Peggy,

When the light comes on, you should have about 2 gals left in the tank. I usually gas up after the light has been on and then off and then on again....that is usually between 500 and 600 miles on the tank.

No idea how the bars related to gallons.

 

I had four bars and put in 11.089 gal. leaving around 2 gals. That was the tank I went 614 miles

 

Yesterday, I was left with one bar and the fuel light was on.
Shortly afterwards, I filled up and put 12 gallons in the tank.

I had 602 miles on that tank. If only we didn't have snow and 30 degree
weather last Thursday and Friday. That's Colorado for ya.

I was doing great when the weather warmed up again. But was only able
to bring my mileage back up to 50 mpg. Man, that's pretty bad when I'm
"complaining" about 50 mpg.

jinno

 

yes it is.. you should be ashamed of yourself! hehe.. no really just kidding with you.. i'm still practicing some of techniques mentioned on the board but it's only my second week with the car.. i got it up 44.2 for the tank so far.. this is the first time i've every been able to commute to work on 1/2 tank of gas.. i usually gas up twice a week..

 

My fuel gauge is kind of funky in the last 2-3 bars.
Last Tuesday I parked with 3 bars left.
Next day I pulled out with the same 3 bars.
Half mile down the road I was down to one bar and the low fuel indicator lit.
Another half mile all bars were gone.
:o
I drove perhaps 5 miles to the nearest station (Expensive) and put in one gallon.
After I left the station the first mile had no bars lit.
After the 2nd mile from the station 3 bars were lit.
I drove about 6 miles from that expensive station to Sam's Wholesale Club and filled it with 10 gallons.
Not the first time this has happened. <_<
Kind of funky!
Thanks
Steve

 

The last 4 bars on these gauges are the most flakey readouts possible, one minute it will read 4 bars, then 2 then 3 all over the place

was the same in my old non hybrid civic

 

I just purchased a Civic Hybrid service manual in preperation for a soon-to-be-mine Civic and am in the process of reading it cover-to-cover. Yes **** rententive am I but... it says the ULEV Civic's have a 13.2 gallon, or 50 liter, tank. The AT-PZEV Civics have a 11.9 gal./45 liter tank. The ULEV models are for those states that do not follow California emmisson rules and the AT-PZEV (aka SULEV)'s are for delivery to states who do go by CA rules. Besides the different gas tank size I think there is also in a difference in hosrsepower and torque. Noticed in the manual also a difference in placement of some oxygen sensors. Here in Connecticut we will be switching to CA rules in a few years.

 

Just to echo some of the others:

1) The last few bars of the gauge are 'flaky' - I found they vary from zero to three bars. I also get the impression that the light comes on the instant you hit either 1 bar or zero bars, and stays on...

2) When I see the light come on, I tend to note the mileage and figure I have about 1-2 gallons left, which translates to at most about 100 miles! I then play it safe and plan to fill up within the next 50 miles or so.

3) The gas gauge does not seem to be linear - I go about 400 miles or so after a fill up before I hit the half-tank level, and the next 'half tank' last about 200-250 miles. I venture that every car in the universe has a non-linear gauge...

I drove from Michigan to Vegas about two weeks after I picked up my HCH, and, being the ****-retentive geek that I am, recording much data concerning speeds, location, tank level, etc. One day soon I will post it.

As a side note, I found that I can't help but rib my gas-guzzling co-workers by gravely commenting:

"It is a sad day today."

"Why? What's wrong?", they ask.

"I had to fill up my gas tank."


Enjoy!

RPDOG

 

Hi All:

___I wish there was more Insighter’s over here to talk with

___In an Insight while achieving around 100 mpg from the time the low fuel light comes on to the time she is absolutely, without a doubt, forget about it, bone dry empty, I drove 174 miles. I have heard that 120 - 125 miles was the limit but I was pleasantly surprised. When I left yesterday afternoon for work, I had 0 bars showing on the fuel gauge and still made it 95.7 miles. Approximately 3 blocks after leaving the parking lot tonight, she petered out and not a mile and a half from the BP I filled up at. I had 1.004 gallons in a 1 gallon industrial chemical container for this trip to find out its limits and now I really know.

___Anyway, to find out for yourself, you could always fill up an industrial chemical liter or gallon jug with a known quantity of gasoline and run her dry to find out what your true max range and fuel capacity are. Also keep track of the FCD so you know ~ what your range from the low fuel light or when you have 0 bars showing for the type of mileage you received over that last segment is. As your fuel economy rises or falls during the summer/winter months, you will have a very good idea as to what your actual reserve tank capacity is in almost any circumstance.

___Most Insighter’s can simply multiply the FCD’s tank mpg by 10.5 for a maximum safe range as the Insight’s tank holds 10.9 gallons. HCH owners can do the same depending on if they have the PZEV or ULEV rated versions (multiply by 11.5 or 12.5 respectively). I always fill up to the fuel filler neck with another ~ .3 gallons which allows maximum range and the most accurate fuel economy calculations tank over tank. That is unless you run into the rare situation when you can fill the vapor canister tubing and canister itself. In an Insight, it’s around 14 total gallons and the range is simply phenomenal. I bet a ULEV based HCH could hold around 15 gallons?

___Finally, 04 Prius owners should probably be a bit more conservative with max range estimates as I have read about a number of CEL’s that pop when you run them out of fuel. I have also read numerous times that a Prius’ fuel tank bladder allows varying amounts of fuel to be filled into the tank at different times of the year (temperature related). Subtract another 30 or so miles in your max range estimates would probably be in your automobiles best interest. Multiplying your last total amount of gallons filled times your tanks current fuel consumption off the LCD should suffice for absolutely max empty range but again, the Prius’ consumption screen is a bit more optimistic then most I believe so be careful out there.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

 

I feel a Hybrid should have an extremely accurate fuel gauge. I do not trust mine (2004 CVT Civic.)
It will stay at full (20 bars) for over 60 miles. When it gets down to 2 or 3 bars I have to fill it with more than 12 gallons of gas leaving me with less than one gallon left in the 13.2 gallon tank. I have never seen the low fuel light come on
and am afraid to drive until it does. The dealer checked it out and said all is normal. There is no way I want to be driving around with less than a half gallon of gas no matter how high the MPG is.