spect2k Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I read in the manual a while back that the low fuel light will come on when there is about 2.5 gallons of gas left in the tank. This means that in our 16.9 gallon tank, we should have burnt about 14.4 gallons. Well my light came on today when I was leaving my house. I then drove to work and back (45 miles) and the computer was saying that I was 30 miles to empty at the end of the day (we all know we can get about another 20 miles after the computer reads 0). I was driving the thing pretty hard all day. I am averaging about 21mpg. At 21mpg, I should have burnt about 2-2.5 gallons to go back and forth to work. When I just filled up, I only took 14.5 gallons. Assuming that I burnt the minimum of 2 gallons today after the light went on, this means that the light came on with 12.5 gallons used up. +/- 4.5 gallons left in the tank when the light came on. Since I filled up at the end of the day and I had 2.4 gallons left in the tank when the computer read 30 miles to empty, then at 21mpg, I could have hit 0 miles to empty on the computer with about 1 gallon left in the tank. Hope my math makes sense to all of you. Moral is, the light comes on with 4.5 gallons left in the tank and when the computer reads 0 miles to empty, you really have about 1 more gallon. Not that anybody should get the fuel tank that low, but I thought it was interesting to share. (maybe it varies car to car) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawdaddy79 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Good work, son. I'm putting you in for a promotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilT Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 The computer takes into account your average mpg up to that point, so depending on your driving habits, you may get more or less on your readout until empty. Double Award Winning Legacy GT Wagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz-0 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Wouldn't count on your math. For me, when the light comes on I usually take about 14 gallons even, so it can vary form car to car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baruGT Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 light comes on..i refill asap..just because..I'd to get caught in an emergency..etc..and just be screwed...I usually try to fill up when it hits a quarter of tank.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwiener2 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Who cares how much is ACTUALLY left. When the light comes on...you're getting low and need more. My Mods List (Updated 8/22/17) 2005 Outback FMT Running on Electrons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spect2k Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 It's an inconvenience to go that frequently. Someone who goes to the pump at 1/4 tank fills up many more times a year than I do, and we buy the same amount of gas. Anyway, even from what you guys are saying, the light goes on when you have more than the manuals says you do - I guess Subaru is trying to help people to not run out of gas. Still, I'd be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaycy Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 The computer takes into account your average mpg up to that point, so depending on your driving habits, you may get more or less on your readout until empty. Good explanation PhilT, I couldn't have said it better. Hey Spect2k, keep an eye on the trip computer on the highway or motorway it always shows higher mileage to empty than when driving through city traffic. The light is just a warning. If you drove in the city all day that day you would have run dry quickly before you realised it. Lately in Aussie, the VX commodores (GM Holden) were running out of fuel with the trip computer reading hundreds of kilometres to empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I usually fill up when light comes on and i get about 13-14 gallons in my tank, so its pretty close Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDade Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 its approximated, not exact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f1anatic Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I bet your fuel pump and later your injectors are really grateful to you when you drive on a bone dry fuel tank. Actually you should try doing that while driving uphill. *Maybe* it will make a difference. BTW - this only applies to Spec Bees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spect2k Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 ^^ thanks for the sarcasm smart a**. To be the mature one here, you are right about it being bad for the car for it to get THAT low. However, I have so far never let it get below 2.4 gallons left in the tank. If I were to fill up the second the light comes on, I would have nearly 4-5 gallons left. Instead, I wait until 2.4 gallons left, more or less.....hardly bad for my fuel pump and injectors. I am wondering as I read the comments - perhaps it could be the case where different fuel stations have their pumps click off at a different point. For example, is it possible that I could have taken 14,5 gallons at one station, but 15.5 gallons for example at another? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackHole Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 And just because the tank says it holds 16.9 gallons, that doesn't mean that you can actually use all of that volume. Even running on vapor and the engine starving around corners I've never been able to put in more than 15.8 gallons. Kyle "BlackHole" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwiener2 Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 that's good for it My Mods List (Updated 8/22/17) 2005 Outback FMT Running on Electrons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 It's an inconvenience to go that frequently. Someone who goes to the pump at 1/4 tank fills up many more times a year than I do, and we buy the same amount of gas. Anyway, even from what you guys are saying, the light goes on when you have more than the manuals says you do - I guess Subaru is trying to help people to not run out of gas. Still, I'd be honest. I'm driving accross the country right now, and I'm missing 400+mi ranges. Can haz 20 gallon fuel tank? Oh and 23mpg at 80mph is also insane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawdaddy79 Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I've gone 400 miles easy in my LGT. 430 on 15 gallons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
methoddan Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Light went on at about 1/8th of a tank today. Computer said I had 30 miles to empty. Computer's AVG MPG at that point was around 24.3. Filled up 14.2 gallons with 330 miles on the tank, so that's really 23.3 MPG. Mixed hwy and city, but more on the city side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 My foot is obviously too heavy. Boost is much too fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperCleanLGT Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 <------never had to see the low fuel light come on before. I usually fill at 1/2-1/4 unless i'm dumping in some F/I cleaner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k2flipside Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 light comes on..i refill asap..just because..I'd to get caught in an emergency..etc..and just be screwed...I usually try to fill up when it hits a quarter of tank.. good man, yea dude, never wait till your car hits the red. especially during the winter time, try to keep your gas level around half to quarter. nothing below 93 super plus hommie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golf4283 Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 That original post was a lot of thinking. I just fill up when it tells me, I don't even think I ever let it get too much past 1/4 tank left. Thats pretty crazy detail just to find out you needed to fill up your tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldiablo Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 That original post was a lot of thinking. I just fill up when it tells me, I don't even think I ever let it get too much past 1/4 tank left. Thats pretty crazy detail just to find out you needed to fill up your tank. yeah... too many variables to try to make sense of this crappy system. My meter will tell me I have 60 miles to empty, and I'll drive 120 more with no problem. My VB Garage... Pumping the air back into despair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimace Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Well i dnt have ne of that cus i have an older legacy. and the gauge is still off. When the gauge is on the line at empty, the light isnt on -sometimes it does come one but i guess i nvr drained it that far and i always went to fill it and i have about 1.5-2.0 gal left. But i do what everyone else does and fill it when i get around a quarter of a tank tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperCleanLGT Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 On the plus side I have noticed our MPG guage is more accurate than most other domestics that I have driven/rented. (never owned) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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