Running out of fuel/Massively inaccurate fuel gauge

[Toomanyloti]

Dropped my daughter at gym this morning noted the fuel was at 100 or so miles to run (this is retarded show me litres/gallons)..
Passed a shell station 15 mins later, looked at the gauge reading 90...I should turnaround and fill up... nah I'll get home (i have a stash).
1/2m later on a hill cough splutter dead. Busy road but managed to freewheel in reverse into a phone exchange apron/gateway thank goodness.
Set off to the Shell stn. Chap in a bimmer pulls up insists on giving me a lift, top man. Buys a can sets off back with my 1 gal.
Tips it in. Cough cough splutter splutter no chance...grrrr...
Sets off again with empty can get another gallon, walk back and tip it in. bingo fires first time.
EML on but went out after a second restart. Manual says the engine 'shaped' eml is related to emissions.

2 gallons 4.54 x 2 = 9.08l
Filled then with 50.37l = 59.45l
Its a 58l tank plus what’s in the pump pipes and maybe filler neck.
It must have been bone dry on fumes with 90 miles indicated.

I can't find a way of displaying the ODO while the car is running so might have to set a trip. Not seen anyone really moan about this before?
So at range = 100 miles add fuel immediately.

I'll attempt to report it officially to Lotus.

 

[Pugwash]

I have run mine down to below 50 with no issues.
To display odo, scroll down to trip and then scroll across. One of the displays is odo plus the two trips all in one screen.

 

[kitkat]

Sounds like fuel starvation on a hill.

 

[KJD]

I’ve run mine to near zero several times.

Guessing you’ve got a sticking fuel level sensor?

And I don’t get how it‘s retarded to show distance to empty?
If it was gallons/litres you would have to know your mpg and work out in your head the range you’ve got left.

 

[Toomanyloti]

I’ve run mine to near zero several times.

Guessing you’ve got a sticking fuel level sensor?

And I don’t get how it‘s retarded to show distance to empty?
If it was gallons/litres you would have to know your mpg and work out in your head the range you’ve got left.

needs both IMO or at least as a preference
Must be a sticking faulty sensor. Assuming its mechanical I'll slosh it side to side a bit see if that makes a difference

 

[Toomanyloti]

Sounds like fuel starvation on a hill.

it was coz it was completely empty based on tank capacity and how much I put back in

 

[JohnHoward]

When I fill up, I find that the range shows around 310 miles. Last week I filled up and the range showed 380 miles (first time I have seen it more than 310), it wasn't until it was around half full (according to the gauge) that the range seemed to be correct again, so there could be a sensor/software issue? I am keeping an eye on my trip meter and will fill up every 200 miles to keep some in reserve while I keep an eye on it.

 

[Toomanyloti]

I think it was up there similar John when I collected from hethel.
I brimmed it at the pump and have done about 8 miles since and the display shows 230m range. Its on the flat in the garage and has been for a while now. I appreciate it takes a while to register based on others experience.
I'll go check it later then I'll try a battery disconnect for an hour.
I was sat in it about an hour ago and it would not start or turn off. Threw a parking brake service message at me and seemed to get stuck in a loop.
Got out locked it left it for a while lost the messages but got another engine symbol light. It did start so it will probably be ok.
Also the car must know the raw data for the fuel level to calculate the range so there's no excuse for not having the fuel quantity displayed. If it did I would get used to the figures and get a feel for the range just like I have done for the last 36 years.

 

[Pugwash]

I have not really thought about this much but some cars calculate the range based on current average mpg. Not sure what the Emira does. I have filled mine up and then driven more miles than the “range” says, ie the range went down less than I had actually driven.
There is of course the simple line fuel gauge which goes down until it hits the small separate area at the bottom. What was your gauge saying when you had your issue?

 

[Toomanyloti]

I have not really thought about this much but some cars calculate the range based on current average mpg. Not sure what the Emira does. I have filled mine up and then driven more miles than the “range” says, ie the range went down less than I had actually driven.
There is of course the simple line fuel gauge which goes down until it hits the small separate area at the bottom. What was your gauge saying when you had your issue?

The first outage was when it was parked at home it was on a slope on the drive diagonally across the slope so NSR low OSF high. It was reading 115 range then and I think after filling I calculated it must have had no more than 4l in the tank.
It was running fine today on the flat as I passed the shell station then as soon as I started a slight climb it stopped immediately after about 15-20m Indicator was at 90 miles range just before as I passed shell.

 

[Wonza]

I’ve run mine to near zero several times.

Guessing you’ve got a sticking fuel level sensor?

And I don’t get how it‘s retarded to show distance to empty?
If it was gallons/litres you would have to know your mpg and work out in your head the range you’ve got left.

Does fuel level sensor or parking on a gradient have anything to do with how my car starts in the morning. It splutters into life, sometimes stalls. I start it second time, starts straight away with a good thrum. I park in the open on a 10 degree gradient on my driveway. Never happened before, very recent, getting worse.

 

[Eagle7]

The first outage was when it was parked at home it was on a slope on the drive diagonally across the slope so NSR low OSF high. It was reading 115 range then and I think after filling I calculated it must have had no more than 4l in the tank.
It was running fine today on the flat as I passed the shell station then as soon as I started a slight climb it stopped immediately after about 15-20m Indicator was at 90 miles range just before as I passed shell.

Don't go by the miles left indicator. Those are just rough estimates based on the fuel consumption rate from the moment you start the car, to whatever. Always go by the actual fuel gauge value. I always look to gas up when it gets down to 1/4 tank. If it's down to 1/8 tank, I start looking for a gas station immediately.

The Emira holds 15.8 gallons, so figure on the .8 gallon as approximately what's in the system as far as fuel pump, lines etc. Don't count on that as drivable fuel. Divide the remaining 15 by 4, and you have 3.75 gallons left in the tank at a 1/4 tank. If it gets down to 1/8 tank, that's 1.8 gallons which isn't very much.

If you're parking at an angle, that's going to skew the number of gallons the gauge is showing. Give it a few moments on level ground to give you a more accurate reading.

 

[Eagle7]

Does fuel level sensor or parking on a gradient have anything to do with how my car starts in the morning. It splutters into life, sometimes stalls. I start it second time, starts straight away with a good thrum. I park in the open on a 10 degree gradient on my driveway. Never happened before, very recent, getting worse.

Parking on a gradient can cause the fuel to move in whatever direction the car is angled. The reason your car starts fine the second time is because the fuel pump has pressurized the system. If you have to park on a gradient, try turning your car around the other way. It sounds like the way you've been parking is causing the fuel to drain out of the fuel line and away from the pickup instead of towards it.

 

[Pugwash]

The first outage was when it was parked at home it was on a slope on the drive diagonally across the slope so NSR low OSF high. It was reading 115 range then and I think after filling I calculated it must have had no more than 4l in the tank.
It was running fine today on the flat as I passed the shell station then as soon as I started a slight climb it stopped immediately after about 15-20m Indicator was at 90 miles range just before as I passed shell.

Sorry, I should have been clearer. Ignoring the range number, how much of the white line / fuel gauge was showing?

 

[JP__FOX]

I've been down to single figures remaining a couple of times and even got it to zero whilst gingerly trying to get to a fuel station

 

[Toomanyloti]

Sorry, I should have been clearer. Ignoring the range number, how much of the white line / fuel gauge was showing?

dunno cant remember to be fair but i think it looked proportional to the numerical range left

Are you proposing that line is the gauge and the range is numerical and not the same thing???

ie the line is NOT a graphical representation of the number?

 

[Toomanyloti]

So running out of fuel means you get these 'free' warnings too...
Brake Failure Stop Safely
Parking Brake Service Required
Gearbox Malfunction Service Required
A wiper one flashed up but disappeared under one of the above...
Also has the amber brake warning caption and the EML illuminated amber

I washed the car when I got home and used a wheel spoke brush. I might just make sure I didn't disturb any wiring on the handbrake caliper in the morning.
Feck knows where the grear box warning came from?

Only 98miles left before we can officially break through the 4k rev curfew..

Let see what tomorrow brings. Seems like I really did buy another Lotus. All feels 'nice' and familiar now.......

 

[Wonza]

Parking on a gradient can cause the fuel to move in whatever direction the car is angled. The reason you car starts fine the second time is because the fuel pump has pressurized the system. If you have to park on a gradient, try turning your car around the other way. It sounds like the way you've been parking is causing the fuel to drain out of the fuel line and away from the pickup instead of towards it.

Wow. So many limitations. I park the car like it is so I don’t get my car stolen off the driveway and obviously never had these issues before. My first Lotus. I’m wondering if the fuel pump is faulty/too weak and not pressurising to start first time no matter what angle you’re parked.

 

[Toomanyloti]

keep it topped up and see if it makes a difference on start parking as you would normally.
When it died it was nose up. When I reversed if back off the road it ended up flat-ish nose to tail but slightly off side down. a gallon made hardly any difference it spluttered but didn't start. Fired immediately with 2 gals

 

[KJD]

dunno cant remember to be fair but i think it looked proportional to the numerical range left

Are you proposing that line is the gauge and the range is numerical and not the same thing???

ie the line is NOT a graphical representation of the number?

They are different things.

The line represents the physical fuel level based on the sensor in the tank.

The distance will change (down and up) based on how you’re driving.

If you’re on a track doing 10mpg the range will drop based on that as the computer works it out.
If you then start driving at 30mpg on the motorway the range will rise as your new driving style is taken into account.

The trip computer will have an algorithm to work it out based on mpg over a certain time or mileage.