Miles to go calculation

[chasbo]

I don’t understand the miles to empty calculation I am getting. I’m towing a travel trailer, getting 12 mpg. I stop to fill up and the Ranger fuel monitor then says I have 240 miles to empty. That seems to indicate I have a 20 gallon tank. Why it do that? I don’t trust that anyway, especially when towing but I find it curious. Maybe I missed the memo but I’ve never seen anything that said we have an 18 gallon tank with a 2 gallon reserve.

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[Rp930]

It could have a built in minimum. Is it exactly 240? And what happens as you drive?

 

[RangerBill]

The stated capacity of the Ranger gas tank is 18.8 gallons.

 

[Chris M]

I don’t understand the miles to empty calculation I am getting. I’m towing a travel trailer, getting 12 mpg. I stop to fill up and the Ranger fuel monitor then says I have 240 miles to empty. That seems to indicate I have a 20 gallon tank. Why it do that? I don’t trust that anyway, especially when towing but I find it curious. Maybe I missed the memo but I’ve never seen anything that said we have an 18 gallon tank with a 2 gallon reserve.

Isn't that calculation based on the previous tank's fuel mileage? If you did well the tank immediately preceeding, you'll get a higher guesstimate for your current tanks mileage.
I think. ?

 

[AzScorpion]

Isn't that calculation based on the previous tank's fuel mileage? If you did well the tank immediately preceeding, you'll get a higher guesstimate for your current tanks mileage.
I think. ?

It is. When you fill up it calculates the mileage and the gallons from your most recent trip. Then the next time it will be different based on that trip. It's based on speed and steep grades which will effect your mpg and flat steady driving (without traffic lights) and downhills which will give you better mileage.

 

[chasbo]

Makes sense. I will pay check it out with the next fill up.

 

[Jason B]

The device that calculates mileage went to American public schools and isn't good at math.

Seriously, it's all guess work. There is no way that it knows exactly how much fuel was put in, or how much is left. And usually the instantaneous MPG and life average MPG are off by 1 mile or 2.

 

[AzScorpion]

The device that calculates mileage went to American public schools and isn't good at math.

Seriously, it's all guess work. There is no way that it knows exactly how much fuel was put in, or how much is left. And usually the instantaneous MPG and life average MPG are off by 1 mile or 2.

Not necessarily true. If you use this fuel calculation adjustment you can get it exact. After doing this when I fill up and using the Fuelly app mine come out right on the money to what my dash reads. Sometimes it may be a tenth or two off but pretty darn close to perfect after adjusting it.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/fuel-calculator-adjustment.2996/

 

[Joeiconic]

The truck thinks you’re getting 12.7 mpg, so its close to what you were thinking.

 

[thorn726]

the tank is 18 gallons. (or 18.8 it seems, there are conflicting reports out but likely 18.8) The miles to go will actively adjust to how you are driving. It can adjust by quite a bit when shifting from city to hwy miles. If i've been driving in town for awhile and fill up as i leave for a road trip i'll watch the miles to go and mpg adjust over the first 50 miles or so. I'll leave home with 363 to go and in 70 miles have 330 to go... it's making estimates and adjustments constantly and assuming you'll get better than the 12 some of the time

 

[RangerBill]

the tank is 18 gallons.

It is actually 18.8 gallons.

 

[thorn726]

It is actually 18.8 gallons.

you know i thought the manual said 18.9 then when i search online it says 18.0. I see on here others say 18.8 and also "All the Ford literature says 18 gallon tank, but interestingly enough in the FORscan software the default says 19 gallons..." /// I think it is likely the 18.8 or 9 is correct i still havent filled up from totally empty to say for sure but yeah i think it is more than 18 ill edit that

 

[ccasanova22]

The tank is actually 20 gallons. I’ve run it to where I put 19.5 gallons in on pump cut off, and the truck still ran well on steep inclines, declines, and corners, indicating there was at least some gas in the tank.

Do I recommend it? No, but if towing and all you can find is a gas station 15 miles past 0, it definitely can make it. The reserve feels like it’s 2 gallons.

 

[chasbo]

Thanks @ccasanova22 . Hopefully I will never run into that situation but if I do I will have a little hope mixed in with the extreme anxiety.

 

[Jason B]

According to the user manual:

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