steffen

I let my fuel run really low last week and noticed that the Fuel Range indicator in the MFD jumped from between "5 miles" to "70 miles". I saw that it correlated with the level of the car - the numbers change as I was heading up hill, downhill, etc. I thought this was pretty weird - surely the MB engineers would have come up with some programming to even out these types of discrepencies - after all - the car is programmed to do so many other things for you? And knowing that you have 5 miles of gas left in your tank vs. 70 miles - I would say that's critical information.

Is this normal behavior? Don't answer if you live in Ohio (too flat to notice the problem).

--Steffen

TXTiger

There's a simple solution - go to the gas station!

The computer already calculates the range based on the average mpg times the amount of fuel sensed in the tank (which changes due to hills, hard acceleration/braking - try pouring some liquid in a glass and tilt it - similar thing going on in your tank). A baffled tank would help minimize the variation some, but at what expense is this worth it? By the time you get to 70 miles range remaining the computer has probably already turned on the idiot light saying "Reserve Fuel - Visit Refueling Station". What else do you need?

hokusbenz

Hey Steffen- you have a citron coupe? can you post some pics? =) thanks

Matt230K

Yes, it's normal for it to vary like that. Oops, I'm from Ohio, sorry. Although it's not really flat here. You must be thinking of some other state. Well, I guess some parts are flat. I'm in Southern Ohio.

MB-BOB

I agree the variance is normal (or that I've noticed it, too). I also agree that it doesn't need to be.

If you're driving a 700 mile trip, it takes an extra fuel stop (3 total)to make the trip if you stop as soon as it falls to 3/8 full. So, I make two stops and look for the station when the car needs gas, not when it reaches 3/8 or even 1/4. In that situation, the last 1/4 tank can be interesting with hills. But, IMO, there's no reason to stop with 70 miles (better than 3.5 gallons) left in the tank.

jswedberg

Not only the level of the fuel, but your mileage is changing as you go up and down hills.

Your poor car keeps trying to calculate the range, but you keep changing its little world!

BTW, I've noticed that when my C32 Low Fuel indicator lights up, I'd better find fuel IMMEDIATELY. I seem to have maybe 20 miles or so.

Our ML is not so strict, more like your 70 miles. Don't know why - they get about the same miliage.

Matt230K

I was out driving in a G500 last week and it gets horrible gas mileage. I was watching my range in miles, but when the reserve light comes on, it says -R- miles. So that doesn't help you too much. You have to rely on the gauge, which I have seen those move around quite a bit too on some cars.

jswedberg

Of course, a truly good boy (or girl) wouldn't allow their fuel to drop down to the reserve level, because there is always nasty crud down there at the bottom of the tank.


(BTW I am NOT a TGB!)

TXTiger

On my last 1400+ mile trip to Florida I was getting 31 mpg for the entire trip. I figure that puts me at 2.25 gallons left in the tank, slightly more than 1/8 tank......just before the idiot light comes on.

amdeutsch

Ok I'm in the real flatlands; the midwest north of TX. On mine I actually noticed that the gage is very accurate. Every 1/8 mark equates to 2 Gal. ***** me even tested this accuracy between 1/2 and the idiot light(1/8).

zpeed

I'm not on a flat land (reno, NV). This happen to me when I just had a car for 3 months. I'm going up and dowm the small hill. I run another 6-8 miles after the display show 0 mile on the flat Freeway.

steffen

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Re baffles, I think there would be a solution without requiring you to put baffles in the fueltank. The car should just be smart enough to know when the fuel level changes drastically that the data is an aberration. It should interpolate the readings over say, a period of 5 minutes or so. This won't help you if you're driving up hill an extended period of time. My minivan does this - it's not rocket science. ESP on the other hand is rocket science!

Regarding the idiot light - well, you know once they tell you the fuel range some idiot (like me) will think 70 miles is way too early to stop for gas. That's why they put that disclaimer in the manual.

Regarding the photos - yes I finally took some pictures today but the color didn't turn out - not enough light. I'll try again tomorrow.

--Steffen

dakarMcoupe

I've driven it down to where it said 19miles

slightly less than 16 gallon went in when I filled up

MB-BOB

Yea Jim...you're like me. If you suck it dry every tank, there's no chance for any crud to accumulate. There shouldn't be any crud in a 1-year-old gas tank, anyway. With my car on flat roads, I find I have about 5 miles after the Range falls to ZERO.

Bottom line: Real Men buy gas only when the car needs it...

mctwin2kman

I agree MB-BOB, on my old Neon I used to wait until the light started flashing at me before filling up. The light came on solid then after there was only half a gallon left it would flash at you. It is thrilling to see if you can make it or not. Like on Seinfeld when Kramer was testing out a Saab for Jerry and they drove until the thing ran out of gas just to see how far it would go.

steffen

Finally got some photos up of the citron green. You can find it in the picture thread near the top of the forum.

--S

christian655321

the furtherest i have let it go was when the needle was touching the begining edge of the E indicator bar, analog is better in some cases i think. i am afraid to drive further than that without refuleing.

question: if you let the fuel get to low and the car gasps for fuel, can this damage you car?

tberry

I agree w/ alot of ppl. where the car calc. based on your driving characteristics (i.e sitting in traffic vs cruising) there is a HUGE diff. Another thing is i do the same where i usually dont fill my car w/ more than half tank and wait till the light comes on to fill up...that way gas stay "fresh", u save some weight. Although most i've gone with is 10 mi to empty.

CarlssonPower

I have an extremely dumb question: how do you set the computer to calculate the mileage left? Sorry for this dumb question.. :o

MB-BOB

You don't. The car resets itself (automatically) based on how much gas you put in the tank. You do have to reset the trip odometers, though (when needed).

tberry

I think you meant how do u get to where you can see how many miles can u go before gas run out. Its hard to describe but its in the menu where u see avg miles/speed stuff.

tedypedy

when reading the post and seeing that it went from 5 mile range to 70 I was thinking about my brothers '97 C230 (non-kompressor) he gets 300 miles to the tank everytime. He read in his manual that after the fuel gauge reads empty, the car has a 5 gallon reserve tank. So basically he waits a week after it first reaches empty and he's never gotten to the point where he has to get out and push. Do we have the same kind of system in ur 203z?

Matt230K

That doesn't sound right about the 5 gallon reserve tank, especially after it hits empty. Maybe it has 5 gallons left after the light comes on, but even that seems like a lot. The 203 has a certain number of gallons after the light comes on, I forget how much. I'm sure someone else knows, or you can look in the manual. But it's not 5 gallons.

tberry

its like 2.5 gallon or something I know for a fact its under 3 gallon....and when the needle hits E there is no 'below E'..... E means push time baby

Matt230K

Yeah, this is true. I forgot to mention that the 203 runs out of gas sooner than most other cars. From working on the lot, I have known several people who have run out not long after the needle hits E. So don't keep driving, you won't make it very far.