Aurion Fuel Tank Capacity & Low Fuel Indicator

[riftime]

Hi all,

My first post... just bought my first Toyota ever 2 weeks back, it's a Presara (black exterior, black interior). What a nice car, such a pleasure to drive. Just clicked over 1,000 kms, time to book it in for the first service.

I have a general question which I'm guessing applies to all Aurions, not just the Presara: The low fuel indicator light came on, the computer was telling me that I had about 23 kms of range remaining. I filled up, only 55L went in... I persisted, but the pump kept cutting out and in fear of overflowing and getting petrol all over myself and the car I stopped. Inside the car, the fuel indicator jumped to Full. I had a quick look at the specs, the tank is 70L capacity. If I had 15L of fuel left in the tank, why was the warning light on, and why did it think I only had 23 kms range left? There was no traffic, mostly cruising at 80km/h so the consumption was pretty low...

Does anyone know at what point the low fuel warning light comes on (i.e.: when a certain amount of fuel is left in the tank), or by some other variable trigger? Furthermore, have the Toyota engineers taken a very conservative approach, trying to scare the driver into thinking he/she is about to run out of fuel whereas in reality there's still significant fuel left? If I had 15L of fuel left, I could have easily driven at least 100 kms more, but the trip computer was saying only 23 kms.

There is one other alternative... that the pump cut off way earlier than the tank actually being filled. If that's the case, why did the fuel indicator jump all the way up (and past) the FULL indicator ? Is the last 10-20L of fuel in the tank so insignificant to the fuel indicator ?

Curious if anyone has a better understanding of the above to explain it to me.

Thank you in advance

Robert

[ME70]

Good timing Robert, I had 3km's left on my trip computer this morning before I filled up my Presara, it only took 60 litres...go figure...Toyota Conservatism once again I think..better to be on the safe side I guess, at least the gauge works unlike my VE Calais V heap of crap I once owned ...

[saintly]

once the low-fuel comes on.. u do have about 100km to go..

After doing about 80km on the hume fwy, I filled up and only managed 63ltrs.

[pinzvidz]

Hi all,

My first post... just bought my first Toyota ever 2 weeks back, it's a Presara (black exterior, black interior). What a nice car, such a pleasure to drive. Just clicked over 1,000 kms, time to book it in for the first service.

Nice buy! Thank gawd you didn't spend your extra $$$ on a glorified Sportivo TuRD Aurion.

If I had 15L of fuel left in the tank, why was the warning light on, and why did it think I only had 23 kms range left? There was no traffic, mostly cruising at 80km/h so the consumption was pretty low...

This applies top all vehicles with trip computers, not just the Aurion. The range is, and always will be, just an estimate. I've seen too many boofheads who either come into work whinging because their vehicle had run out of fuel when the range still read 40km, or the ones who come in with the range reading zero and asking why it hasn't run out of fuel.

The reason Toyota make the low fuel warning lamp (or LED) come on early, is to stop fuel pumps from being burnt out. It also covers their ar_ses as well (to a degree) when it comes to warranty repairs.

Edited January 14, 2008 by pinzvidz

[DKzr6]

Yeah, the guage is innacurate. I usually work it out myself.

I know there is 70 litres in the tank when full. I check my avg usage on the trip computer, if its less than 10l/100 (its usually between 8.9 - 9.3l/100) i drive 700km before refueling. The distance to go says 0 around 600, but i take it to 700 no probs. (this still leaves 5 litres in the tank.. always)

If my avg is over 10 (sometimes i push it, or i get stuck in bad traffic) i full up after 650km.

Don't really rely on the guage too much. I reset the trip meter each time i fill up and just do 700km

[saintly]

Yeah, the guage is innacurate. I usually work it out myself.

I know there is 70 litres in the tank when full. I check my avg usage on the trip computer, if its less than 10l/100 (its usually between 8.9 - 9.3l/100) i drive 700km before refueling. The distance to go says 0 around 600, but i take it to 700 no probs. (this still leaves 5 litres in the tank.. always)

If my avg is over 10 (sometimes i push it, or i get stuck in bad traffic) i full up after 650km.

Don't really rely on the guage too much. I reset the trip meter each time i fill up and just do 700km

the trip meter reset is a good thing after a fill up, i do it all the time just to remind myself how many kms i've done. I've been filling up around 600 sometimes alittle less.

[NIKICH]

Yeah, the guage is innacurate. I usually work it out myself.

I know there is 70 litres in the tank when full. I check my avg usage on the trip computer, if its less than 10l/100 (its usually between 8.9 - 9.3l/100) i drive 700km before refueling. The distance to go says 0 around 600, but i take it to 700 no probs. (this still leaves 5 litres in the tank.. always)

If my avg is over 10 (sometimes i push it, or i get stuck in bad traffic) i full up after 650km.

Don't really rely on the guage too much. I reset the trip meter each time i fill up and just do 700km

I think that your 700km should only be a guide, there are too many variables to consider such as type of driving (heavy or light foot), road type(freeway or city) and road condition.

[DKzr6]

Yeah, the guage is innacurate. I usually work it out myself.

I know there is 70 litres in the tank when full. I check my avg usage on the trip computer, if its less than 10l/100 (its usually between 8.9 - 9.3l/100) i drive 700km before refueling. The distance to go says 0 around 600, but i take it to 700 no probs. (this still leaves 5 litres in the tank.. always)

If my avg is over 10 (sometimes i push it, or i get stuck in bad traffic) i full up after 650km.

Don't really rely on the guage too much. I reset the trip meter each time i fill up and just do 700km

I think that your 700km should only be a guide, there are too many variables to consider such as type of driving (heavy or light foot), road type(freeway or city) and road condition.

Thats why i look at the average consumption. It gives me a guide as to how i have been driving my car since i last filled it up. I've done 22,000km now and not once have i run out of fuel.

[beaves]

I can't get the average per 100km's lower than 11.5lts

I don't know what the go is with that. I use premium fuel as well.

[riftime]

I can't get the average per 100km's lower than 11.5lts

I don't know what the go is with that. I use premium fuel as well.

Anything particular about the driving conditions? Such as heavy loads, heavy traffic, average speed being less than ~30 km/h? How many kms has your car done? I've been driving it hard (in sports mode) the last two days, consumption is at 9.5 L/100kms, but some of it was freeway. Do you feel the gears changing all the way to 6, and revs begin low in normal driving mode? Sorry about the silly question, but is the hand/foot brake disabled ? ;)

[riftime]

I've been driving it hard (in sports mode) the last two days, consumption is at 9.5 L/100kms, but some of it was freeway.

... oh, and I used standard unleaded. However, I have noticed that if I only had short trips, traffic mostly, mine too was hovering around 11.5 - 12.0.

[beaves]

it has been hot up here recently so the aircon has been on a bit, and it only takes 10 mins to get to work, i think they are the main factors. I filled it up today and i am going to drive like miss daisy for the next week and a bit and see what i can get. I think the hot humid air wouldn't be exactly great for combustion though, may be a big factor in the average fuel consumption I am getting.

[Soloman]

I dont think the heat is too much of a factor..Up here in Darwin i get about 11l per 100kms for city driving.. If i go down the highway i get under 9l per 100ks