Incorrect Distance to empty

[Big Blue]

Worked at a Phillips 66 gas station when I was 16-17, joke was Phillips 66, name is the same as the gas price or you expect more from Standard Oil and you pay for it, now we rush to buy when ever the price drops a few pennies.

Yeah, thought it was a gas war when it dropped to 1.499 for awhile this spring. No body was using gas because of Covid.

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[samsd]

Let mine get to 18 miles to empty, put 18.1 gallons in, 403.7 miles on the tank for 22.3 mpg.

 

[Deleted member 1634]

not too long ago, i ran mine down to 2km remaining.
it was late, i was going to gas up in the morning.
the gas station is just around the corner so no big deal.

but when i started it the next morning...it showed a big fat 0....

still made it to the gas station though.

I had a similar scare in college, driving the university's Escape Hybrid back from Ohio (basketball playoff tournament). With about 10miles to empty I pulled into a town only to find the whole area had no power from a snow storm the day before (which we also drove through), so none of the stations were open. Ended up having to get back on the freeway and drive another 22miles to the next town. Luckily that one had a station open. But driving 75mph down the freeway after the miles to empty has hit 0 was pretty nerve racking. haha Once I got into town though I kept it slow enough to drive fully on electric power to give me a better chance of actually making it to the station. haha

 

[Radioman]

I resemble that remark! ? I can remember gas wars where it was 0.249/gal and it was like 0.329 for ever. "Ethyl " was a bit higher.

I remember exactly the same pricing. Sometimes there would be a "gas war" and the cost would drop as low as $0.19. Good times...

 

[olgzr]

I remember exactly the same pricing. Sometimes there would be a "gas war" and the cost would drop as low as $0.19. Good times...

I must be a bit older yet, I remember $.199 as the normal price and $.149 during the price wars. This was before I started driving, it was in the $.20 something for the first few years I was driving.

 

[Sandman Ranger]

I guess I'm an old fart because I remember 27 cents when I was a kid

3 gallons for $1 would cover date night. Long ago.

 

[Sandman Ranger]

3 gallons for $1 would cover date night. Long ago.

Gauges will never tell you exact distance to empty. Always some gas left. If they did some would gas up with 1 mile left. But, risk fuel pump damage.

 

[Zaph]

Just a heads up, I drove 10 miles past 0 miles to empty.

It's pretty lenient. I bet I could put 10 more miles on.

 

[Big Blue]

Gauges will never tell you exact distance to empty. Always some gas left. If they did some would gas up with 1 mile left. But, risk fuel pump damage.

Exactly, the last thing you want to do is run your tank dry. The fuel pump uses the fuel in the tank for cooling, especially with modern high pressure injection systems. So, the DTE number is intentionally a conservative number. you burn up the pump and you go nowhere, no limping anywhere. The DTE resets anytime the truck sees the level in the tank go up. The amount of fuel in the tank is a best guess based on what the level sensor sees. So, if you don't fill the tank, The DTE will be less accurate than if you do. The most accurate number is 19 gallons when it says full.

 

[Montana Ranger]

I often get wacky estimates. How do you explain the above? It's usually because I've been towing a trailer, and then when I let it loose the very conservative algorithm that Ford chose assumes a worst case scenario for at least the rest of the tank, and well beyond the next fill-up.

 

[adamodonnell]

Yeah, I've wondered about the DTE stuff too. Good explanations here. The other cars I've had that did similar mile warnings all came on when you actually were on or very close to empty. For example, the Santa Fe SUV I traded in for the Ranger would say 36 miles to empty when the gauge actually showed empty. Ranger starts saying like 50 miles when I hit 1/4 of a tank. I'm sure it's not accurate, but like it's been pointed out, it's a better reminder for me to fill up since it's not good to get it that low anyway.

 

[Hardy12000]

I filled with 93 octane yesterday. 423 to e

 

[wanted33]

Mine comes on the same too. Like you I usually fill up around 1/4 tank but when we were on vacation last week I pushed it farther. We were getting close to Flagstaff and I didn't feel like getting off the highway but I was low, lower than I've ever been. Well when I filled up it took 18.399/gals I'll never do that again!

@AzScorpion Dave, that reminds me of the old saying "Riding on fumes". You're a braver man than I Gunga Din. I've been through Flagstaff a couple times. If you stop in the wrong place on I-40 it's a long walk to a gas station.

 

[AzScorpion]

@AzScorpion Dave, that reminds me of the old saying "Riding on fumes". You're a braver man than I Gunga Din. I've been through Flagstaff a couple times. If you stop in the wrong place on I-40 it's a long walk to a gas station.

You're right Jim it's a very long walk. Thankfully I didn't have to find that out and won't try that again. We were just coming from the I-17 and I knew there were several stations just as you get off and enter into Flagstaff. Wouldn't you know it I caught every single red light until I got to the first one.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

You're right Jim it's a very long walk. Thankfully I didn't have to find that out and won't try that again. We were just coming from the I-17 and I knew there were several stations just as you get off and enter into Flagstaff. Wouldn't you know it I caught every single red light until I got to the first one.

HI Dave,

I always tried make it to Little America....Good diesel for my Motorhome. Then it happened...they lowered the awning over the car diesel pumps during a remodel...(cheaper price than the truck side). I got stuck under the awning as I am 13' 3" tall. had to drop the air from the suspension and slowly drive through. They had installed the height as the old height without actually measuring the awning...it said 14'.... Sigh!!!! Good I could gain about 4 inches by dropping the air. The coach settles over the tires such that you cannot turn the steering wheel much, so had to keep the motor home arrow straight. Manager of the store apologized...I told him no biggie... Now I use the Truck pumps and request the diesel tax be removed from the sale. I do like that the truck pumps are significantly faster fill rate!

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

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