I have a 15 EX 6MT. I have filled up a full tank of fuel several times when my gauge would read Zero (and so would my range). typically, when your gas light come on, in most cars you have approx 25 miles worth of fuel left. I find that my fit gauge is grossly inaccurate. When I fill it up with no bars of fuel and Zero on my range, I still have about 1.5 gallons of fuel left as it will only take roughly 9 gallons. Anyone else have this same experience? or is my fuel gauge not functioning properly?

 

From everything I've read here, it sounds like yours is functioning the way Honda intended- which is not to say that it's functioning properly. It sounds like they went full-on nanny with the gas readings on the 15s.

 

It's to tell you to get your butt to a gas station asap and playing it safe not to run your tank completely dry (a big no-no), plus the possibility of some gas not getting sipped on an incline.

 

Honda has always calculated a reserve into their gauge calculations. With the 2002-2005 civic si the low fuel light would come on with approximately 2 full gallons left lol.

 

I think you are just noticing the reserve capacity. It has been discussed many times in this forum, once you know how much is available beyond the gauge reading empty you are at your own mercy for distance. I don't understand what the issue is with just filling up when below a quarter. Few places in the United States could I imagine you couldn't find a station to fuel at. The gauge I find to be completely accurate once you know the reading. At basically zero lines on the gauge there is around 8-1/2 gallons used.

 

Going to 0 is bad for the engine. You start using gas at the bottom of the tank that is most dirty and I have read numerous times over the years that one should not do this


"Does It Hurt Your Car?
The reason automobiles have fuel level warning lights is to give you a warning before the car runs out of gas. Tests have proved that Americans like a buffer in this situation, and so manufacturers give them one.

But that’s not the only reason cars have fuel level warning lights. They also prevent you from burning up your fuel pump.

Here’s why. The internal mechanical parts of a fuel pump are lubricated by fuel traveling through the pump. When the fuel level is low, air can be drawn into the pump. If the pump has too much air, it isn’t properly lubricated, and can be damaged. This is similar to running an engine without oil.

Also, there may be small amounts of debris on the bottom of a fuel tank. When the fuel level is low, that debris is more likely to be drawn into the pump and/or plug the fuel filters, both of which can damage the pump. A partially plugged filter will cause the pump to have to work harder, therefore decreasing the life of the pump."

 

I'm just not a fan of this. I've owned near 30 vehicles. Nearly all of them would be at zero with approx. 25 miles of distance left in the tank. If I have 1.5 gallons of fuel, the gauge should represent this. Even my 2012 Accord would have less than a gallon of fuel when the light would come on.

 

While I agree with this, I also find it over blown. I have been driving cars to E and then filling full tanks 16 years. Never had any issues.


I'm sure long term, issues can come up on very old high mileage cars.

 

You are not driving your car(s) to Empty. As others have mentioned at "E" there is still some gas in reserve.

Also there is nothing wrong with driving a Fit to zero bars (or "E") just make sure you get yourself to a gas station ASAP when you first reach zero bars.

 

I like the idea that there is that much of a reserve at E, although I know myself well enough that I'd never let it get that far down. A few years ago we rented a Kia Soul (1st gen) and when the light came on we were in panic mode, and that was per the manual.

 

I didn't say Empty. I said driving to E. but as I said, with other vehicles I would have a gallon or less at E, typically around 25miles worth of fuel depending on the vehicle. With the 15 Fit, there is literally 60+ miles of Fuel left when there are no bars on the fuel gauge and the range reads zero.


now I see this is normal for a Fit. I'm not a fan as its grossly inaccurate.


My old 04 TL, the gas light would come on when there was 25-30miles worth of range left on the digital read out. Once the vehicle went to Zero on the range, there was literally almost no fuel left. On the Fit the readout tells me I have 335 miles give/take a few when full, meanwhile the vehicle gets over 400 Miles to a tank when Full. The gas light on the fit is literally coming on when there is over 100 miles left in the tank. Very Silly and grossly inaccurate.

 

Maybe it is that way because Honda has noticed drivers going to "E" and continue driving for many more miles. Or another possibility is that the last gallon has too much gunk in it and having two gallons left and mixing that with the 8.5 gallon fill-up defuses that gunk.

As others have mentioned driving a Fit to near or actual empty is dangerous.

Others, like myself, do not ever want to be stranded (out of gas) or damage our Fits so I for one like that there is some reserve when the gage reads "E" and I don't care if it is two gallons as the range of the Fit over those 8.5 gallons is around 300+ miles.

Just a few days ago a driver was killed here in the Dallas area when he was hit while filling up his car that had run out of gas.

I never ever want to be in that situation.

EDIT: From the 2015 Honda Fit User Manual

 

I don't see the danger in doing so as I have been doing just that with every vehicle I have ever owned with zero issues.


I don't have a problem with having some reserve. this is normal. But my car telling I need fuel when there is over 100Miles worth of fuel in my tank I don't like. This is akin to placing a false redline on the tach with the mindset of people will never hit the actual redline if we place a false one 1000rpm below the actual redline.



with most cars, gas light comes on when you have about 25 miles of actual range left. I have never been stranded without fuel in 16 years of driving. with 25miles left, unless its late night and you are god knows where...there is little to no chance you would ever be stranded. And if you are....you did really poor pre planning for your trip.


I'm not trying to argue and I apologize if I come off the wrong way. This is just a huge pet peeve I have with the car and im not sure why Honda decided to do this with the Fit when my previous Honda's (2012 Accord, 1997 Accord, 2004 TL) had far more accurate gas gauges.

 

your guage works the same as mine. not grossly inaccurate, but it does have almost 2.5 gallons in it when the light comes on. as said here, it is definately a "nanny" guage.

i too went to 0 on the range and it took 8.9 gallons. i really wish the tank was larger, filling up at 300 miles kind of sucks with my commute.

it is not "dangerous", but in tank fuel pumps are made to run in the fuel to keep cool. running very low on fuel caused them to heat up, thus increasing the wear on them.

 

Because if you do that, you're never going to get over 500 miles on a tank.

 

Why does that even matter?

At 75 MPH going 300 miles takes 4 hours. I for one will need to stop and get out to stretch and take some time to relax before starting back up on a long trip.

That break is also a good time to refuel.

 

A couple of myths have come up in this thread.

Driving with low fuel won't overheat the pump. The pump is cooled by the fuel that is pumped through the pump, not by fuel that surrounds it in the tank. In fact, some cars use pumps that are outside the tank.

You won't get more "gunk" drawn through the pump with low fuel. Dirt tends to settle to the bottom of the tank so it will concentrate there even with a full tank.

Well-designed tanks like the Honda's incorporate a fuel sump that keeps a supply of fuel at the pump intake until the bitter end. Even with only a liter of gas remaining the pump should not suck air regardless of the attitude of the car.

That said, I would refuel when about a gallon remains. No sense tickling the dragon that much. After a couple of fillups one gets a sense of how much actually remains when the gauge says empty. I just wish that Honda and other manufacturers would put larger tanks in their vehicles. They keep them tiny so that a fill-up isn't so expensive, but I hate having to fill up so often. I had an aftermarket tank in my old Datsun 510 and loved having 600 miles of range with reserve!

 

I have a job and kids, so when I get in the car I'm usually rushing because someone is depending on me to get somewhere at a particular time. A fill up takes a lot more time than just the few minutes spent with the pump actually running.

I put on 80-100 miles a day, depending. So if I'm not getting good mileage I can either make an extra trip at night just to get gas or be late for something. If I'm having a good tank I can manage to fill up on the weekend when I'll generally be running errands anyway. I give myself a half gallon reserve and I hate going into it, but that's a pretty big chunk of that puny little tank. An extra gallon or two of tank size would be wonderful.

 

convenience. If I'm 60 miles from home, I have enough range to get home without having to get off the exit and pay double tolls simply so I can fill my tank. Folks like my wife get nervous once the light comes on (not being aware that she actually has over 100 Miles of fuel left) and will exit to get gas. costing time and money that doesn't need to be spent/lost.

 

Because if I'm going to take a stretch break on a trip I'd rather do it where *I* want to be,


not just someplace that there is gas.


Also, in the West, that "in-between" stop is in a small town that has the only gas for miles and it is priced very high. I'd rather be able to buy gas where it is less expensive. Longer range gives more flexibility.