

 

Ever since having a 4 mile commute I've gotten bad about it. Doesn't help I usually commute in my wife's car that gets 3x the fuel mileage of my Tacoma. When the light comes on that car, I could drive about as far as a quarter tank would get me in the Taco, lol.

 

Years ago I had a guy bring in a Volvo, he said the engine stalled and died going up a hill. We started looking at it, it ran briefly on starting fluid, seemed like a bad fuel pump. Oh wait, what's this, the gas gauge is showing really empty.. we put a few gallons in, boom it fires right up.

I call the guy.. "Hi there, it looks like you ran it out of fuel, we added a few gallons and it started right up". He says "that's impossible, the little display on the cluster said I had 2 miles remaining"

 

Don't forget - for me at least when it's very cold I get 10-15% less mpg than summer. If you are in very big seasonal temp swings your reserve will change a good bit too.

 

Prior to my Tacoma I had a 2006 Acura TL 6MT, a car which was really aggressive at alerting you to your low fuel status. Typically when I would get near zero miles "distance to empty" the fill up would only register a bit over 13 gallons on a 17+ gallon tank. On one trip I tried to see how far I could push things, I drove 534 miles, roughly 50 miles past the dreaded "0 DTE" alert, and still only put 14.8 gallons in the tank, I was pissed, I could easily have gotten 600 miles out of that tank if I'd really pushed things.

 

Before the days of the 'estimated miles left' I had a friend who drove his Maxima with the gauge at E - he figured once the light came on, he'd bother getting gas. The light was out/failed and guess who was on the side of the road and had to walk to the pay phone and call me?

Yea this story dates me pretty good but the lesson holds true

I don't let my vehicles get under 1/4 tank unless some SHTF

 

Said it before, will again ...

Never a good idea to run too low, and in winter (especially on freeway long trips) do not drop below 1/2 because it might take time for help to reach me.