jstaneff

Nearly, but not quite.

I ran it past the "press ok to see your odometer because you need gas" warning message. That came on with about 56 miles left to go before empty. Then at about 24 miles to go, I got a very different message. I couldn't find it in the owners manual (I did RTF first!).

It's a gas pump with a Mercedes next to it and a hose running from the pump to the car. Really cool thing to see. I laughed out loud when that popped up.

I've had the C300 since late November, have about 3100 miles on it, and this is the lowest I've let gas get. What a cool image: "I'm hungry, feed me!"

Oh, and it may have been just me, but the rpms dropped to about 1500 until I put more gas in it.

Bokx_350

I get that msg everytime. Thats when I know I have to get to the gas station (probably not a smart thing to do). It would be nice if it would still show the miles left though (the car will not go lower than 20 miles left, after that you get the picture).

amdeutsch

Bet its owners complaining to JDP because it showed 2 or 3 miles to go (older W203s), with a gas station less than a mile away and they had to walk without a can.

tanktube67

it's cool

peabers

I experimented with it as well, and got the "fuel pump" icon on the display. It was a one-time only thing in good weather. Would not be letting the car go below 1/4 tank now that it's winter here in Toronto.

Didn't notice any performance difference / limp home mode when the fuel level was extremely low.

chilledbenz

Word of warning...if your running your gas that low you run a chance of picking up all the dirt in the bottom of the gas tank and plugging the fuel filters. Seeing how these cars are new the chances are lessened, but the longer you own it, the more gas you put in it, the more dirt will accumulate at the bottom of the tank.

jstaneff

What do you suggest? I'm running about 400 miles a week, using premium gas, and not giving it much time to settle.

Isn't there a fuel filter on the car? Does it get changed in any of the services?

Now that it's cold (winter in Seattle = dipping below 32 but not by much) I don't like a low tank when the car's left out, but since it's garaged, that's not very often. "Gas line freeze" shouldn't be a problem.

slammer111

This thread is useless without pics

chilledbenz

There are two fuel filters on the car if I'm not mistaken, but they probably don't change them until service b or c. I've always heard that it wasn't good to run the car until the light came on for the reasons mentioned above, maybe old wives tail...but I don't want to be the one to test it and cause unwanted damage, although I think it would just clog the filters before anything would get to the engine, its not like fuel is that dirty but after a few years of fuel being in the cars tank there could be a lot of dirt in the bottom.

Stick Girl

How funny. I just saw this in my display for the first time a few days ago. I was so amazed that I took a picture. So now the thread is not useless!

slammer111

^ omg that's sooo cute!!! Even looks like a C!

vcruiser

haha cool.
i dont usually let the needle go under 1/4 . . thats just how i role.

one question tho.

in my c36 amg i use 91 octance and i also frequently use 94 octane in the summer because i do notice a difference.

how do u think 94 octance will do with the c350?

cuz on the c36 i get a little bit of a different ''rumble'' sound haha

and it cleanses all the crap down in the gas tank area aswell

jstaneff

Yes, that's the image I saw. It still makes me laugh to see it.


As to gasoline, Techron is supposed to be an additive that cleans gas. Wouldn't using it (now and again) help reduce sludge in the tank?

I ran an Accord for about 150K miles without serious or significant gas problems (none noted). At about 120K I added something to clean off the valves. The service guys never mentioned any problems with the fuel or fuel filters. Granted it was regular, but that might be dirtier than premium.

I'm thinking that the stories about dirty gas remind me of how we used to change oil at 2,500 miles. I got chewed out, but good, for letting it go to 10K miles on regular oil. But the engine never suffered. That Accord almost always went 7,500 miles between oil changes, on regular oil. My XC70 is going 10K on synthetic stuff, and I suspect that I'll change the C300's oil at about 10K instead of the recommended 13.5K. (Must be getting dotty in my old age, shouldn't I go to 15K?)

thanks

Jon935

i usually tend to let my gas tank get pretty low before i fill it up... i know the C-Class has a 17 gallon tank plus reserve.. I think its suppose to get 16-26 miles to the gallon(or something close to that) what is the real number you guys actually get, in say 5k miles or more? no BS or explaining, just city and highway mixed, whats the real number?
im just hoping to get 400 miles per tank on a C300 4matic, and im hoping that is realistic

marakbai

speaking of gas ... asnyone else have a problem filling up? (aside from gas prices) ... I find that whenever I squeeze the "trigger" on the pump all the way and try to fill up it always clicks and stops. So I always have to do a half squeeze to get it to not click on me; half click filling in -15 weather is not fun!

This happens with all different types of gas stations so far.

angeloxnet

wipe off the nozzle and try again

sou98

- same here... i got the same thing happen to me in Shell, PetroCanada, and Sunoco....but I filled up once in States with BP and it work no problem.

mac911

Um, are you sure the tank is 17 + reserve? I thought it was 17.xx including reserve?

Finally, well I say my average MPG is about 22-23 since it's winter and no AC.

chilledbenz

Saw an episode of 2 Guys Garage once where they said not to use any additives or cleaners in new cars as they tend to eat away at seals and vital lubricants that are present in new engines. They also added that many of the higher octane gasolines have certain additives already in them but at lower amounts than what you would put in directly from a bottle. I myself recall reading something about not adding additives in the owners manual. But as you say, could be yet another big fish story of the auto business.

peabers

Pull the nozzle back about an inch from the fully-inserted position. It seems that the car doesn't like having the nozzle all the way in. Happened to me for the first time last week.

jstaneff

Speaking of feeding the car, I've started using the 1/2 way notch on the pump handle instead of full on. I read somewhere, a year or two back, that going full on was a way for the pump to not deliver the full amount indicated, and that going slower got a more correct/accurate amount of fuel. Probably just BS, but the car seems just fine fueling at 1/2 notch and it's always full when I stop fueling.

chilledbenz

If thats a picture of your car in your signature it sure looks sweet. Barolo was my second choice, but I wasn't sure how it would look on a smaller car, but I can see it looks great.

Derspeed

I heard another reason you shouldn't let your gas get too low is...the gas actually cools the fuel pump.

mac911

Also remember not to get gasoline, if you see the service station is receiving a fresh supply, when you go to pump. The flow of gasoline into the station's tanks stirs up the dirt in their tanks, and it gets into your tank.

jstaneff

Thanks. I had a similar color combination on a Volvo 740 and liked it then. Still like it now. Barolo Red exterior w MB-Tex Black inside.