Letting it run empty?
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5 Posts
I'm not sure it's possible to let the vehicle run until empty. There's supposed to be a 1 gallon (or 4 based on some reports) reserve fuel. I imagine that the vehicle would shut itself off prior to completely running out of fuel in order to prevent damage to the engine/fuel system. The reserve fuel system acts as a buffer in order to prevent damage. At least that's what my dealership told me.
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4 Posts
I have a DS HSE Lux that I bought in May. It has been in the shop 3 times for a total of over 30 days for the fuel issue as well as the SD card read error. My distance to empty could say 5 miles but then I can only fill tank to 14 gallons. The tank is 18.5. LR says there is supposed to be an update but I waited 4 months and nothing. This last 2 weeks, LR factory engineer has come dow to look at my car as well as another and said to replace the instrument cluster. That did not repair the car. Now they replaced the SD card reader. They say that fixes it cause that is where the direction comes from. I seriously doubt it is fixed. However, I will see once I get it back. I do not think people are aware of these issues. I have seen several forums in US and Uk where the fuel is not reading correctly.
There is a fix for the fuel gauge. See the screen shot I attached of the bulletin on JLR's TOPIx web site. Several people have had it applied and it supposedly works. I haven't taken mine in yet to get it fixed, but I'm coming up soon on my first service.
Attachments
When is your next service coming up?
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84 Posts
Annoying but intentional?
I am very curious about the calibration fix described by rcbjr2. I too found that my tank hit zero after burning approximately 15 gallons, leaving a reserve of 3.5 gallons (or about 85 miles at highway gas mileage rates). This seemed excessive but my dealership gave me another one of its "get used to it and get over it" lectures.
Since I am assuming the fuel pump is in the gas tank I can only presume that the LR engineers have used an abundance of caution in setting the fuel reserve so high so as to keep the pump lubricated and cool at all times.
:nerd:
It would however be useful to have the system automatically report how many miles past zero I have driven so I know when to really panic and get some gas (I now mostly disregard the empty warning and often drive it well past zero on long road trips). I guess the engineers have decided to malpractice psychiatry and have determined that it is better to make us increasingly anxious below zero so that we will fill up sooner rather than later and keep their pump nice and cool...
Maybe I should get my head examined for being so keen to flirt with an empty fuel tank disaster?
>
I am very curious about the calibration fix described by rcbjr2. I too found that my tank hit zero after burning approximately 15 gallons, leaving a reserve of 3.5 gallons (or about 85 miles at highway gas mileage rates). This seemed excessive but my dealership gave me another one of its "get used to it and get over it" lectures.
Since I am assuming the fuel pump is in the gas tank I can only presume that the LR engineers have used an abundance of caution in setting the fuel reserve so high so as to keep the pump lubricated and cool at all times.
:nerd:
It would however be useful to have the system automatically report how many miles past zero I have driven so I know when to really panic and get some gas (I now mostly disregard the empty warning and often drive it well past zero on long road trips). I guess the engineers have decided to malpractice psychiatry and have determined that it is better to make us increasingly anxious below zero so that we will fill up sooner rather than later and keep their pump nice and cool...
Maybe I should get my head examined for being so keen to flirt with an empty fuel tank disaster?
>
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588 Posts
The only reason they want BMW owners to bring in the high performance M series cars early was in the event small metallic particles are in the engine would be changed out at 6500 miles.
The other remaining BMWs (90%) out there don't need their first service change at 6500 miles, I know because I have had 4 BMWs - they are at 10,000 miles. Full synthetic oils have changed the oil change game......
Maybe your dealer wants you to come in and spend some extra money by upgrading your service jobs ???
The other remaining BMWs (90%) out there don't need their first service change at 6500 miles, I know because I have had 4 BMWs - they are at 10,000 miles. Full synthetic oils have changed the oil change game......
Maybe your dealer wants you to come in and spend some extra money by upgrading your service jobs ???
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606 Posts
Yep, I had my fuel gauge calibration update done and it fixed the issue. I now easily get 350+ miles on a tank before the low fuel light comes on. Before the update I could barely make it to 300 miles before the low fuel light comes on. That easily 2 more gallons burned before the waring comes on.
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606 Posts
Its a simple software update.I am very curious about the calibration fix described by rcbjr2. I too found that my tank hit zero after burning approximately 15 gallons, leaving a reserve of 3.5 gallons (or about 85 miles at highway gas mileage rates). This seemed excessive but my dealership gave me another one of its "get used to it and get over it" lectures.
Its funny cause I told my service advisor it was a software update. He just nodded. He called me a few days in and said he had ordered a new fuel sending unit and fuel pump to fix the issue. I told him again...its just a software update.... he then replied..."Thats what people always think...you cant alays believe what you hear" I actually had to email him the Survice Bulletin number.
When I picked up the DS he told me I was right. LOL! Hes no longer there BTW.
I will just post an update to the original question. I haven't been in to get the fixed software yet, and have been running 60-70 miles past empty (while carrying a gas can for the last few, just in case). Of course, the one time I was at 47, when someone turned off Eco, and did a bunch of city driving, I noticed a sputter that I ignored, and about 3mi later another sputter led to a dead car. Everything kept working, I cruised (luckily) to a nearby park, and while the kids played at the playground, LR Roadside sent someone over with some gas.
No engine lockups, no weird signals - all seemed fine.
The only complaint is Roadside promised me 3gal of Premium gas, and the guy poured in closer to 1gal, since I went straight to gas station and it didn't turn off till it got to 17.6gal... Oh well, not LR's fault - they did survey me after the fact, and I said how it was. I thought it was a bit quick, but was distracted by the kids - called the guy, and he said, 2.5 gallons... This also makes me question if he actually used Premium, since he only had one can in the Civic he came in. That said, when Premium is > $.30 above regular, I often use Regular or Plus myself with no ill effects to-date
No engine lockups, no weird signals - all seemed fine.
The only complaint is Roadside promised me 3gal of Premium gas, and the guy poured in closer to 1gal, since I went straight to gas station and it didn't turn off till it got to 17.6gal... Oh well, not LR's fault - they did survey me after the fact, and I said how it was. I thought it was a bit quick, but was distracted by the kids - called the guy, and he said, 2.5 gallons... This also makes me question if he actually used Premium, since he only had one can in the Civic he came in. That said, when Premium is > $.30 above regular, I often use Regular or Plus myself with no ill effects to-date
With all the threads regarding issues with engine, on-board computer, fuel gauge reading, etc., do you really want to push it to its max? Seriously, do you?
(I hope there is a fail-safe mechanism where the engine will indeed shutdown just at the precipice of its lowest fuel level to avoid engine damage.)
(I hope there is a fail-safe mechanism where the engine will indeed shutdown just at the precipice of its lowest fuel level to avoid engine damage.)
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606 Posts
I get similar readings. Always high 300s...
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