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Light came on this morning and got me wondering (As i usually panic and aim toward the nearest petrol station at a snails pace... im used to small tank cars!)

A) How many gallons/easy driving miles are roughly left when the light comes on

B) Where will the gauge actually sit at the point of being empty? - Mine comes on roughly half way between the '1/4 tank' and 'empty' tank' mark.

Basically, i've got a 15 mile journey home. Do I need to fill up before I set off?

i think the light comes on when its down to about 7 litres left and in my old 2.1td i could do about50 miles before id chicken out and fill her back up

I wouldn't take the risk.

As soon as the light comes on I head straight for the nearest petrol station and put some more in.

By using the reserve, you run the risk of pulling all the crap up from the bottom of your tank and putting it through your engine.

gRoberts wrote:By using the reserve, you run the risk of pulling all the crap up from the bottom of your tank and putting it through your engine.

Not being funny but isn't that a bit old fashioned now with plastic tanks? The fuel pick up is at the bottom of the tank anyway - otherwise you would have a tank with a couple of gallons sloshing around the bottom which can never be used

Tiny Tim wrote:A) How many gallons/easy driving miles are roughly left when the light comes on

B) Where will the gauge actually sit at the point of being empty? - Mine comes on roughly half way between the '1/4 tank' and 'empty' tank' mark.

A) Over 80 gentle motorway miles on a 2.0 turbo petrol engine, probably more in a diesel

B) Yes. I usually head towards a petrol station when I turn the ignition key and the fuel gauge doesn't even flinch. I find that means I'm putting about 73 litres in when I get there. If it flinches, there's "plenty"

gRoberts wrote: By using the reserve, you run the risk of pulling all the crap up from the bottom of your tank and putting it through your engine.

the pick up on the 2.1td is pushed to the bottom of the tank with a sort of spring mechanism so it always picks up from the bottom

ah well, scrap what i said. At least now I know that when the light comes on, i don't have to rush.

Did 40 miles in mine before chickening out. The light normally comes on when the needle enters the orange square area.

owners manual states you have 1.5 gallons remaining when the light is on

jameslxdt wrote:owners manual states you have 1.5 gallons remaining when the light is on

Not far off, but of course the light is linked to the gauge, the sensor for which is notorious for massive discrepancies depending on how the car's (ever so slightly) tilting at the time