Gas unexpectedly ran out!

[40oz]

Okay my mom car just stopped in the middle of the freeway today and she had 2 bars on the fuel guage.

I know the common problem of 2 bars going to a blinking one but today was different. The guage never went blinking. The fuel guage just sat at 2 solid bars and it ran out of gas.

First I didn't think the problem was the gas because with the key in the on position the fuel guage still read 2 bars of gas. I got those 1 gallon containers and filled her up and it started.

Anyone have had this problem?

[40oz]

use your odometer as backup. I know that when i hit 520km I have about 70km left on the tank going 120km/h.

as to your original question i did run out of gas, but not because my gauge malfunctioned. Do you find it is doing it often? Or is it the first time>

first time this happened. plus its my mom who drives the yaris and I don't think she will pay too much attention to the odo, being busy that she is.

[nemelek]

I have not, but I never really the gas guage.

[SailDesign]

Running out of gas is like the Spanish Inquisition - nobody "expects" it....

[MadMax]

Running out of gas is like the Spanish Inquisition - nobody "expects" it....

Especially when the gas gauge is still showing a ¼ of a tank's worth of gas left! :iono:

But you are correct when it comes to the Spanish Inquisition!

http://blog.willamette.edu/people/klutz/journal/archives/spanish_inquisition.jpg

:evil:

Cheers! M2

[jambo101]

Did the engine actually stop running or did it just drop to idle ?s my car did appear to run out of gas a few years ago but in actuality it went to idle and ultimately had a new throttle position sensor installed.

[40oz]

Did the engine actually stop running or did it just drop to idle ?s my car did appear to run out of gas a few years ago but in actuality it went to idle and ultimately had a new throttle position sensor installed.

Well what my mom told me is that it completely shut down. She tried to start it after the car shut down but it wouldn't. After getting the car towed home and putting in 1 gallon of gas it started right up.

I see this isn't a common problem and may just wait untill it happens again. My mom called the dealership and they said to just bring it in. The dealership is like 35 miles away and we might just wait untill it happens but hoping that it was just a fluke.

Well that's what I'm thinking. You guys think its serious enough to get it checked out? What if the dealership finds nothing wrong with the car? The car is fairly new, 2010 model.

[Kal-El]

Okay my mom car just stopped in the middle of the freeway today and she had 2 bars on the fuel guage.

I know the common problem of 2 bars going to a blinking one but today was different. The guage never went blinking. The fuel guage just sat at 2 solid bars and it ran out of gas.

First I didn't think the problem was the gas because with the key in the on position the fuel guage still read 2 bars of gas. I got those 1 gallon containers and filled her up and it started.

Anyone have had this problem?

Pretty sure no one else has ran into this problem. People have run out of gas but that was the result of stretching a fast blinking bar. Also, going from 2 bars to a blinking bar is not a "common problem", but rather what it is supposed to do. There's no solid single bar in between.

[teddy]

use your odometer as backup. I know that when i hit 520km I have about 70km left on the tank going 120km/h.

That doesn't work if you aren't consistent in how, when, and where you drive the car.
My wife and I have different driving styles, sometimes she drives more than I do or vise-versa. Neither of us use the car on a regular basis to commute to work, the car is 90% for recreational use. Sometimes it's highway driving, others it'll be weeks of nothing but shopping in cold weather.

[bronsin]

Hmm. It never ceases to amaze me that people regularly drive with, not only less than half a tank of gas, but even less than that. They seem to be mesmerized by technology that gives them the "blinking gas gauge" to tell them when they are "about" to run out of gas. That this "technology" might all be less than reliable never seems to occur to them. That there might be an emergency and difficulty in obtaining a full tank they have no clue.

Running out of gas on the highway is just bound to happen at some point. Cover your ass!

[KrazyDawg]

first time this happened. plus its my mom who drives the yaris and I don't think she will pay too much attention to the odo, being busy that she is.
It would be a good idea to monitor the odometer. You can calculate how much gas is remaining as well as calculate your MPG. I would be concerned if someone was driving without occasionally checking the dashboard from time to time.

[DebbyM46227]

first time this happened. plus its my mom who drives the yaris and I don't think she will pay too much attention to the odo, being busy that she is.

You're giving busy women a bad name. Tell her she can't borrow your car anymore (if it is yours), until she starts checking the instrument panel now and then. What if she drove it for awhile with the red coolant light on? :eek: Maybe put the cell phone down for awhile?

I glance at my instrument panel about once every 5 minutes. I'm busy and I still find time to do that.

[sickpuppy1]

You're giving busy women a bad name. Tell her she can't borrow your car anymore (if it is yours), until she starts checking the instrument panel now and then. What if she drove it for awhile with the red coolant light on? :eek: Maybe put the cell phone down for awhile?

I glance at my instrument panel about once every 5 minutes. I'm busy and I still find time to do that.

I think he was saying she doesnt look at the odometer too much. Which is kinda normal I would think. Looking at the speedo, ok,but not reading the odometer. And yes I would reset the tripmeter every time she gets gas. good habit
I actually use trip A for gas, and Trip B for oil changes. lol, I use my main odometer if I go on a trip,lol

[teddy]

You folks suggesting that she keep an eye in the instrument panel are skipping over my post still. Between fill ups with our driving can vary quite a bit - anywhere from 400-600km a tank.

What good does keeping an eye on the odometer do if you expect to get 600km to a tank but it ends up being only 400?

[40oz]

thanks guys/gals for giving me good tips but however, I just wanted to know if the problem that I came upon happened to anyone else.

I mean yea sure its good to check the odometer and use the TRIP meters to see how far you went. The numbers don't lie thats for sure. BUT... that doesn't mean its okay for the gas to run out at 2 solid bars.

I just checked this forum to see if anyone else had this problem and wanted to know what they did with it, if they had this problem. IT looks like no one had this problem so I'm going to wait it out and see if it happens again.

If it does happen again I'm going to the dealership if not then I won't.

edit.

For those curious whose yaris this is, its my moms. Last year I was looking to buy a yaris myself because i was getting bad mpg from my 240sx along with other small problems. My moms 96 caddilac had worse mpg and started to have transmission problems and other problems here and there; burns engine oil fast,tranny problems, powersteering... So I helped her buy a yaris.

For who drives it, its her car she drives it most of the time but I get my share driving the car as well. She doesn't drive it after 4pm so I take it out when needed.

So far the yaris rocks. Great gas, quiet, and very well mannered on the road. The ride quality almost feels luxury compared to my 90 240sx. Very great commuter car.

[why?]

You folks suggesting that she keep an eye in the instrument panel are skipping over my post still. Between fill ups with our driving can vary quite a bit - anywhere from 400-600km a tank.

What good does keeping an eye on the odometer do if you expect to get 600km to a tank but it ends up being only 400?

um, how about never allowing the car to go over 400km on a tank? Just to be safe.

There is plenty of evidence on these forums that the Yaris gas guage is anything but accurate or consistent. Relying on it is just asking for trouble.

[sickpuppy1]

Yeah, but what he said kinda bugged me a bit. Well, not what he said, but what happened,lol. If it hit two bars and ran out of gas later without blinking, that sucks. I mean if my old style gauge says I got a quarter tank and I run out, I'm pissed! You get the idea. And "if it happens again" ......well that means running out of gas again......Not the end of the world, granted. But Murphys law says she'll be in the middle lane in stop and go traffic,lol I think I'd fuel it shortly after it hits 2 bars and see how much it takes, try to get some feel for what its telling you. Is this still under mfg warranty period?

And why is right, instead of pressing the luck too far,juel it abit early. I've always heard you are more prone to condensation in the tank when it gets too low anyways.

[mikethecynic]

The exact same thing happened to me. I was driving down the road in my 2008 manual Transmission Yaris when the engine just stopped. no warning lites or anything. It had two bars on the fuel gauge, when a friend of mine brought me some gas. I didn't believe I ran out of gas until I got to the gas station and it took ten and a half gallons to fill it. Next I'm going to fill it up right when it gets to two bars to see if it's empty or not. Very perplexing!

[nick.dollimount]

I had this happen to me last night. 2 bars left on my gas gauge and ran out of gas on the highway. I have always been able to drive at least a half hour on the blinking bar. I've never ran out of gas with this car. I was very surprised it happened on 2 bars.

My friend, however, works with a woman who's daughter also owns a Yaris and had this same thing happen to her.

My suspicion would be the fuel level sending unit (floater part) was either froze or seized up. Someone mentioned condensation getting into the fuel tank if you let it go low often, which I do. This could be how it froze. Just a theory.

I also think it's ridiculous to expect people to watch their odometer because they can't rely on their gas gauge. Why is it even in the car if you can't rely on it?

So to the original poster, no, she's not the only one to have this happen.

[bronsin]

I had this happen to me last night. 2 bars left on my gas gauge and ran out of gas on the highway. I have always been able to drive at least a half hour on the blinking bar. I've never ran out of gas with this car. I was very surprised it happened on 2 bars.

My friend, however, works with a woman who's daughter also owns a Yaris and had this same thing happen to her.

My suspicion would be the fuel level sending unit (floater part) was either froze or seized up. Someone mentioned condensation getting into the fuel tank if you let it go low often, which I do. This could be how it froze. Just a theory.

I also think it's ridiculous to expect people to watch their odometer because they can't rely on their gas gauge. Why is it even in the car if you can't rely on it?

So to the original poster, no, she's not the only one to have this happen.

I fill my tank when it registers half full. Its INSANE to wait for two bars. As you guys are finding out, technology aint all its cracked up to be. The younger generation is besotted with electrical devices and thinks life is just too cool to worry their lazy butts. CYA people! Have you ever heard that expression?! There is another reason to fill up early. Driving around with a nearly empty tank encourages water condensation in there. Frozen gas lines and FI problems are the likely results.

[echaru]

Sounds like this is the way Toyota try to make you think Yaris uses less gas, by throwing off the guage.

[40oz]

thanks guys for letting me know. I thought I was the only one. When I get some time I'm going to let the dealership know and see what they say. Infact this happened to me again.

The second time I didn't run out of gas but I borrowed the yaris and it was already at 2 bars ( of course it would be, right before my mom lets me drive the yaris). So I be nice and fill the full tank for her. I look at the meter and it says I just filled up 11.323 gallons and still having 2 bars.

I guess it wasn't just a one time thing. I'm going to dealership next weekend when I have more free time. Meanwhile I'll tell my mom, who drives the yaris dd, to fill the tank at 3 bars.

[slow.yaris]

I fill my tank when it registers half full. Its INSANE to wait for two bars. As you guys are finding out, technology aint all its cracked up to be. The younger generation is besotted with electrical devices and thinks life is just too cool to worry their lazy butts. CYA people! Have you ever heard that expression?! There is another reason to fill up early. Driving around with a nearly empty tank encourages water condensation in there. Frozen gas lines and FI problems are the likely results.

Filling up at 2 bars vs 4 bars will have no negative consequences. Driving around on flashing bars for miles probably isn't smart, but you're being a little overcautious.

[40oz]

sorry for late update but I thought I'd update anyways for the folks outside of warranty. To be honest I just got back from the dealer today for this problem.

For my case it happened that the fuel sender unit/ fuel sender gauge assembly to be the culprit.

The fuel sender unit is connected to the fuel pump and I was told you gotta remove the rear seat to get to it.


Other fuel gauge malfunction symptoms can be because of the harness or connectors. So if your symptoms are different its gonna need a proper diagnosis.

[Tom48]

When your car is in Warranty. Take it to the dealer and get it fixed. That's part of the big price drop for driving it off the lot New.

[bronsin]

Filling up at 2 bars vs 4 bars will have no negative consequences. Driving around on flashing bars for miles probably isn't smart, but you're being a little overcautious.

I have a pilots lisence. And ride motorcycles. You always have to think "What could happen?" And "What am I going to do about it?" Like if you drive around with an empty gas tank, what if you have to go someplace in the middle of the night and the stations arent open? What if they dont have gas?Also, an empty gas tank is prone to condensation of water on the inside. So it will rust, get a hole in it, and in general crap up your expensive fuel system. So I fill mine up when its half full. Thats about every two weeks or more for me so its not a big deal.

I always think the worst. You live longer that way.

[bizzlebaby]

i've never had mine run out of gas on 2 bars but funny thing is it has gone to blinking and then back to 2 solid bars before i had a chance to get gas. has this ever happened to anyone?

[AppleJacks716]

Sounds like they could be having a bad fuel sensor/relay. Good information, I'll think twice about letting the tank get down that low.

[Midnight Drifter]

i've never had mine run out of gas on 2 bars but funny thing is it has gone to blinking and then back to 2 solid bars before i had a chance to get gas. has this ever happened to anyone?

Were you doing a lot of cornering during that time?

[carnageehw]

um, how about never allowing the car to go over 400km on a tank? Just to be safe.

There is plenty of evidence on these forums that the Yaris gas guage is anything but accurate or consistent. Relying on it is just asking for trouble.

This is ridiculous. The gas gauge is there for a reason, and should not malfunction. You should not, under any circumstances need to rely on the odometer. It's a sign of a huge problem is you are.

[carnageehw]

i've never had mine run out of gas on 2 bars but funny thing is it has gone to blinking and then back to 2 solid bars before i had a chance to get gas. has this ever happened to anyone?

Yes it has. But it doesn't stay that way for long.

[zbouncer]

What is the point of driving an economical grocery-getter if you cant rely on the gas gauge...it is obviously a manufacture defect, take it to the "stealership" and get it replaced if under warranty other wise check the DIY section for guidance. :thumbsup:
Live a little and drive til you have a blinking bar...the rush of adrenaline you get from living on the edge will make you feel on top of the world! :laugh:
Life is to short to keep you eye on the "gauge", drive it with fun and safety in mind and you will enjoy your travels much more :clap:

[Tom48]

Life may be too short to keep an eye on the fuel gauge. Not all gas stations are open 24/7. If you have to do an emergency run in the middle of the nigh and you run out of gas you might find out that life just ended. But screw it, the gas gauge should have been working. Hummm. good epitaph for the Tombstone. You may not be the one with the emergency.

[bronsin]

This is ridiculous. The gas gauge is there for a reason, and should not malfunction. You should not, under any circumstances need to rely on the odometer. It's a sign of a huge problem is you are.

Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. You of course can do as you please but it would be best to remain in front of the TV.

[Forrest]

Car has a trip setting. HOw about click it to 0 on a fill up. This way when it reads about half the normal mileage, just fill up. I always used the trip metter for oil change mileage. I think there is an A and B. I used A for gas fill up and B for oil changes.
Easy.

[bronsin]

Thats what I do also. At 200 miles I fill up. No running out of gas that way...

[carnageehw]

Filling up on gas when you're just below half full isn't exactly a desirable or convenient option a lot of the time.

It's a terrible thing, and a sure fire way to continue to get lousy results from the company to simply ignore a function that isn't working properly.

[bronsin]

Huh. Im satisfyed with Toyotas attention to quality and the way they take care of business. Im terribly disappointed that the Yaris is heavier than my ECHO but hey, its driven by the public. The great unwashed masses. What can T do if they wnt to sell cars? We're lucky we got the ECHO and the Yaris as it is Im thinking.

I dont trust things and prepare for the worst. Im always one step ahead of the game. Dont take anybodys elses plans for me. I make my own plans for Numero Uno.

I guess I am different.

[ECBurton]

It happened to me tonight on the freeway. Driving home from Chicago. Fortunately a good samaritan pulled over and ran to the gas station for me. A gallon of gas fixed the problem. I went from two bars to a loss of power and stranded. I will check with the dealership next time I'm in for maintenance.

And I have to agree with Carnageehw. The fuel gauge should work, it's there for a reason, and to bypass reliance upon the fuel gauge and watching mileage on your odometer/tripmeter is simply ludicrous.

[bronsin]

Hmmm I look at it differently. :iono:

Fill up after driving 200 miles and then you will never run out of gas! :clap:

I GAR UN TEEE!!! :thumbsup:

[why?]

It happened to me tonight on the freeway. Driving home from Chicago. Fortunately a good samaritan pulled over and ran to the gas station for me. A gallon of gas fixed the problem. I went from two bars to a loss of power and stranded. I will check with the dealership next time I'm in for maintenance.

And I have to agree with Carnageehw. The fuel gauge should work, it's there for a reason, and to bypass reliance upon the fuel gauge and watching mileage on your odometer/tripmeter is simply ludicrous.

Look, it is a known problem. We know the gauge is iffy. You act like the Yaris is the only car on the planet with gauges that can't be trusted. But it isn't. There are many models out there with gauges that are far less than optimal.

What compounds that fact is the gas tank in the Yaris has a rubber inner liner. This means the tank will flex and bend depending on how much gas is in it. This also means depending on the temperature the tank will be full with differing amounts of gas.

So instead of being prepared, which you should be, you are saying everything should always work properly, which is of course bullshit. How did that work out for people in Hurricane Katrina? Or Hurricane Sandy? Or this massive northeaster a few weeks ago the knocked out the power for most of Mass?

Let me tell you. It didn't. Allowing yourself to be at the mercy of luck is stupid.

[MadMax]

It happened to me tonight on the freeway. Driving home from Chicago. Fortunately a good samaritan pulled over and ran to the gas station for me. A gallon of gas fixed the problem. I went from two bars to a loss of power and stranded. I will check with the dealership next time I'm in for maintenance.

And I have to agree with Carnageehw. The fuel gauge should work, it's there for a reason, and to bypass reliance upon the fuel gauge and watching mileage on your odometer/tripmeter is simply ludicrous.

What is ludicrous is not knowing how many miles you average out of a tank of gas. It is equally ludicrous to depend on one instrument and not using a little common sense!

Sorry, but I know my Yaris is good for between 350-400 miles after I fill it up. If I find myself at two bars with 395 miles out of the tank then I'm not going to believe it suddenly became a much more efficient car!

One day while driving my old VW Passat I noticed the tachometer read about 4 thousand RPM higher than it should. I immediately engaged the clutch and realized that the sound of the engine did not indicate it was revving any higher than it should, despite what the instrument was reporting. Turned out the tach went bad, it happens; but I applied a little logic to the situation instead of blindly relying on the one device for information.

No matter how smart the car is, it's only as smart as the person driving it.

[NEexpat]

I don't know, the gauge on the Yaris takes some time to get used to but I have found it to be remarkably consistant.

Also, I know there will be a great many here who won't believe me, but there are people out there who drive about not ever looking at their gauges, not ever. I know Crazeeeee, right, two happen to be a couple of my sisters.

"Them -OH! I think I need to get gas. Me - Huh, what?, You think, YOU THINK!"

I know I'll start to sound like the Director of Marketing for Ultra-Gauge , but it has alarm functionality, and I have mine set to 60 miles to go, distance to empty, plus it is calibrated to an 11.1 gallon tank, even though there is probably up to 11.6 or 11.7 on a fill up, which serves as my "double secret" margin of error.

I usually don't let it go below half especially in winter, not because of condensation blah, blah, blah, because a few years ago in a snow storm it took me three hours to go 7 miles to get home. If I am on a long trip then I'll push it, 375+ miles.

[Amdkt7]

It's been 20 years since I ran out of gas, and it was on a sharp curve. Coasted around and it started back up. I nearly always run until almost on E, sometimes a bit longer. I don't know about the Yaris yet, but most cars seem to have around one gallon or more left when on E. That being said, if the weather is going to be bad I'm going to fill up so I don't get stuck somewhere out of gas.
It wastes gas to be carrying around a full tank all the time, and there is some concern about the fuel pump burning out when empty (I suspect that only happens when it cannot pick up any fuel, not because the tank is low). The pump is located at the top of the tank, if it had to be submersed it should be at the bottom of the tank.
Condensation will not cause the tank to rust. It has a rubber liner. Condensation can be a problem if you do not fill up all the way, or perhaps if you have a low tank for a very long time. So, always fill the tank all the way up, the air is pushed back out into the charcoal canister and then mixed with the air pulled into the engine (burns off gas vapors).
Best practice is to run to nearly empty (except when there is a chance of running out of gas, due to weather, or unknown distance to station), then fill it all the way up. As mention before, know how far you usually travel on a tank of gas, and use that information as well as the gas gauge.

I once had a battered old Dart ('63 I think). It had a leak in the tank, filling too full would result in it leaking. The gauge was screwed up too. As the tank emptied the needle slowly go down, but then would suddenly RISE! When that happened you had to get gas Now!

[CTScott]

It's been 20 years since I ran out of gas, and it was on a sharp curve. Coasted around and it started back up. I nearly always run until almost on E, sometimes a bit longer. I don't know about the Yaris yet, but most cars seem to have around one gallon or more left when on E. That being said, if the weather is going to be bad I'm going to fill up so I don't get stuck somewhere out of gas.
It wastes gas to be carrying around a full tank all the time, and there is some concern about the fuel pump burning out when empty (I suspect that only happens when it cannot pick up any fuel, not because the tank is low). The pump is located at the top of the tank, if it had to be submersed it should be at the bottom of the tank.
Condensation will not cause the tank to rust. It has a rubber liner. Condensation can be a problem if you do not fill up all the way, or perhaps if you have a low tank for a very long time. So, always fill the tank all the way up, the air is pushed back out into the charcoal canister and then mixed with the air pulled into the engine (burns off gas vapors).
Best practice is to run to nearly empty (except when there is a chance of running out of gas, due to weather, or unknown distance to station), then fill it all the way up. As mention before, know how far you usually travel on a tank of gas, and use that information as well as the gas gauge.

I once had a battered old Dart ('63 I think). It had a leak in the tank, filling too full would result in it leaking. The gauge was screwed up too. As the tank emptied the needle slowly go down, but then would suddenly RISE! When that happened you had to get gas Now!


The fuel pump is mounted at the bottom, not top, of the tank, in a vertical orientation, with a filter screen at the bottom of it. When it stops sucking gas (on a level surface) there is a little less than 0.5 gallons left in the tank.

The tank is completely made of molded plastic and there is no rubber liner.

[Amdkt7]

CTScott, you probably have better information than I do. I thought it has a rubber liner because several people said it did. If the tank is plastic it would not need a rubber liner either. Often people do not state what year the car is, and from year to year things change.

Also, a photo I believe from a 2012 showed what I believed to be the fuel pump, on the top of the tank. My Rio was like that. I sure would like to look at some actual repair manuals.

[nookandcrannycar]

What is ludicrous is not knowing how many miles you average out of a tank of gas. It is equally ludicrous to depend on one instrument and not using a little common sense!

Sorry, but I know my Yaris is good for between 350-400 miles after I fill it up. If I find myself at two bars with 395 miles out of the tank then I'm not going to believe it suddenly became a much more efficient car!

One day while driving my old VW Passat I noticed the tachometer read about 4 thousand RPM higher than it should. I immediately engaged the clutch and realized that the sound of the engine did not indicate it was revving any higher than it should, despite what the instrument was reporting. Turned out the tach went bad, it happens; but I applied a little logic to the situation instead of blindly relying on the one device for information.

No matter how smart the car is, it's only as smart as the person driving it.

^^^^^ This (re perspective)....I just do my fill ups after more miles (I'm hardly ever on pace for fewer than 500 miles per tank).

[nookandcrannycar]

even though there is probably up to 11.6 or 11.7 on a fill up

I ran out of gas once in my Yaris as I was pulling into a gas station. I filled up to where I could just start to see the gas in the neck. I put in 12.777 gallons. More recently, CTScott performed a test and, IIRC, the point of the test was to determine the maximum capacity of the tank (he gave the test it's own thread). IIRC, the total he came up with was 12.8 gallons. I figure the extra 0.023 of a gallon = the part of the neck I didn't fill on my fill up.

[Amdkt7]

It can be harmful to the evaporation control system to overfill the tank.

[nookandcrannycar]

It can be harmful to the evaporation control system to overfill the tank.

So be it. I want to know that with each fill up that my reference point is as close to the same as possible. I don't trust 'the clicks', and that isn't specific enough to suit me. I know this is anecdotal evidence, but I have done this on every car I've ever owned and have never had any fuel related parts or service issues. In 2011 or 2012 I posted how I do my fill ups on a thread about fill ups. Why? posted that my level of fill up = extremely dangerous. I replied, asking him why. He didn't reply, so I'm unsure what he meant. Perhaps his thought was the same as yours above.

[Amdkt7]

I have read about what happens, but forget what exactly it can do. The manuals all warn to not do it, for some reason. I think the point that it becomes a problem is when the gas gets into the vent line, which is right at the top of the fill tube. As long as the gas is below that vent it should be ok. However if it is close and your car gets on a slope such that the gas now tips into it you could be looking at costly repairs. The charcoal canister, as far as I remember.

[Amdkt7]

You are right, you really can't trust the point where it clicks to stop, but it really is close enough. Less than 1-2 mpg error I believe. Better, get a Scan gauge, I believe those tools are much closer to the truth.

[nookandcrannycar]

gets on a slope

LOL. You'd be amazed how flat it is around here. Technically, any road that isn't completely flat has some slope....but what one normally thinks of as 'parking on a slope' is almost non existent around here. I'm not just saying that because I've lived in only hilly areas before this -- I think natives here would agree with me re the flatness of the terrain. I like it --- much easier on the car and biking, walking, etc = much simpler (you only have to think about distance, not terrain)....the rest of my family, not so much. They all have to either have hills and mountains around them or mountains within a 3 hour drive.

[nookandcrannycar]

You are right, you really can't trust the point where it clicks to stop, but it really is close enough. Less than 1-2 mpg error I believe. Better, get a Scan gauge, I believe those tools are much closer to the truth.

I have run out of gas a few times, but when I have I already know that I'm cutting it super, super close. The last time was on a late September/early October 2012 trip to what turned out to FL and AL. I got gas in the middle of nowhere on I-10 near I-75. I was headed to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. I was keeping track of the intervals between mileage bar drops in my head. I got just enough gas for the rest of the trip to 'The Trop' plus another approximately 1.5 miles to get to the station I wanted to go to (I didn't want to pay the rip off middle of nowhere price for any more than the minimum I needed). I ended up running out of gas about two miles before the stadium...so my on the fly estimate was under 4 miles off. I didn't want to stop for more gas because I wanted as much time as possible at the hitters museum (which relies on volunteers and doesn't have set hours). For some reason, I'm nearly always able to estimate it this accurately or even closer (and have rarely run out of gas. I've done fill ups of 12.5 gallons or more many times. I've thought about getting a Scan Gauge, but I'll wait until I'm certain I wouldn't be too obsessive about using it :biggrin: (looking at it all the time, constantly crunching scenarios in my head, etc.).

[screenprintr]

Was is this Scan Gauge everyone keeps talking about?

[Amdkt7]

There are a number of Ecometers on the market, some have different features, all plug into the diagnostic port under the dash. Instant feedback of your FE is very helpful, it can really change your habits. The 2012-13 models have a very basic one built in, which is what I'm using at the moment.
The Scangauge II is popular, but I have not done any research yet into buying one. The one built in is hard to see, and you have to toggle between six or seven different modes.

[wajeehr]

having a similar kind of problem these days ...
do you people have some solution besides keep the fuel tank full

[bronsin]

having a similar kind of problem these days ...
do you people have some solution besides keep the fuel tank full

Ah keeping the tank full! (or half full) Simple, cheap and effective!

Who woulda thunk it?

[nookandcrannycar]

Ah keeping the tank full! (or half full) Simple, cheap and effective!

Who woulda thunk it?

^^^^^ This post prompted me to think about a question I've never happened upon on Yarisworld....namely...How much does a gallon of gas weigh? Your thought above prompted me to think about members who have taken out their rear seats (some re the weight). I wonder how the weight of half a tank of gas would compare to the rear seat and seat back (and bolts/hardware)?

[bronsin]

Gas is 7 pounds per gallon. Thats 77 pounds for a full tank. Not a good reason to drive around 1/2 full!


I would take my rear seat out too but what if I sell the car? I would lose everything!

[nookandcrannycar]

Gas is 7 pounds per gallon. Thats 77 pounds for a full tank. Not a good reason to drive around 1/2 full!


I would take my rear seat out too but what if I sell the car? I would lose everything!

Any idea how much the rear seat/back/and hardware weigh? Just curious.

[gollygirl1]

Hmm. It never ceases to amaze me that people regularly drive with, not only less than half a tank of gas, but even less than that. They seem to be mesmerized by technology that gives them the "blinking gas gauge" to tell them when they are "about" to run out of gas. That this "technology" might all be less than reliable never seems to occur to them. That there might be an emergency and difficulty in obtaining a full tank they have no clue.

Running out of gas on the highway is just bound to happen at some point. Cover your ass!

Agreed, I try to keep my tank 1/2 to full - never like to let it get much below half if I can help it. You never know when you might have an emergency or something.

[gollygirl1]

I always think the worst. You live longer that way.

Me too, glad i am not the only one !!:laugh::laugh::laugh:

[nookandcrannycar]

You never know when you might have an emergency

That is why I have AAA (Auto Club/emergency service). If I never actually use the service, then I'm not getting the value I could out of paying for it.

[gollygirl1]

That is why I have AAA (Auto Club/emergency service). If I never actually use the service, then I'm not getting the value I could out of paying for it.

I am with RACQ (a car club) as well - but the sort of emergency I was thinking of is if someone in the family suddenly took ill and you had to take them to hospital in the middle of the night and the local service station (gas station) is shut?

I was not actually thinking of a "car emergency" breakdown.

[nookandcrannycar]

Me too, glad i am not the only one !!:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Me three! I do have to bite my tongue though when I'm around my little cousin or I'll get an earful from her mom....and her mom is right (I have come to believe). If kids develop cynicism (I think a certain amount is healthy), it should be from their own experience and not from mimicking/modeling adult relatives, IMO.

[nookandcrannycar]

I am with RACQ (a car club) as well - but the sort of emergency I was thinking of is if someone in the family suddenly took ill and you had to take them to hospital in the middle of the night and the local service station (gas station) is shut?

I was not actually thinking of a "car emergency" breakdown.

:thumbsup: Other than about a year in various parts of the Sierra Nevada mountains (+ traveling), I've never lived more than 40 or so miles (and usually much less) from a major U.S. city and 24 hour gas stations have been a reality near such for eons. If someone became Ill as you described (and I was here in my adopted home county), I'd call 911.

[gollygirl1]

:thumbsup: Other than about a year in various parts of the Sierra Nevada mountains (+ traveling), I've never lived more than 40 or so miles (and usually much less) from a major U.S. city and 24 hour gas stations have been a reality near such for eons. If someone became Ill as you described (and I was here in my adopted home county), I'd call 911.

True there are 24/7 service stations but some smaller towns in Australia may only have one if they are lucky and it may not be open all hours. And as for 911 - sure, that is always an option - but not if you have a sick animal that needs to be rushed to emergency - (had that sad experience myself) - you sure appreciate a tank of petrol then !!!!

I do think it is wise to not allow yourself to be run empty if you can help it. Best err on the side of caution than throw caution to the wind !!

[nookandcrannycar]

but not if you have a sick animal that needs to be rushed to emergency

:thumbsup: Not applicable to me personally, but good point!


I do think it is wise to not allow yourself to be run empty if you can help it. Best err on the side of caution than throw caution to the wind !

To me it is like a game to see how accurate I can be re how much gas I have left. If I run out and have to call AAA, the gas = part of my membership (no cost when they come out...for x number of times per year before they start charging per call) so I'm getting more value from my membership. Also, there is more time that I'm carrying around less gas, which increases my MPG ever so slightly. The only time I don't do this is if I'm driving my little cousin around, as her mother looks at this more the way you do.

[gollygirl1]

:thumbsup:
To me it is like a game to see how accurate I can be re how much gas I have left. If I run out and have to call AAA, the gas = part of my membership (no cost when they come out...for x number of times per year before they start charging per call) so I'm getting more value from my membership. Also, there is more time that I'm carrying around less gas, which increases my MPG ever so slightly. The only time I don't do this is if I'm driving my little cousin around, as her mother looks at this more the way you do.

Remind me not to get a lift with you !!! I dont want to have to thumb a ride home. :smile:

Our RACQ charges you here if you run out of petrol - and it is not cheap. The callout if free but the re-fuel is not.

[xdarkxfirex]

Never had it run out, but did have the feeling it was off. Sometimes it goes down slower than others. Like yesterday night I filled it and it was approx 8 km away from home. went to another city and came back and it still showed full. Drove it approx 25km more and it went down one bar, so that was like 137km total distance to go down. Drove it again 55km and it went back down another bar. Filled it up to the top, and was 13.856L. Not too far off, but the gauges arent as accurate as we would prefer. Its a 42L tank, about 11 gallons.