...title says it all.

If not, how far has anyone gone once the needle is sitting right on the E line?
Just need to know when I should panic.

 

Yes, there's a warning light. You've probably got at least 2 gallons of fuel left once it turns on - but every car is going to be a little bit different in that regard.

 

The manual says you have 1.6 gallons of fuel left once the warning light comes on. On a side note every car sold in North America has to have a low fuel warning indicator

 

I only made it come on once and the needle was so low that it freaked me. That's too low for my comfort. I always refill before that light comes on. I get fairly close, but I don't tick the light on if I can at all help it.

Dan

 

i rarely wait until the light goes one... but during the few times in which i have waited, the tank took slightly over 9 gallons... so, yes, the light (on my car anyway) goes on with about 1.6 gallons left in the tank.

 

That's interesting.

I almost always wait for the light to come on.

Of course I'm in the suburbs, but at 30mpg, and with the light on at 1.6 gallons left in the tank, the way I look at it, when the light comes on, I still have about 45 miles I could go.

I think the light comes on prematurely on my Fit. I've waited until it has come on, driven an additional 20 miles and then when I refilled still had a gallon left in the tank.

Always better safe than sorry but unless I'm out in boondocks, I simply wait until the light illuminates.

 

My second salesperson told me 2.2. Crap, I've been going abusive when I drive it with the light on

 

Yeah I have run mine until the light comes on usually week now too. Adds another fun/exciting/mysterious element to driving.

 

I'm also from the old school, being I always drove used cars. You know- don't let the tank get too empty or you'll suck up muck. Not likely in my new Fit I suppose, but still I can't break the habit.

Dan

 

Depending on where you fill up and the quality of gas should be of concern to us. Some gas stations slack on maintainence and you could end up with a lot of sediment in our tanks which can clog up our fuel filter. I personally never let my car get below 1/4 tank, that way if I do have sediment it stays at the bottom where it belongs

 

I'd say I go below a 1/4, approaching an 1/8th. Always before the light though. It kind of sucks though, because I feel like I short change my mileage on the tank. So be it though.

Dan

 

I know that's the logic behind not waiting too long to fill up. And I can offer no counter answer to that logic. I usually do fill up, as soon as I can once the light illuminates. I figure even if there is sediment, the light illuminates with 1.6 gallons left. Since I avoid unknown or generic gas stations, I only use Cheveron or Shell, I think I'm relatively safe. This is basicly the approach I've always used and that translates into decades of driving several different vehicles. Never any problems with a clogged fuel filter.

Of course the first time my fuel filter clogs and I'm left stranded...I'll revisit the logic.

 

Hmm...I usually run my tank all the way down until the light comes on...and then some. I have been consistently using this practice for over 3 years now. I've gone over 100K in my GD3, and haven't noticed any ill effects so far. It probably wouldn't hurt to change out my fuel filter though.
FYI, I can back up fitchet's theory. I once went 43.3 miles after the light lit up, and still had at least .5 gallons (~17 miles) to go!

 

You might need to read owner manual on page 70, 2009 Honda FIT.

"Avoid driving with an extremely low

fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damaging

the catalytic converter."

 

Oh...good to know, thanks!

 

I did read it. But if the light comes on with a 1.6 gallons of fuel left is that "extremely low"?

I did push it once or twice, just because I wanted an idea how far I could go once the light came on, and I found I still had a 30+ mile range.

It's a "warning" light. Which to me means it's warning you, that you should fill up. It's not a "It's too late" light.

To each his own, but as long as I fill up relatively soon after I notice the light, I don't feel I'm putting my engine or catalytic converter at risk. I would of course adapt my practice if in rural areas or crossing an area where the frequency of gas stations would be lessened. But in the suburbs of a major city, where I'm never more than a mile or two from probably several gas station choices, I don't have any problem waiting for the light.

 

Most EFI cars have the fuel pump in the tank and it is cooled/lubricated by the fuel. At 1.6 gallons it may be completely submerged, but why risk it? Those that constantly run them low on GM vehicles are constantly replacing pumps, not an easy or inexpensive task. I'm not a Honda expert, so if the Fit has an external pump, like my Ford Ranger did, or some other reason why its ok, let us know. The warning in the owners manual is for those who push it much further than the warning light. OT: run a diesel out of fuel and you will spend hours bleeding the high pressure lines.

 

Running out of fuel will cause cavitation of the system - big hick-up - which will/might cause a misfire. Misfires are a deathblow to cat converters.

Will running out of fuel kill your FIT, most likely not, but misfires are something you don't want to have occur.

FIT fuel pump is buried inside the fuel tank along with the fuel filter and pressure regulator. None are regular service items. I would not be concerned with waiting for the indicator to come on to fill-up. I've run out of gas in remote places enough to keep an eye on the gauge. I ain't a Kramer so why play with luck.

Fuel filter is changed when there's a drop in fuel pressure after confirming the pump and regulator are working properly. 2010 FIT should be 47-54PSI. If it drops below that suspect the pressure regulator and filter - both inside the tank...

And sediment lies in the bottom of the tank. The FIT tank is flat bottomed. No pocket to catch the crap. Pump draws off the bottom of the tank. Luckily most fuels are sold clean.

I would be more concerned with moisture from condensation - a good reason to keep the tank topped off during the cold months.
K_C_

 

well isn't that great...after owning countless Honda's the Fit is the only one to have the fuel filter in the tank....awesome

 

You have no idea how happy it makes me that someone else realizes this.

I've been hearing the "don't run low on fuel because your pump will suck up all the junk at the bottom" line for as long as I can remember, and it's never made a bit of sense.

Some foreign particulates are going to get into your tank - but nowhere near as much as you might think. And whatever gets in your tank is going to get pulled through the system, no matter what level of fuel you keep in there. That's what our fuel filter is for - and I think it's pretty telling that no manufacturer (that I know of) even bothers providing a service interval for it.

I also don't buy the idea that our pump needs to be submerged in order to be cooled properly. If that were the case, there would be a pocket in the bottom where it was located, below the level of the fuel pickup.