New Avensis fuel light and gauge

[Carl1983]

Hi

ive recently purchased a new avensis 2.0 d4d and I think there is an issue with the fuel gauage. Last week the fuel light came on around 380 miles which I thought was abit too soon compared to my last 2 avensis . Anyway I continued onto just over 400 miles at this point the fuel needle was pretty much on the red. I brimmed the tank so I could see the fuel and I only managed to get 45 litres in so around 20 litres left. Ive read on here that people mention the fuel light comes on early but over 20 litres left??? Really??

ive spoken to Toyota and it's going in this week for investigation. Surely the needle shouldn't read pretty much empty when I have nearly a third of a tank left?

thanks

carl

[HartmannX]

Its pretty normal, one off the reasons is how the BMW fuels system is set up. One of the things is how the fuel gets cooled down to normal operating temperature.

[Heidfirst]

3 hours ago, Carl1983 said:

Last week the fuel light came on around 380 miles which I thought was abit too soon compared to my last 2 avensis . Anyway I continued onto just over 400 miles at this point the fuel needle was pretty much on the red. I brimmed the tank so I could see the fuel and I only managed to get 45 litres in so around 20 litres left. Ive read on here that people mention the fuel light comes on early but over 20 litres left??? Really??

As you know from previous Avensis ownership traditionally the range counts down to a "reserve" rather than empty. On older Avensis this "reserve" typically was ~9 litres. However, there a no. of threads though like yours on here with newer Avensis & a similar issue to yours - it seems that Toyota made a change probably somewhere around 2014/15 ( facelift?).

I am not sure that it only happens on diesels or even Avensis only - I have found posts similar to this re. American Toyotas so it may be a more general policy change.

[FROSTYBALLS]

See 

 

[Carl1983]

Hi

thanks for the replys people. I'll see what Toyota say when it goes in. They said it doesn't sound right on the phone. 

I know Toyota like to make people panic to put fuel in but wow, over 20 litres and the light comes on is rediculous. It's cutting my range a lot, not a happy bunny 

[revband]

Yes it's true, mine is just the same, also others with the new model have complained, Toyota say that's the way they make it, I personally agree it's ridiculous.

[Parts-King]

I can never understand the fascination of "Range" Why on earth would you panic over the range, and worry about what "might" be left in the tank when the light comes on? When the gauge gets low, just put some bally fuel in the thing!!

 

[Carl1983]

15 minutes ago, Parts-King said:

I can never understand the fascination of "Range" Why on earth would you panic over the range, and worry about what "might" be left in the tank when the light comes on? When the gauge gets low, just put some bally fuel in the thing!!

 

Because when you do 250 miles a week like myself, the stupid thing is telling me I can't do 2 weeks worth of driving. Perhaps if you lived with one you'd understand, no offence like 

[revband]

It is a pain in the butt for me, I tow a caravan to southern France and back twice a year using non autoroute, mostly French filling stations are at supermarkets and to get in with a caravan hitched is almost impossible, using the tank of fuel on older models gave me a full days towing and a visit to the supermarket after siting the van was in order, now I either have to calculate how far I dare go after the light is on or stop on the way and unhitch the van to fill up.

Silly idea when the light comes on with a third of a tank left in.

 

[Parts-King]

14 hours ago, Carl1983 said:

. Perhaps if you lived with one you'd understand, no offence like 

Non taken, so why mention it?

I do best part of 300 a week, I look at the gauge and go, oh, I have a quarter tank, now that's not gonna last another week, best fill it up today or tomorrow, job done, no drama  

[Carl1983]

25 minutes ago, Parts-King said:

Non taken, so why mention it?

I do best part of 300 a week, I look at the gauge and go, oh, I have a quarter tank, now that's not gonna last another week, best fill it up today or tomorrow, job done, no drama  

Wow.... my 2013 tourer would do just over 2 weeks on a tank. Surely you can appreciate now going the pump every week when it's the SAME tank and doing the SAME MPG is abit annoying !!! especially as I live in the country so not a major brand near by. 

 

[Parts-King]

Well yes it is annoying but you know how many miles you do and how many days it will last you. I just don't get this thing about relying on "range" sorry, you use fuel and it needs replacing, just do it based on what the gauge says, why see what the range says, especially as everybody moans as to its accuracy 

 

[Cyker]

I think they give you a lot of extra leeway on diesels because you do NOT want to run out of fuel in a diesel. If air gets into the fuel lines you need to re-prime the whole system or risk injector damage.

Personally, I think having such a big buffer is very reassuring.
When mine hits the final flashing block (I have a digital fuel gauge), I know I need to refuel but don't need to do so immediately and can finish what I'm doing and do so when convenient.

Unlike, say, my old !Removed! Fiesta, where if the needle got anywhere near the bottom I'd be like OHCRAPOHCRAPOHCRAPWHERE'SAPETROLSTATION because I'd have less than 10 miles to find one before the engine would stop working, and usually in some random countryside road where I didn't know where anything was.

This is one of the big hangups I have with electric cars too... the Leaf and i3 have less range than my Yaris does on its 'empty' so I feel I'd be in a permanent state of range anxiety!

[Carl1983]

12 minutes ago, Parts-King said:

Well yes it is annoying but you know how many miles you do and how many days it will last you. I just don't get this thing about relying on "range" sorry, you use fuel and it needs replacing, just do it based on what the gauge says, why see what the range says, especially as everybody moans as to its accuracy 

 

I couldn't give a monkeys what the range says that's why I'm so annoyed. It's the gauge that's wrong telling me it's pretty much bone dry and there is 20 litres left. I never reply and range and never will it's aload of rubbish just like Toyota's new fuel gauges 

[Parts-King]

You can't please everyone ;) 

 

[yossarian247]

Surely the answer is, just fill the reserve portion of the tank up with pebbles, then the gauge, fuel light and range display will be bang-on accurate 

[alan333]

What a rediculous suggestion yossarian247 - everybody knows that only works in The Flintstones.  Now if you were to say you can drive through a painted on tunnel, that would be believeable ;)

[Alan1234]

Hi I drive a 2.2 2012 avensis estate and I can only get 47 litres in when driven for awhile with the fuel light on the wifes gets 45 mpg on the average mph guage which is about 400-450 a tank on a run it gets upto 600 miles per tank on gentle drive 55-59 mpg on the average mpg trip meter . Now I hate to say this but it maybe the way your driving it . To get the range you want I do think you have to drive like a saint . I personally think Toyota won't have the answer you hope to hear . I personally feel the reserve is set a bit on the idiot prove side . Until my wife regularly took our old focus down to 5 miles left to run out . Now I think it's a god send as to say lol good luck anyway let's us know what Toyota garage say .

[bigpace]

I took this up with Toyota customers services and after some pressing they admitted that the design of the fuel tank had changed with the latest model.   It's really annoying but there is nothing that can be done about it.    Toyota have been a bit sneaky; the latest manual still stays the reserve is 9L

Would be interested in how you get on with your local dealership - don't get you hopes up though

 

[HartmannX]

Like i said earlier, it is normal....