Not So Low Fuel
12-11-2012, 11:04 PM
#11
AudiWorld Senior Member
In Germany it is illegal to both run out of fuel and to carry a spare can of fuel in the car so the fuel warnings of all German manufactured cars (and probably any other car designed for volume sale in Germany) are designed to ensure the driver has enough time to refuel with the first warning coming when the car perceives that you have c50 miles of fuel left.
A few years ago the BBC Top Gear TV programme did a trip trying to drive three cars from Geneva to Blackpool (North West England) without refuelling. Jeremy Clarkson was in a diesel Jag XJ and the car came up with 0 range about 60 miles from the destination. He drove on and made it. Afterwards they drained the tank to see how much fuel was left and found their was sufficient for quite a bit more driving (if I recall correctly about 100 miles). Can't say if Audi are as cautious as Jag seemed to be but clearly 0 miles does not always mean 0 miles. He also did something something similar in an A8 driving London-Edinburgh and back, getting almost all the way back before he ran out of fuel. Seemed to recall he drove quite some distance with the car claiming it had no fuel.
A few years ago the BBC Top Gear TV programme did a trip trying to drive three cars from Geneva to Blackpool (North West England) without refuelling. Jeremy Clarkson was in a diesel Jag XJ and the car came up with 0 range about 60 miles from the destination. He drove on and made it. Afterwards they drained the tank to see how much fuel was left and found their was sufficient for quite a bit more driving (if I recall correctly about 100 miles). Can't say if Audi are as cautious as Jag seemed to be but clearly 0 miles does not always mean 0 miles. He also did something something similar in an A8 driving London-Edinburgh and back, getting almost all the way back before he ran out of fuel. Seemed to recall he drove quite some distance with the car claiming it had no fuel.
12-11-2012, 11:26 PM
#12
AudiWorld Senior Member
In Germany it is illegal to both run out of fuel and to carry a spare can of fuel in the car so the fuel warnings of all German manufactured cars (and probably any other car designed for volume sale in Germany) are designed to ensure the driver has enough time to refuel with the first warning coming when the car perceives that you have c50 miles of fuel left.
A few years ago the BBC Top Gear TV programme did a trip trying to drive three cars from Geneva to Blackpool (North West England) without refuelling. Jeremy Clarkson was in a diesel Jag XJ and the car came up with 0 range about 60 miles from the destination. He drove on and made it. Afterwards they drained the tank to see how much fuel was left and found their was sufficient for quite a bit more driving (if I recall correctly about 100 miles). Can't say if Audi are as cautious as Jag seemed to be but clearly 0 miles does not always mean 0 miles. He also did something something similar in an A8 driving London-Edinburgh and back, getting almost all the way back before he ran out of fuel. Seemed to recall he drove quite some distance with the car claiming it had no fuel.
A few years ago the BBC Top Gear TV programme did a trip trying to drive three cars from Geneva to Blackpool (North West England) without refuelling. Jeremy Clarkson was in a diesel Jag XJ and the car came up with 0 range about 60 miles from the destination. He drove on and made it. Afterwards they drained the tank to see how much fuel was left and found their was sufficient for quite a bit more driving (if I recall correctly about 100 miles). Can't say if Audi are as cautious as Jag seemed to be but clearly 0 miles does not always mean 0 miles. He also did something something similar in an A8 driving London-Edinburgh and back, getting almost all the way back before he ran out of fuel. Seemed to recall he drove quite some distance with the car claiming it had no fuel.
12-13-2012, 05:19 PM
#13
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Had a chance to 'test' this today (not planned, the service station I was planning to use was closed for remodeling so I was forced to drive further than planned). Per the manual, when the yellow "low fuel" warning triggers (yellow 'gas pump' symbol at the top of the instrument console) there are 10 liters (roughly 2.5 gallons) of fuel left in the tank.
So I was able to drive about 10 miles after the 'miles to empty' readout said "0", with the red led flashing on the fuel gauge. When I filled up, the tank only took 18.6 gallons of fuel, so there were still 1.2 gallons of fuel remaining in the tank.
I would not want to do this routinely, but in a pinch these are some real-world facts.
So I was able to drive about 10 miles after the 'miles to empty' readout said "0", with the red led flashing on the fuel gauge. When I filled up, the tank only took 18.6 gallons of fuel, so there were still 1.2 gallons of fuel remaining in the tank.
I would not want to do this routinely, but in a pinch these are some real-world facts.
12-13-2012, 06:36 PM
#14
AudiWorld Super User
Had a chance to 'test' this today (not planned, the service station I was planning to use was closed for remodeling so I was forced to drive further than planned). Per the manual, when the yellow "low fuel" warning triggers (yellow 'gas pump' symbol at the top of the instrument console) there are 10 liters (roughly 2.5 gallons) of fuel left in the tank.
So I was able to drive about 10 miles after the 'miles to empty' readout said "0", with the red led flashing on the fuel gauge. When I filled up, the tank only took 18.6 gallons of fuel, so there were still 1.2 gallons of fuel remaining in the tank.
I would not want to do this routinely, but in a pinch these are some real-world facts.
So I was able to drive about 10 miles after the 'miles to empty' readout said "0", with the red led flashing on the fuel gauge. When I filled up, the tank only took 18.6 gallons of fuel, so there were still 1.2 gallons of fuel remaining in the tank.
I would not want to do this routinely, but in a pinch these are some real-world facts.
12-14-2012, 07:56 PM
#17
[QUOTE=dht34;24382169]One observation. My A6 'seems' to have a higher tank capacity than my gf's A6. When my tank is full, the estimated miles remaining is usually 430-450, but as of recently its gone up to 485 miles remaining after a road trip to Vegas. Her A6 seems to never be able to pass 410 miles after a fill up. QUOTE]
Seriously, you do realize that whatever the display shows as "miles remaining" is based on how much fuel is in the tank (maybe she doesn't fill up as high as you do) and how aggressively/uneconomically the car has been driven in the miles just before fill-up. I highly doubt Audi makes two different size fuel tanks for the A6, but I am equally sure there are at least two different driving and filling up styles or models (probably as many as there are drivers).
Seriously, you do realize that whatever the display shows as "miles remaining" is based on how much fuel is in the tank (maybe she doesn't fill up as high as you do) and how aggressively/uneconomically the car has been driven in the miles just before fill-up. I highly doubt Audi makes two different size fuel tanks for the A6, but I am equally sure there are at least two different driving and filling up styles or models (probably as many as there are drivers).
12-14-2012, 08:01 PM
#18
12-14-2012, 10:21 PM
#19
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[QUOTE=irenesbob;24383529]
Of course I am aware that the tanks have the same capacity. That's why I put 'seems'
We switched cars for 3 weeks now and I can tell you the miles remaining when I fill up her car has been slowly creeping up from 410 to 445 and increasing. I can't explain it, nothing done is scientific, its only a guess. Possibly its the way we differ in driving or traffic but that doesn't explain the huge discrepancy in miles remaining between both A6. We both use a mileage log app on our phones during each fill up. I am consistently in the 21-23mpg while hers is in the 17-19 mpg.
One observation. My A6 'seems' to have a higher tank capacity than my gf's A6. When my tank is full, the estimated miles remaining is usually 430-450, but as of recently its gone up to 485 miles remaining after a road trip to Vegas. Her A6 seems to never be able to pass 410 miles after a fill up. QUOTE]
Seriously, you do realize that whatever the display shows as "miles remaining" is based on how much fuel is in the tank (maybe she doesn't fill up as high as you do) and how aggressively/uneconomically the car has been driven in the miles just before fill-up. I highly doubt Audi makes two different size fuel tanks for the A6, but I am equally sure there are at least two different driving and filling up styles or models (probably as many as there are drivers).
Seriously, you do realize that whatever the display shows as "miles remaining" is based on how much fuel is in the tank (maybe she doesn't fill up as high as you do) and how aggressively/uneconomically the car has been driven in the miles just before fill-up. I highly doubt Audi makes two different size fuel tanks for the A6, but I am equally sure there are at least two different driving and filling up styles or models (probably as many as there are drivers).
We switched cars for 3 weeks now and I can tell you the miles remaining when I fill up her car has been slowly creeping up from 410 to 445 and increasing. I can't explain it, nothing done is scientific, its only a guess. Possibly its the way we differ in driving or traffic but that doesn't explain the huge discrepancy in miles remaining between both A6. We both use a mileage log app on our phones during each fill up. I am consistently in the 21-23mpg while hers is in the 17-19 mpg.
12-15-2012, 04:40 AM
#20
AudiWorld Senior Member
Of course I am aware that the tanks have the same capacity. That's why I put 'seems'
We switched cars for 3 weeks now and I can tell you the miles remaining when I fill up her car has been slowly creeping up from 410 to 445 and increasing. I can't explain it, nothing done is scientific, its only a guess. Possibly its the way we differ in driving or traffic but that doesn't explain the huge discrepancy in miles remaining between both A6. We both use a mileage log app on our phones during each fill up. I am consistently in the 21-23mpg while hers is in the 17-19 mpg.
We switched cars for 3 weeks now and I can tell you the miles remaining when I fill up her car has been slowly creeping up from 410 to 445 and increasing. I can't explain it, nothing done is scientific, its only a guess. Possibly its the way we differ in driving or traffic but that doesn't explain the huge discrepancy in miles remaining between both A6. We both use a mileage log app on our phones during each fill up. I am consistently in the 21-23mpg while hers is in the 17-19 mpg.
So if your average mileage is 23 mpg, it will do 23 mpg x 19 gal = 437 miles remaining. (Just a very loose example. Not sure if it uses short-term or long-term mileage and not sure of the exact number of gallons it uses in the calc).
And if her average mileage is 19 mpg, it will show 19 mpg x 19 gal = 361 miles remaining.
By the way, I have done 517 miles on a 16.6 gallon fill in my 2.0T FWD so that's 31.1 mpg.
I'm going on a road trip in January so I will try to hit a 600 mile tank. Will need to average 32 mpg x 19 gallons.
Don't worry. I'm well accustomed to driving with the needle below empty/fuel light on/range=0 miles on all sorts of makes and models of cars and I have never run out of gas or had any problems. There is ALWAYS a gallon or two in reserve after ALL of these warning signs.
Once I did it on purpose because I had a rental car and pre-paid for the full tank of gas option... lol!