My 97 max's gas gauge does not seem linear.. i.e. it barely moves the first 70 miles, and then past hte halfway mark, it drops much faster..
how do i know this?
I get 200 miles to halfway and by the time i'm running on fumes, I have 350 miles at most (without changing my driving style)

Do all max's have this "problem"?

thanks,

 

yes they do

 

Most cars taht I have driven have a non-linear gas gauge.

 

Yep. Typically you will still be on "full" even after 40-80 miles of driving. Then the needle finally starts to drop much faster. Nothing to worry about.

 

yeah i only seam to notice it dropping after 1/4 tank and begging to god i'll make it home.

 

Ya I've noticed that with my Maxima as well as my sister's Lancer Ralliart and other sister's WRX...So yeah...i guess most cars are like that...Perhaps they should use a scale and weight the gas tank on a certain interval and fit it into the car's system

 

just look at the threads on mileage. they all say: yeah i get about 70-80 by the time it beginns to drop, then it goes really fast, then by about a 1/4 left it slows way down.

 

on HW i got about 400 miles on my tank. but when i drive in city... heh u know what happens

 

Yeah we do, but your post has nothing to do with this thread. Why is that?
Both my maximas have IDENTICAL gauge "behavior". Drive 50 miles the needle starts moving, at 150 I'm at the half way mark and by 230 I'm at the 1/4th mark. EVERY TIME.

 

Well Dave, you must be pretty predictable in your driving habits. Predictable = boring. Ha ha. Just kidding. I've had a little be to drink tonight.

But seriously, if I drive an entire tank in the city, I get less than 300 miles to a tank. If it's all highway, well over 400. I think my lead foot plays a role. Give me a chance to slam the gas (like in city driving) and I will!

But yeah - nonlinear as heck. The only important part is that it looks full when you fill it and the light comes on when you go way down (don't do that by the way!). Peace.

 

last highway trip i took i went over a 100 miles before my gauge began to move. I unhooked the s/c right before this trip so maybe the computer was readjusting or someting??

 

interesting....i was under the impressiong that the gas gauege used a floater to measure the amount in the tank...i drive a 96 so i dont know...this is a guess on my part. I have noticed that i will get about 65-75 miles before my needle even goes past the F line, and then it goes down about 100 miles per quarter line incremint. This was back when i was getting kick *** gas mileage. Now im hoping to get 330 a tank. I need to get this checked out.

 

I go on business trips twice a month. I rent cars when I get to my destination. The maxima fuel gauge has the same linearity as any other. They pretty much all start slow and quicken once you get below a 1/2 tank.
There are a few cars and vans that are much worse. One that comes to mind are the GM minivans with the 3.4 liter engine. If your on the highway and the gauge indicates your below a 1/3 tank, you better get yourself to a gas station pronto.

 

i get great numbers untill half a tank and then it drops right off and gas goes quick...isnt it because the tank is funnel shaped? the top bieng big and the bottom bieng smaller?
i dont know if it has anything to do with the guage