curious: fuel level indicator and fuel warning light behaviour

tmc-au · 12-31-2012, 12:36 AM

Good day to you all

I am wandering if you are seeing the same behaviour with you fuel gauge and fuel indicator light...

On my 2004 RAV4 the fuel gauge appears to only track (roughly) the top 40 - 45 litres in the fuel tank tank. In fact I have never put more than 45L in the tank (thats approx 11.90 US gal/

The fuel warning light will consistently come on come on when approx 40 L (give or take a litre or so) of the 57L tank is used up. That represents a warning on when I still have 30% of the tank worth of fuel....

Does anyone know if that is:

a) part of the overall Toyota design to make sure you have range to get to a petrol station

b) is there a way to calibrate the sensors so that the gauge covers say... 50 L of fuel usage, and the light cpme son when there is only 7 or 8 approx 2 US gal) of fuel left in the tank?

MNRAV4 · 01-01-2013, 03:29 PM

Mine takes 14.9 gallons and says full when it is full, when it has about 2-3 gallons left, the light comes on. Plenty of times it has come on immediately when I have left home for work and I make it back home, which is 52 miles round trip. The light isn't exact, it varies somewhat, even goes off after coming on, when it comes on and stays on, I know I am good for 50 miles, I have intentionally ran it out to see how much, my conclusion was 75 miles is beginning to push my luck. So I am assuming ~2.5 gallons when light comes on.

I don't know about the RAV, but in my Pontiac there is a variable resistor that controls accuracy of the gauge. Not easy to get to.

Daggyr · 01-02-2013, 11:11 AM

My Rav came with a 60L tank. The needle would hit "E" and the warning light would go on with 15L remaining. It did this consistently. It takes some getting used to.

**JuneBug** · 01-02-2013, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daggyr

My Rav came with a 60L tank. The needle would hit "E" and the warning light would go on with 15L remaining. It did this consistently. It takes some getting used to.

Exactly like mine! When the light comes on, there are 4 gallons left.

Rav Rapt · 01-04-2013, 07:29 AM

I like the early low fuel indicator. Lets me hunt a bit more for a low fuel price on route and you know you can make the next station on a long road trip with a little less sweat on the brow.lol

Hope you have a sense of humor tmc as an afterthought on re calibration you could cut and shorten the fuel pickup line or easier again pour some non degenerative rocks in the tanks as displacement

12-31-2012, 12:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
tmc-au Member Country: Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Canberra, ACT, Australia Posts: 173 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Feedback Score: 0 reviews	curious: fuel level indicator and fuel warning light behaviour Good day to you all I am wandering if you are seeing the same behaviour with you fuel gauge and fuel indicator light... On my 2004 RAV4 the fuel gauge appears to only track (roughly) the top 40 - 45 litres in the fuel tank tank. In fact I have never put more than 45L in the tank (thats approx 11.90 US gal/ The fuel warning light will consistently come on come on when approx 40 L (give or take a litre or so) of the 57L tank is used up. That represents a warning on when I still have 30% of the tank worth of fuel.... Does anyone know if that is: a) part of the overall Toyota design to make sure you have range to get to a petrol station b) is there a way to calibrate the sensors so that the gauge covers say... 50 L of fuel usage, and the light cpme son when there is only 7 or 8 approx 2 US gal) of fuel left in the tank?

01-01-2013, 03:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
MNRAV4 Member Country: Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: MN Posts: 97 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Mine takes 14.9 gallons and says full when it is full, when it has about 2-3 gallons left, the light comes on. Plenty of times it has come on immediately when I have left home for work and I make it back home, which is 52 miles round trip. The light isn't exact, it varies somewhat, even goes off after coming on, when it comes on and stays on, I know I am good for 50 miles, I have intentionally ran it out to see how much, my conclusion was 75 miles is beginning to push my luck. So I am assuming ~2.5 gallons when light comes on. I don't know about the RAV, but in my Pontiac there is a variable resistor that controls accuracy of the gauge. Not easy to get to.

01-02-2013, 11:11 AM	#3 (permalink)
Daggyr Junior Member Country: Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 21 Thanks: 6 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Feedback Score: 0 reviews	My Rav came with a 60L tank. The needle would hit "E" and the warning light would go on with 15L remaining. It did this consistently. It takes some getting used to.

01-04-2013, 07:29 AM	#5 (permalink)
Rav Rapt Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 123 Thanks: 3 Thanked 16 Times in 15 Posts Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I like the early low fuel indicator. Lets me hunt a bit more for a low fuel price on route and you know you can make the next station on a long road trip with a little less sweat on the brow.lol Hope you have a sense of humor tmc as an afterthought on re calibration you could cut and shorten the fuel pickup line or easier again pour some non degenerative rocks in the tanks as displacement

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