Fuel Gauge oddness

[Dizeee]

I am noticing my fuel gauge hangs on at 2 bars for ages, then all of a sudden on the turn of a new ignition the gauge shows empty with a flashing block.

 

I can't remember if there is 2 readings for empty, isn't one a flashing block and then after that you get a faster flashing block / no block at all? Any else have this sudden "empty" occur where it goes from 2 blocks to nothing overnight?

[PCM]

... I don't know, but being such a small tank, when it gets to 3 bars, I fill-up.

[DerekHa]

On 12/15/2022 at 2:22 PM, Dizeee said:

I am noticing my fuel gauge hangs on at 2 bars for ages, then all of a sudden on the turn of a new ignition the gauge shows empty with a flashing block.

 

I can't remember if there is 2 readings for empty, isn't one a flashing block and then after that you get a faster flashing block / no block at all? Any else have this sudden "empty" occur where it goes from 2 blocks to nothing overnight?

Hi Dizeee,

I've never owned an IQ or driven one but have owned many vehicle over many years.

What you  describe is nothing unusual. Have had cars in the past where the fuel gauge always seemed to hang at full and then drop fairly slowly and at certain points the gauge would suddenly start to drop. I believe that it's due to manufactures making the best use of space they have available for the fuel tank and as a result the tanks have irregular shapes which will give the impression your fuel is being used quicker than normal, especial at the lower levels. There's always a reserve in the tank even after the gauge and trip computer tell you your out of fuel. Best not to rely on the reserve and fill up as normal.

 

[Cyker]

On 12/15/2022 at 2:22 PM, Dizeee said:

I am noticing my fuel gauge hangs on at 2 bars for ages, then all of a sudden on the turn of a new ignition the gauge shows empty with a flashing block.

 

I can't remember if there is 2 readings for empty, isn't one a flashing block and then after that you get a faster flashing block / no block at all? Any else have this sudden "empty" occur where it goes from 2 blocks to nothing overnight?

I noticed that in my Mk2 as well, but the gauge in that was just generally unhelpful.

The first 2 blocks (Out of 8, so a quarter) actually represented half the tank! I remember when I first got it I was dead impressed it seemingly managed to do 200 miles on a quarter of a tank, only to be shocked when the next 2 blocks did just over 100 miles and the last 4 blocks covered maybe 80!   

The tank display definitely has some weird update lag, as I've also found it 'settled' over night and would sometimes show one block lower than I parked up with, but this seems to be normal behaviour. I guess if you're right on the cusp of going down a block it doesn't always update immediately.

I've never run it down to no-block at all, so I don't even know if that's a thing (I suspect it isn't...), but I think there is a slower flashing and a faster flashing. Then again that might just be in my head as I usually refuel at 2 blocks remaining - I've only ever once run it so low it might have started faster flashing, but my perception of it flashing faster might have just been my range anxiety  

 

[davidif]

On 12/15/2022 at 2:22 PM, Dizeee said:

I am noticing my fuel gauge hangs on at 2 bars for ages, then all of a sudden on the turn of a new ignition the gauge shows empty with a flashing block.

 

I can't remember if there is 2 readings for empty, isn't one a flashing block and then after that you get a faster flashing block / no block at all? Any else have this sudden "empty" occur where it goes from 2 blocks to nothing overnight?

Sounds just about the same as our Aygo 👍

[Dizeee]

Ah all normal then! Good o

[We-go]

On 12/18/2022 at 2:34 PM, davidif said:

Sounds just about the same as our Aygo 👍

Yes, I had a 2010 Aygo and the fuel gauge is much the same in the IQ. Namely, starting with a full tank, I get around a hundred miles before the gauge drops by one bar. Then the miles per bar decreases as each bar disappears. An indicated half full is about one third tank full. One difference between the Aygo and IQ is that there is no audible bleep in the IQ when reaching the final flashing bar.