Real MPG

[foama]

On mine, average consumption according to MID instrument is a little bit higher than it actually uses.

I have noticed the fuel gauge not showing as you would think. It is more or less a logarithmic scale.
After filling up, it takes a long time before it shows any change.
If it shows 50% there is only about 1/3 remaining.
If it shows 1/4 the engine will fail when going up the next little hill.

[ahintofpepperjack]

Do not overfill your cars. The EVAP system recycles fuel vapors from the tank into the intake of the engine. By overfilling you risk damaging the EVAP system, and even possibly allowing raw fuel to enter the engine.

[thumper]

Thanks everybody for the comments. Everyday I learn something new.

Tom

[gatorleg1]

When my whole fuel gauge is flashing I can only get a hair over 7 gallons in the tank! The gauge seems very inaccurate.

[ahintofpepperjack]

When my whole fuel gauge is flashing I can only get a hair over 7 gallons in the tank! The gauge seems very inaccurate.

The fuel gauge in all cars is designed like this for a couple reasons.

1. The fuel pump cannot possibly extract every last drop of fuel. There is a strainer on the end of the pump, and It needs a depth of about 1/4" of fuel to cover the strainer in order to pump. Depending on the design of the fuel tank, I would assume this would require at least 1/2 gallon of fuel.

2. If empty on the gauge was accurate and the tank was 100% empty, you would find a lot of cars on the side of the road out of gas. People are procrastinators, and by design there is still 30+ miles of fuel left when the low fuel gauge (or light) is flashing.