First post from a new '04 MCS owner. Woohoo! Love the car!

Saw a thread farther down about wackiness with the fuel guage, but wasn't quite my problem. So here is a new thread. :smile:

First 1/2 of the tank (according to the gauge) I get between 100 and 120 miles or so depending on my driving. Second 1/4 of the tank, again according to the gauge, I get closer to 100 every time. After that the gauge acts more like a speedometer than a fuel gauge. I'm lucky if I can get 100 miles from the bottom half of the tank! And the low level warning light turns on at about 1/8 of a tank left.

Didn't want to deal with a 50 mile trip to the dealer unless I have to.

 

Hi Pebblecrusher. Welcome to NAM.

I'm not sure if I completely understand your question. First, the 100-120 miles in the first half is not unusual. It may be a little on the light side, depending on if your new 04mcs is broken in and how agressive you are. The second have is also not so unusual. I normally get between 240 - 280 miles on a tank before the light comes on.

The speedometer part I don't quite get. You mean the needle changes with your speed? That doesn't sound right. If you mean it moves a little as you accelerate or decelerate or go up hill/downhill, this is not unusual. The sensor may be more sensitive to fuel slushing around. I personally haven't noticed this.

Other than the speedometer part this all sound pretty normal.

 

The speedometer part was a joke on my part. :smile: The needle on the fuel gauge was moving fast, and for some reason that made me think of the speedometer. Nothing wrong with the Speedo as far as I know.

For the most part I can get about 300 miles to a tankful, and that is about when the light comes on. Mostly highway driving, and 11k miles on the odometer already.

Just seems strange that the first half of the tank is smooth while the bottom half of the tank goes so fast.

 

my mc was like that also...

i havent seen the 2nd half of my fuel guage yet on my new mcs

 

Fuel gauges are not known to be very linear. Both my MINI and my VW were a little optimistic until the gauge was at half. At that point, it would drop like a rock...

 

>>The speedometer part was a joke on my part. :smile: The needle on the fuel gauge was moving fast, and for some reason that made me think of the speedometer. Nothing wrong with the Speedo as far as I know.


sorry I guess I didn't catch that. I have to say, though. I've had many cars with much worse gauges. My last car the fuel stayed beyond F for 100 miles, then went to 3/4 in the next 100 miles and the last 100 was 3/4 to empty. The only car I've ever owned that the fuel gauge was close was a '91 BMW 5 series. It actaully listed litres left and was pretty close.

 

The 96 Dodge Avenger I had before had a very good fuel gauge. Had 2 Avengers of the same year back to back for many years, so I guess I got used to how well it showed the fuel level. Course, my very first car (81 Toyota Corolla) had a busted fuel gauge and I never fixed it. So had to judge when to fill up by the number of miles I drove. :smile:

Sounds like my fuel gauge is acting normal, even if it doesn't act right.