What's the most gas you've ever filled in your Mirage?

[Space Wolf]

My gauge just started blinking on my way to work, it shows I have 70-80km to go til empty. By the time I got to work it stopped blinking and one bar remains.

I have observed the same behavior. In the evening you park the car with one bar left. Next morning the bar is blinking, until the engine is warmed up, and it stops blinking.

Any idea what causes this? As the fuel gauge is supposed to reflect the amount of fuel left, the engine temperature (or current km/L) shouldn't be relevant.

[MacClyver]

My guess is that's simply an attempt to capture your attention. Or reflects short term fuel economy as mileage is quite reduced until oil is warmed.

[NorCalPhil]

Yeah, so, here's where I admit to running out of gas a few times...

30 years of driving taught me to not trust gauges, refuel at 1/4 tank, and generally don't play around with the fuel gods.

The gas gauge in my mirage is finicky. It's also a flat out liar! The first 100k miles it was fine, and i used one of the trip trackers to count miles every time I filled up. Hit 300 miles, then fuel up, no problem.

Then something happened. I wasn't paying attention to the trip mileage, and the gas gauge still showed 1/3 full, and I ran out of gas. A couple weeks later it happened again, but was aided by an uphill stop right near the gas station. FAIL.

I've got about 138k on the car now, and looking through my gas log I've hit 9 gallons several times ...

9.234
9.347
9.064
9.238
9.187
9.017

Not the top fill up in the thread, but I'm consistent(ly bad).

[Eggman]

The gas gauge in my mirage is finicky. It's also a flat out liar! The first 100k miles it was fine, and i used one of the trip trackers to count miles every time I filled up. Hit 300 miles, then fuel up, no problem.

You are not the first to report fuel gauge problems.

Have you ever used a fuel system cleaner/detergent?

[NorCalPhil]

Have you ever used a fuel system cleaner/detergent?

No, I haven't. Recommendation?

[Eggman]

No, I haven't. Recommendation?

The forum favorite is Techron.

Chevron: Techron
Wikipedia: Techron

Not to be confused with an octane booster.


That, or stick with Top Tier fuels.

Pro tip:

Certain forms of sulfur that refiners or pipelines may leave in finished gasoline, such as mercaptans and hydrogen sulfide, can contaminate fuel sending units and lead to erratic dashboard fuel gauge readings, which may be expensive to repair. The regular use of a TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline can prevent this from occurring.

[dspace9]

"All US market cars sold since 1971 have a closed circuit system to trap and later burn the fumes from their gas tanks. A complex array of charcoal canisters, tubes, valves and sensors comprise a system designed to handle gasoline vapors only, not liquid fuel. Jamming too much fuel into it repeatedly can result in a Check Engine state that will keep your car from passing an emissions test and could cost hundreds of dollars or more to repair."

In some cars this can be a very expensive repair. Just something to think about when filling up.

Yea Mark, in fact funny and ironic you say that. Because I literally have an issue with my evap fume system in my own Mirage. Past 3 months my check engine light is on, and the mechanics can't seem to pinpoint the problem, though they have tried a few of the easier fixes on an evap leak. My friend had an Cavalier with 485k on it and had an evap leak, and it's an older car problem I think.

I just drive with my check engine light on in my Mirage. Whatever I don't smell any fumes.

[Dirk Diggler]

Yeah, so, here's where I admit to running out of gas a few times...

30 years of driving taught me to not trust gauges, refuel at 1/4 tank, and generally don't play around with the fuel gods.

The gas gauge in my mirage is finicky. It's also a flat out liar! The first 100k miles it was fine, and i used one of the trip trackers to count miles every time I filled up. Hit 300 miles, then fuel up, no problem.

Then something happened. I wasn't paying attention to the trip mileage, and the gas gauge still showed 1/3 full, and I ran out of gas. A couple weeks later it happened again, but was aided by an uphill stop right near the gas station. FAIL.

I've got about 138k on the car now, and looking through my gas log I've hit 9 gallons several times ...

9.234
9.347
9.064
9.238
9.187
9.017

Not the top fill up in the thread, but I'm consistent(ly bad).

Id be teetering on the edge with fillups too if I was paying California gas prices. Massive amount of middle class Californians moving here to Atlanta because of the cost of living out there is out of control. I swear in 100 years Cali is either going to look like Mad Max/Thunderdome or a Mexican Blade Runner.

[Dirk Diggler]

Yea Mark, in fact funny and ironic you say that. Because I literally have an issue with my evap fume system in my own Mirage. Past 3 months my check engine light is on, and the mechanics can't seem to pinpoint the problem, though they have tried a few of the easier fixes on an evap leak. My friend had an Cavalier with 485k on it and had an evap leak, and it's an older car problem I think.

I just drive with my check engine light on in my Mirage. Whatever I don't smell any fumes.

Can you get your tag renewed if your CEL is on in Canada?

[dspace9]

Can you get your tag renewed if your CEL is on in Canada?

Yep. Pay for the sticker every year, and that's it.

No mandatory test. The government scrapped the mandatory vehicle emissions test a while ago.

What I used to do is just turn off my old car's CEL, like before going to the government test site. Passed that way lol