two things i want to ask/tell here... first ill tell

I read in a few posts people saying the computer MPG reading is usually off by 1 or 2 mpg. I just want to clarify that the one in my 04 SE max is dead on accurate. i filled up after driving it with the E light on for about 10-15 miles. when it got to the light, i did another 15 miles, and was at 260 miles on the trip meter. which calculates to about 16.25 mpg because it took 16ish gallons to fill up from that point last time. the fuel economy calculator on the computer read 16.2.... very accurate if u ask me.
*EDIT* oh and yes, i drive like an animal in NYC, hence my ****ttttty gas milage, i drove nice last night and got 25mpg *EDIT*

now the other part of this post..... invoice says 20 gallon tank..... it took me only 16 - 16.5 the most to top off from the empty light being on after 15 miles (i was below the line on E).

does this mean theres a 3.5-4 gallon reserve when u get to that line, or what?

i can really test by running my car to empty, but i dont wanna do that lol..... just wondering if anyone knows.

 

I do believe I read somewhere about a 3 gallon reserve. I have a couple questions for you though, do you live in NYC proper or on LI or in NJ or Westchester somewhere, and if not do you have a garage or do you park in the street with a prayer? I use to keep cars till the wheels about fall off while living there, and even then they got no respect. The thought of driving any of my new cars up there gives me nightmares.

 

please dont remind me


my 01 max's bumper showed the signs of new york.... u cant have anything nice here lol


i live in the bronx (no not the ghetto lol), i guess u can call it nyc proper since its one of the 5 boroughs that make up NYC, but anyway - i park my car in my driveway. i do have a garage around the block but i am too lazy to go walk there every morning since i am always running late.


but yea, im very careful where i park, otherwiseeeeeeeee shopping cart into the door, license plate screws on my bumper, ect. ect. all which have happened to my 01 max.

 

I live in nyc and pay 238 a month for a spot in a 24 hour attended garage!

 

I agree, fixxxer. I've also read about the "inaccurate" computer readout of mileage. Mine is usually within a couple of tenths compared to miles divided by gallons, but that's because you never fill the tank exactly to the same point anyway.

Know what I think it is? I don't think some of these guys know to clear the readings before checking the next tankful. So what they're getting is a running average of all their tanks of gas ... that would explain why their calculations are different from the computer reading. Yes, I know that sounds silly, but I've run into that on one of those other forums!

Mike

 

HOw do you reset the reading?

 

Press and hold the "econ" button (the one you press to check your mileage) for a second or two ... it will clear the readings and replace them with "**". Then it'll start recalculating your mileage on the new tank of gas.

Mike

 

Thanks. do you have the xm in yours hooked up

 

I agree with Mike. I've come to believe that the computer gives me a better reading of mileage than I can calculate -- because "you never fill the tank exactly to the same point." I came to this conclusion by averaging the calculated mileage over a number of tanks (helps to eliminate the inconsistent fill porblem) and comparing that with the average from the computer. They were very close.

 

If you mean satellite radio, the answer is no. I'm one of those people who think radio should be free, and I ain't about to pay someone 20 bux a month just so I can listen to one station coast-to-coast.

Mike

 

Just wanted to drop my $0.02 here. My 02 Altima's computer is rarely within 1.5 mpg or less of calculated mielage (miles driven/gallons). I reset it every time I fill the tank and I always fill the tank to the point the pump turns itself off...while I understand it will not always fill the tank to the same level exactly to the ounce I have a hard time thinking that it would vary by more than maybe a quart at best...which is not going to be enough to offset a 1.5 mpg variance.

Also, to Fixxer, my car has a 20 gallon tank as well...light comes on with a solid 4 gallons left in the tank, trip meter DTE readout starts blinking with 2-2.5 gallons left. I have put almost 21 gallons in on a hit summer's day so I'm inclined to think that there is even more than a 20 gallon tank with a 10% heat expansion capacity.

 

I have been accurately tracking my mileage and have foudn that the actual vs reported MPG varies from -.7% (under reports mileage) to +6% (over reports mileage). I can post my data if anyone cares.

 

You don't fill to the same spot each time? How much imprecision is there in topping off the tank if you use the same pump each time? It seems it should be extremely close, shouldn't it?

 

Bad idea to run until empty. Fuel pump wears out faster. (One of the failure items that will leave you stranded).

 

What exactly happens to the fuel pump just running the tank to empty?

 

Why not leave the trip computer and calculate your mileage over a longer period of time? Figure out how much gas you use in a month, the total mileage, and get your MPG. Compare that to the computer--doing it any other way is probably just too inaccurate anyway.

PS, five hours from the nearest 'major' center, and I get at least 28mpg at about 75 on the highway. Slow it down a bit and I get over 34. Not too shabby.