Fuel light on/guage empty but still 11litres in the tank?!

[kambites]

What did the gauge show after you'd filled it up? Did it go all the way to full, or settle a bit below it?

It's common for cars to have a buffer, but 11 litres sounds a bit excessive if it's reading completely empty.

[Conscript]

Sounds normal to me. I have a 50 litre tank, and as far as I can tell, my light also comes on with about 10-12 litres left. It was the same with my previous car.

[kambites]

Conscript said:

Sounds normal to me. I have a 50 litre tank, and as far as I can tell, my light also comes on with about 10-12 litres left. It was the same with my previous car.

I assume your gauge isn't reading empty at that point though?

[kambites]

I'd say that's just how it's designed to work then. Does it have a "miles left" type readout on the trip computer? If so, what does that say?

[kambites]

It's got a little LCD display, that could easily have a feature to tell you how many miles are left.

By the looks of it, it's got an outside temperature gauge; that's more than my car.

[gforceg]

Hi Hora, I got my Legacy about the same time you got your Forrester I think and my fuel guage is also very pessimistic. The light comes on and the miles left indication flashes 60 miles with about 11 litres left.

Of course if I drive gently the miles left will stay at 60 miles for quite a while.

It may be pessimistic just to prevent people running out ever. Or, imagine getting a fuel low light in the middle of Australia. You'd want plenty of warning before the next fuel station.

I once drove until the guage was on the lower line and there was still about a gallon in the tank.

[Conscript]

kambites said:

I assume your gauge isn't reading empty at that point though?

Pretty much!

When the light comes on, it's only just above empty. I filled up this morning - only 5 litres were left, but the needle was well off the bottom of the gauge.

[kambites]

I guess with a vehicle that's designed to be able to do significant off-roading, it might be done to prevent fuel pick-up problems at extreme angles?

[Krikkit]

The manual for my other half's Outback says it's designed to warn you of the tank being empty (0 range) with 2 gallons left - theoretically a 60-80 mile range.

Don't forget most of these cars are designed with the US market in mind, they're very conservative.

[TimmD]

Of the various Subarus I've had, all did this. I just learnt that the real empty line in near the bottom the 'E' on your picture...

[Conscript]

kambites said:

I guess with a vehicle that's designed to be able to do significant off-roading, it might be done to prevent fuel pick-up problems at extreme angles?

Makes sense for the Forester, although the cars I've experienced have a proportionally larger reserve than the OPs, and were definitely not designed for off road use...GT86 and MX5

[Roger Irrelevant]

I have exactly the same with my snotter 98 Corolla - by the time I get too 400 miles on a tank the fuel gauge is showing well and truly empty, but despite (apparently) having a 50 litre tank I've never managed to get more than 40 litres in it. In theory I've got another 100 miles of range but I've never been brave enough to push it past about 420. I think it's time to get a jerry can in the boot and push on to 450!

[Rich1973]

Where does the fuel needle sit with ignition off?
If it's above then when running, you have some left!

[Hol]

Could it simpley be because some of the Target markets are not known for having petrol stations at very junction and many townships are spread out?

Subaru (escpecially Foresters) are very popular in Canada and Iceland - for example..

[kambites]

Hol said:

Could it simpley be because some of the Target markets are not known for having petrol stations at very junction and many townships are spread out?

Subaru (escpecially Foresters) are very popular in Canada and Iceland - for example..

You'd hope that in those sorts of environments people are bright enough not to wait for the fuel gauge to read "empty" before looking for somewhere to fill up.

[danp]

hora said:

The cars a petrol Subaru Forester 57plate. It has a 60litre tank and after 289miles the fuel light comes on and the fuel guage arrow sits on the empty line- on refill at this point I filled 11litres -not click/brimming).

You mean you filled with 49litres when the light came on? (So 11 left)

Does the manual say how much is left when the light comes on?

[Lee540]

I've never seen my fuel light in 3 years.. just keep it topped up.

I've noticed this on my bike though, gauge reads completely empty yet when I re-fill there is still 3-4 litres in there.

[WinstonWolf]

Any crap that gets in the tank will sit at the bottom, 11 litres isn't that much spread over a large tank and you don't really want it getting into the fuel lines/filter.

It's done by design to help stop the numpties from blocking their fuel systems up.

[55palfers]

I can't see the problem

Would you rather the light came on with 1 litre left?

[kambites]

55palfers said:

I can't see the problem

Would you rather the light came on with 1 litre left?

Personally, I'd rather my fuel gauge told me how much fuel was actually left. There's no reason the light should stay off until the gauge is reading empty; in my car the light comes up with about a quarter of a tank left but the gauge is reading something like a quarter of a tank.