How Many Miles After Fuel Warning Light Comes On?

[stuzbot]

I know that's a bit of a "How long is a piece of string?" question. But roughly how much juice is left in the tank after the orange fuel warning light comes on?

Mine came on yesterday on the way to collect the missus from work. Only 4 miles there and back, but up lots of steep, narrow, windy country lanes. So the engine was working quite hard and I was worried about the fuel pickup sucking up some crud, due to the sloshing of the nearly empty tank, with all that twisty driving.

After getting to her work and home, the nearest garage is in Hexham [10 miles away]. I thought Toyota would probably have given us enough leeway to get there too, after a fuel warning. But I thought the engine smelled like it was running a bit hotter than normal [sucking up dirty fuel in the bottom of the tank, or just struggling slightly with a less than ideal feed?]. So I erred on the side of caution and took the van to Hexham instead and brought back a jerrican full of diesel for the Collie.

 

[Shayne]

I start worrying when its been on for about 30 miles

 

[AndyCook]

When I fitted long range fuel tank to my Hilux I had to remove fuel pickup, snd fit I to new tank, and the inlet was right on bottom of both tanks, so I’m not sure I believe the “pick crud“ up from bottom of tank anymore.

 

[AdventureWagon]

When my main tank warning light comes on it will take about 75l. It's a 90l tank so I would guess about 15l is the warning point. For my petrol that would be about 90km more distance I'm guessing on the diesel that would be more.

 

[nick_the_fish]

I've got a 100l main tank and can normally only get 80 - 85l in so there is a good 15 - 20 litres in the tank left, which is kinda stupid because I've stopped worrying when it comes on, therefore negating the point of having the light come on in the first place.

Luckily there's normally a bit in the subtask if the main tank did run dry.

Also, if you'r worried about picking up crud, the fuel filters will to it getting to the engine, and there should be a strainer on the pick-up to stop it getting into the line, so I wouldn't worry too much

 

[RC150]

You'll hear the whine of the fuel pump when you're getting really close but ~35mi has never been a problem in my 150.

 

[Bob]

I often leave work on the orange light and drive home, then stop for diesel on my way back to work the next day.. I live 41 miles from work and 12 miles from the pump... these things have a huge reserve, somewhere around 18 litres by my reckoning.. so in theory 115 miles or so... I wouldn't chance that much though..

 

[AdventureWagon]

I don't know how you guys can do it! Only seen the fuel light in my Prado because of the sub tank being full and in my Lancer I've never seen the fuel light in 12 yrs we've had the car!!!

 

[RichC4]

I've had 46 litres into a 50 litre tank on my car, and that was with the light on for ages and the gauge off the bottom. It's quite hard to run out unless you just pay no attention at all.

 

[SteveJB]

I have managed to put a 100 litres in my tank and the needle was sill a shade off the empty mark but was crapping it a bit and left 20 litres in the shed back home just incase I ran out so I put meself forwards for a Muppet award

 

[stuzbot]

Cheers all for the encouraging anecdotes. It looks like my worries were misplaced and my thinking the engine smelled a bit hotter than usual, when I pulled up at home, was probably whatever the opposite of 'wishful thinking' is.