Range Question
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Newbie
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 9
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2019 GLE400
Range Question
This is a new and weird thing for me. I put on the range left to empty screen and filled up my tank. The car says i have 575 miles. Then as I drive home which is about 10 miles, I am watching the range drop it went all the way down to 395 over those 10 miles. Is this a thing that happens? Not sure if i have something wrong with the car or not everything seems fine. The gauge is still at full, so I'm not losing gas. TIA!
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 14,655
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From: unbegrenzt
2017 GLE350 4MATIC
This is a new and weird thing for me. I put on the range left to empty screen and filled up my tank. The car says i have 575 miles. Then as I drive home which is about 10 miles, I am watching the range drop it went all the way down to 395 over those 10 miles. Is this a thing that happens? Not sure if i have something wrong with the car or not everything seems fine. The gauge is still at full, so I'm not losing gas. TIA!
10 miles is insufficient distance travelled to make an accurate judgment from the trip computer.
Tomorrow morning after breakfast, turn the vehicle on and tell us what the range says on the MFD.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,224
Likes: 1,797
From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
The meter always start with default value, what is set by factory.
I tow quite often, or drove my F350 with big camper on it, so having the meter showing 500 miles to empty, when I knew I'll be happy making 300 made me always smiling.
Beware that when you are getting close to empty, the range gauge will blank at about 30 miles and warning sign will appear.
Since I often carry extra can when towing, I like to run it pretty low and have to memorize the odometer value to empty as the gauge becomes useless.
Other thing is calculating road conditions.
My friend drove his Sprinter, when in Baker, CA he saw diesel prices at about $2 (some time ago). His "to empty" gauge was showing 150 miles, when he had about 100 miles to Las Vegas, with cheaper fuel, so he passed the stations.
What both, computer and my friend did not calculated that coming from Baker toward Vegas the freeway has about 20 miles steep grade, so at the end of the grade his gauge was showing 24 miles to empty. He pulled to next gas station, where diesel was $3.
I tow quite often, or drove my F350 with big camper on it, so having the meter showing 500 miles to empty, when I knew I'll be happy making 300 made me always smiling.
Beware that when you are getting close to empty, the range gauge will blank at about 30 miles and warning sign will appear.
Since I often carry extra can when towing, I like to run it pretty low and have to memorize the odometer value to empty as the gauge becomes useless.
Other thing is calculating road conditions.
My friend drove his Sprinter, when in Baker, CA he saw diesel prices at about $2 (some time ago). His "to empty" gauge was showing 150 miles, when he had about 100 miles to Las Vegas, with cheaper fuel, so he passed the stations.
What both, computer and my friend did not calculated that coming from Baker toward Vegas the freeway has about 20 miles steep grade, so at the end of the grade his gauge was showing 24 miles to empty. He pulled to next gas station, where diesel was $3.
Last edited by kajtek1; Oct 15, 2021 at 01:54 PM.
Member
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 148
Likes: 35
From: Florida, NJ
2024 GLE580, 2013 Jeep Wrangler, 2018 GLE43 AMG *Sold*
I think all vehicles calculate distance to go by measuring the current fuel flow. This number might be then smoothed out somewhat. The maximum range shown at fill up also makes sense to me. Mine shows around 575 miles to go. this is about my under power maximum gas mileage observed, times fuel tank capacity. So I fill my tank up, it show's 575 miles to go. I then drive 10 miles down the road and miles to go then show's 395. This number should then match my calculated MPG of 17.5 multiplied by the amount of fuel in tank. And this is what I'm seeing with my GLE
Last edited by gle43FL; Oct 16, 2021 at 11:28 AM.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 475
Likes: 149
From: Florida
Aston Martin Vantage, GLE 43 AMG, Volvo XC60, BMW X1 35i, Ram 1500, BMW Z4 35i
You will also find it changes in the other direction also, Do alot of in town driving and the range will read something, get out on the highway and you will see it rise after a while. it s just a basic average calculation, nothing exact. Instantaneous mileage reading are a bit more accurate. Honestly i never use this readout in any of my vehicles. Best to use the fuel gage and get gas when it approaches 1/4 tank or so
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 40
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From: Passaic/Bergen County New Jersey
2013 C350 4MATIC Coupe, 2017 GLE 350 4MATIC P3
Suburban Driving (mix of highway speeds and traffic lights, occasional stop sign) but not city driving I find that I always get right about 425 miles to a tank using 93 Octane. (I have flex fuel) but only filled up once with that because we don't have flex fuel in NJ. (5 stations in the state carry it)
