Discrepancy Between Owner's Manual 18.5 Gallon Fuel Capacity And T

[adriette]

The owner's manual for the 2011 ES350 lists 18.5 gallons as the maximum fuel capacity. However, the most I can ever pump into the car is 14 gallons. There is no way 4.5 gallons can be held in the lines, and not the tank itself. The dealership cannot explain it, and tells me that is just the way it is, but I do not believe it. Does anyone else have this issue?

[TomB275]

If the evaporative emission system is defective the tank can be partially collapsed from the vacuum and reduce the tank capacity. (I've seen it but it is rare.)

More likely, you still have 4.5 gallons left in the tank. Even when the miles remaining is zero OEMs design for some fuel left in the tank. It's hard to get the tank sending units to be absolitely precise with complex molded plastic tanks. I knew a guy who regularly ran 10 miles below zero before filling up...just because he could.

[KBRX330]

You still have 4 gallons when your fuel guage reads E

[dewana421]

I ran my car to 50miles after the fuel light came on. It was still running but I decided not to push it anymore and pumped gas. It does have a lot of gas even after the light comes on.