My wife just called me and said the mini stopped running on a bridge on the way home!!! I had told her to get gas after she dropped me off from work, because the computer said there was about 22 miles range left on the tank of gas (our first tank of gas from the dealer btw). On the downhill slope (she said 5-10% grade) the car "lost power" and then stopped running. She says the computer indicates 17mi range left on the tank (she didnt get gas ), so I'm assuming (hoping) the angle is starving the pump?! Her friend is coming by with some gas, so Ill post the results after they put some back in the tank.

-Jake

 

Hey,

Hate to be a critic, but tell the SO that 17 miles range = less than 1/10 what the MINI should carry, and is BELOW the reserve level of approximately 1.5 gallons. I got mine down to 21 or 18, but knew I was tempting fate, and promptly filled the dang thing. Considering that my range when full (MCS/JCW) is over 330 miles, that's a whopping 5% of my usual gas capacity. Ouch!

Okay, climbing off the soapbox now. Let's hear it for AAA/understanding friends.

Hope nothing untoward happened to the MINI. Might call local Service Dept. (again!) and ask if they feel a check is needed, since it just got driven 'til it ran dry.

Cheers,
Matthew Z.

 

Turned out to be a gas sensor on one half of the gas tank. Replaced under warranntee..... much better now....

matt

 

I would venture to say the majority of the car owning public run their gas tank down to nearly empty before filling it. I would say its mostly increased in number with gas at the prices it is currently.

As far as the problem at hand. I've gotten the range down to going from 0-1 mile. Not something I'd suggest but hey, I'd say its something most people do. Doesn't make it right or wrong. In the end, I'd say you're right, it was the incline starving the engine more than the computer being wrong.

 

Well...her friends stopped by, and filled the car up with some gas (not sure of the amount) and it got the car upto a 27mi range. She said it started up, and then she drove straight to a gas station and put in $32 Even though the comp. said 17, Id be willing to bet it was running on fumes.

*note to self*

 

Hope this isn't a thread-jacking in progress - I hate those

Is there any way I can get into my gas tank to check where the sensor is? I know I'd have to lift it, but I'd like to make sure this doesn't happen to me. How much work do you think it would require? Could I relocate the sensor (if necessary) within an hour or two?

 

I've run my '02 Cooper range down to 0 once and into the low single digits a number of times without any difficulty and the most gas it ever took - even at 0 miles - was 12.8 gallons. On a 13.2 gallon tank, that means I had almost 1/2 gallon left! Still, I wouldn't recommend making that a habit. It does, however, make some otherwise boring commutes rather exhilirating!

As for accessing the sensor, I'm not sure, but I know to replace the pump you go in through an access panel under the rear seats.

 

Not to be a smart a$$, but you think you know of a better place to put it than MINI does?? Run the tank down to less than a gallon, and there's no way it can compensate for every angle. If you don't want to run out of gas, refill when it gets to 'E'.
Dr. Obnxs' situation would only be relevant if the computer was giving you false readings. This should be readily apparent (no offense, Matt ) by comparing mileage vs. observed tank level/OBC range reading. (OBC says I have a range of ~400 miles. I never go much past 350.)

 

Just a little information about the in-tank fuel pump. The in-tank fuel pumps use the fuel to cool the pumps as they run at fairly high pressure and generate some heat. When you run your fuel very low the pump works extra hard to maintain pressure for the fuel injection system because as the fuel sloshes about in the tank sometimes the pump draws air until the fuel sloshes back over the pickup. Without the fuel to cool the pump it can overheat and shorten the pump life.

I try to make it a practice to refill as I approach 1/4 full. My first vehicle with fuel injection and an in-tank pump went thru four pumps in 120,000 miles until I was told the cause by a mechanic. My next vehicle, same brand and engine, worked much better useing the refill at 1/4 full practise. Same pump lasted the whole time.

 

As I understand the low fuel situation,when the sensor is sending a really low reading,the computer shuts the car down,rather than if accually running dry.

One,so that the fuel pump does not overheat.But more importantly,it is not good to run the injectors dry,and if they did go dry,it would probably take awhile to restart the car.

I find the price of gas thing somewhat baffling.Chances are the price will be higher the longer you goI do 500-600 miles every week,I fill the car twice a week,between 1/4 to 1/2 a tank.Have seen the warning light 2 or 3 times in 45,000 miles.

Plus the crud in the tank is not diluted as much if you run the tank down all the time,harder on the pump,and the injectors.You also get more condensation in a low tank,so more water is running through the system.

 

ha, my car never goes below 1/2 tank. for some reason, like most cars, "the bottom half of my tank is smaller" so it seems like i get better gas mileage when i leave it at over 1/2 tank......guess its one of those mental things, just keeps me assured i'm getting good gas mileage.

 

Trusting the computer you have about 22 miles range left is like taking the words of a dying person that he will last another 22 hours.

There are many variables that can throw this calculation way off. I believe the MINI OBC estimates the fuel consumption base on the cummulated on-time duty cycles of the fuel injectors as opposed to with a fuel flow sensor.

 

I went 280KMs[174 miles]today on the first 1/4 since my last fill on Sunday,I love that first 1/4 tank
Mind you I had to go into the city taking a route that 1/2 the way the posted limit is only 50 MPH,with lots of mounties lurking.
Normal is 240KMs[149 miles] on the first 1/4,averaging 70-75MPH.

 

I've gotten the OBC down do 0 miles to empty once. I was going uphill - on the downhill it went back up to 10 or so miles. When I filled the tank a few minutes later, it took 13.4 gallons!

 

It only was an offset, the range didn't change noticably before or after the fix. Neither did it's accuracy (crappy, at best, since new).

But after the fix, I have nervously gone into single digit mile ranges. And I've gotten well over 12.5 gal ( a bit over 13 is the record so far for me!) on a fill up.

Matt