Is250awd Gas Warning Light

lex250awd · October 13, 2006

Hey guys!

I have had my 2007 IS250AWD for over a month now and have noticed a very interesting discouvery with regards to the amount of fuel left after the gas light comes on. I decided to test the mileage after the gas light comes on and watch the display for the number of miles left to empty. I kept driving close to a local gas station and when the display showed 10 miles left I got filled up.

Now this is what is interesting. The gas tank can hold 17.2 gallons according to the specifications and I could only put 14.8 gallons in the tank. It's hard to believe that I still had about 2 1/2 gallons left. What do you guys think? Is this normal?

Thank you for your input!

Rx330driver · October 13, 2006

i believe lexus makes a reserve tank of 2 gallons. dont turst the "how many miles you can drive more" from the car, it is an estimate. for all you know, it can run more than the 10 miles it said, or it could have run less.

also, try to fill it up before it reaches a quarter, because i hear things are in the tank that you dont want in the pipes.

bartkat · October 13, 2006

The tank average mileage usually reads on the low side as well. I find it to be around 0.5 MPG or so lower than what I get by actual measure at fill up.

And yes, most cars have around 2 gallons left when the low fuel light comes on. The miles to go reading is a safe side estimate.

steviej · October 14, 2006

My 02 ES usually has between 1.5 and 2 gallons of gas when I the idiot light comes on. It is designed to do that.

Another reason for the "reserve" is to protect the fuel pump. The gasoline in the tank acts as a cooling medium for the pump. A good rule of thumb is to never let the car go below 1/4 of a tank.

steviej

lexon · October 19, 2006

On a few occasions I have driven 5 miles beyound the "0" miles left. It is based on you're average driving since the last time you filled up the gas tank.

lex250awd · October 19, 2006

On a few occasions I have driven 5 miles beyound the "0" miles left. It is based on you're average driving since the last time you filled up the gas tank.

Hmmmm! That is the mistery. If you fill up and put in 14.2 gallons with a 17.2 gallon tank then there must be about 3 gallons left on average. The main surprise to me is that I sold a Honda Accord V6XLE and the tank average was always within 20-30 miles and the Lexus is not even close.

seohenning · November 20, 2006

I thought the same thing today. I filled up today on my way to work and had 6 miles left on the "estimate ticker" I filled her up - total of 15gal. I would guess the reserve tank is 2 Gal and you could probably drive a good 40 miles past 0... though I wouldn't want to be the first one to test that theory.

larry chester · November 23, 2006

Gentlemen, we have unanimity. I ran my car home today in rush hour traffic, watching my Miles to Go all the way. I got to the gas station with 3 miles to go. Pretty close. Fill up? 14.8 gallons.

So, there were 2.4 gallons left in the tank. Enough to go another 48 miles, or there abouts. Now, I'm not suggesting it, but Lexus probably designed the extra in it so that "idiots" who didn't pay attention and suddenly realized (while they were on the highway cruzzin along to their tunes) that they were at 5 miles to Zero, and were also 15 miles to the next exit wouldn't need to call AAA.

larry

terry993 · November 24, 2006

Stopped for gas just after the display read 0 miles. Took 15.6 gals to fill it to the brim.

Sleepyk · November 27, 2006

Stopped for gas just after the display read 0 miles. Took 15.6 gals to fill it to the brim.

Just took a long weekend trip to the coast. Got back home to my regular gas station with an estimated 4 miles showing on the range meter (with average trip mileage at 27.8 MPG). Car only took 14.95 gallons. Looks like we're all getting the exact same data. Definitely a bit over-conservative, but I'd rather have it that way than too optomistic.