Gas Gauge and Low Gas indicator Accurate?

[brumey]

Hello:
I am waiting my new 4R6G but believe I read about possible issues with the accuracy of the low fuel alert. Disclaimer, I initially liked at a lot of other vehicles so I could be confusing an issue from a different model. I looked at Grand Highlander, Sequoia, Ford Explorer, GMC Yukon.

From memory, the issue was the low fuel triggering after 13 gallons of usage when 6 gallons still exist in tank.

For anyone who has the 4R6G, when is your low gas gauge common on and at what approximate capacity left in tank?

Thanks.....

 

[LLL1990]

If it's like all other Toyotas, it's going to be pessimistic and the light will come on when there's about 5 gallons left in the tank as you said. It's not an accuracy issue, Toyotas has it setup that way to keep people from running out of gas.

 

[Nodak]

typically toyota sets the empty gauge (or mpg to empty on the display) at 10%-20% fuel capacity depending on avg mpg of a vehicle

i know on our 23 tundra is about 5-6 gals on a 32gal tank. its to ensure people dont burn up your fuel pump (from what i remember)

and your fuel gauge is lopsided in reporting, once you get below 1/2 tank you go thru it faster than the top half due to the way fuel tanks are molded.

personally in ND (especially in winter conditions) we dont usually go below 1/2 tank for safety reasons. its to ensure you have enough gas to weather out a storm if you get stuck in a ditch or back road until help comes too keep you warm

i know the wife starts freaking out once she gets to 1/2 tank even in the summertime. i give her crap for it outside of winter months.

 

[brumey]

Great info. I agree on keeping a tank topped up and not going too low.

It is a shame that the gauge and calculation could not be improved with software but I guess they are trying to protect those who would run really low.

Thank you.

 

[Nodak]

the calc's are correct for a full tank, but from what i have seen toyota err's on the low side to ensure people dont run out of gas and builds in a large safety margin.

i mean on my 14 4R, ive run it down to E but i dont every remember going higher than 18 gals on a fill up if i did run it down that low

 

[brumey]

I wonder if the Carista software has any recalibration settings to adjust for the fuel gauge low fuel alert. Maybe change to 2 gallons or a lower percentage. My guess is not but worth asking.

 

[youngolf]

I lived in hurricane FL……you always kept your tank topped for when you needed to vacate