On my way home from work yesterday, had just picked up some dinner for the pregnant wife. Car was showing two red carrots on the gas gauge and 50-odd miles on the range. I'm about 1-2 miles from home, so I decide to go ahead and take the food home, then get gas first thing when I next leave the house. Pass a gas station, stop at a light... Car chugs to a stop. Cranks, but won't start. Push it around the corner to get it off the main drag.

Go buy a gas can and a gallon of premium, add it to the tank (spilling some down the side and onto the plastic wheel arch - I can only hope I can clean that up). Still won't fire. Call MINI roadside assistance and wait in the 100 degree heat for a tow to the dealer.

Get the car checked in, loaner checked out (MCS auto - but the auto's a horror story for another thread). Walk past the tow truck driver on the way out, who informs me that the car started when on the flatbed and angled back to pull it off - guessing the pick up for the fuel is in the back of the tank.

So I've checked the other threads and apparently fuel gauge inaccuracy is pretty typical on these, though dead empty with two notches left on the belt seems higher than most. My questions to the group:

- Is anything likely to have been damaged by running out of fuel or trying a number of times to start it when empty?

- Would you have the replace the sending unit for the gas gauge under warranty, or just watch the number of miles on the trip odometer a little closer? I'm hesitant to have them tear into the car to "fix" something that probably still won't be entirely right and for which there's a workaround.

 

Easy to access sending unit which is mounted in the tank under the back seat. If under warranty would makes sense to have them take care of it now.

But I wonder if the data from the tank's sending unit can be reset to another value at the guage like they do with the tachometer's redline.

No, never heard of any extensive damage from running out of gas...some say it could damage fuel pumps ingesting contaminents from the tank and lack of cooling, but doubtful you will have any issues unless you sat there cranking away for 30 mins.

 

One thing I have learned on NAM is that when you get down to two bars showing you really need to get your gas tank filled.

I either get gas when down to two bars showing or when I hit 400 miles on a trip. I never ever let it go past either.

My Corvette gas gage was off way farther then this Mini gage. It used to stick and I never knew how much gas was left in the tanks. I had to use Techron to free up the fuel gage bobbers. It was a big problem with a lot of C5 Corvettes.

 

My OBC has gone below 20 miles-to-go a few times. So far so good.

 

my wife has brought me gas twice... she said their won't be a third time

 

Thanks for the input. From what I've read there's no recalibrating the fuel gauge other than by replacing the sending unit, but that could be inaccurate. Beyond getting stranded I'm not all that worried about the fuel pump since it's under warranty for several more years. Contaminants shouldn't be a big issue - car's only two months old with 30xx miles on it, hasn't had time to pick up much beyond what would have been in the tank from the factory.

Haven't heard back from them yet - seeming more likely by the minute I won't until Monday... Will see what they say and go from there. If they can't do anything about the gauge and don't volunteer the sender I'll probably go ahead and push them on it since it's non-invasive. Likely couldn't hurt anything.

 

Dealer in Annapolis told me top NEVER go below 4 bars. It is just their bad design. I fill up at about 320 to 350 miles and use the odometer rather than the gauge. Not only do you not want to run out, but you don't want to suck air or not have enough gas to cool the pump. Again, all bad design. Not unique to Mini, BMW does this on all their cars.

It would be possible to build a signal conditioner to go between the sender and gauge. Someday I may consider it.

 

I am having a similar issue, I started a thread on the 15th hoping people would give input, but only got 1 response. My problem is that when I fill my tank, the gas guage gives an inaccurate reading. Sometimes it shows half tank, right after filling up. So for now I just go by mileage to know when I should fill up. This has happened on my last two fill ups, so we'll see what the next one brings.

 

I find my gauge highly accurate...

I know it's a no-no, but I routinely run my tank down to nearly nothing...usually till only one red petal on the gauge showing, and sometimes no petals are showing when I make it to the pump. I've had the OBC countdown past 0 miles numerous times...never have I run out.

 

Same here..I've been running my R56 past zero almost every tank for 110k and have never run out of gas. I did drop my tank a few years back while the OBC was on zero and found a gallon still in the tank.

 

you can try some Techron.... I had a SLK that had the sending unit replace 3 X's and my Vette would also have the hanging gauge problem now I use techron from time to time and the issues have gone away... maybe switch off on Gas brands too

 

It is a fact that C5 Corvettes always had a sticking problem with the gas gage. The fix for them was to add some "TECHRON" to the tank every now & then. Getting the bober in the tank replaced was OK but the new one would start to stick too. STP total fuel system cleaner also works.

I have not had a problem yet but if I do I will just start adding "TECHRON" to my gas. I use gas from SAM"s Club most of the time but if I fill up away from home I use Chevron or Texaco that has "Techron" in it.

I think it is caused by the F%#*ING stupid ethonal in the gas. Corn clogs up people so why not engines.

 

Use only Top Tier Premium Gas. Sure, most gasoline comes from the same refinery within your area, but the top tier have better detergents than the off brands like Costco, Meijer, etc.

For the most part I have only used Shell and never had any problems on my previous car (02 Accord-Regular Fuel) or with my current MINI using Premium (knock on wood).

 

Ummm if your OBC goes past 0 wouldnt your gauge still be inaccurate just not in the way that will screw you?!?


I ran out of gas once (not in the MC). Husband was convinced the low gas light was working, I was convinced it wasnt so we tested it. Fortunately we were close to a friend's house...who was home...and had a gallon of gas for us to use. Best way to run out of gas!

 

Funny how the FULL carrot lasts for 80 miles and starts to drop quickly. The fuel gauge is an inaccurate indication of what's in the tank. Never depend on it.

 

Know your vehicle. My MC took 50 litres (a full tank) with zero bars left. My MCS takes 50 litres with two bars left. Now that I know that two bars on the MCS is effectively empty, I can act accordingly.

 

Complain to the NHTSA BMW just recalled a bunch of 5 series for this very same issue. I have seen quite a few complaints here, and of course, your car should still be driving when you hit zero miles remaining. That is a very big defect!

 

I believe the tanks are different sizes, with the MCS being larger.

 

Both cars have the same 50 liter tanks.

 

I put in 10 to 11 gallons (US) with 4 bars lit. So 40 or so liters out of the available 50 ( 13.2 gallons) I never go over 350 miles, but it is nice to know I should be able to make 390 before dieing.

 

I also have two harleys... my electraglide has a gas gauge that is very accurate and seems to work very good, my fatboy has a gauge that may show full, empty or anywhere in between.. I use the odometers on both and know how far they each can go

 

Thanks for the input, folks... Good news is I've got my car back and everything seems fine. Bad news is that they didn't do anything to actually fix the problem.

Explanation I was given involved the shape of the tank, the lack of calibration on the gauge and the fact that the computer diagnostics didn't show any problems.

I just e-mailed the service manager offering my thoughts on this.
Seems to me the most likely culprit would be poorly designed or manufactured fuel level sensors... But I await his reply.

 

Thanks, I'll have to try that. But would I need to use this on such a new car? I only have 5900 miles on it.

 

won't hurt, my understanding is something to due with sulfur content in fuel and it was more of an issue on the east coast and we are both here...

 

I had trouble with the SLK very early on... 50K bumper to Bumper warranty and when it was up, I sent it on it way... the most problematic car I ever owned