Only second full tank on my Fit.
First that I filled and drove from start to finish.

But wow, does the low fuel warning light and the whole gauge seem VERY, VERY , conservative.

The low fuel warning light came on around 250-260 miles, showing about 30 miles range. Drove to Zero range left, and absolutely no "pip" showing on my gas gauge. Drove to 318 miles, and finally refilled because it's really nerve wracking driving around with NO PIPS on the gauge and every indication seeming to suggest you could run out of gas at any time.

According to the gas pump?
I still had a full gallon of gasoline left.

I'm OK with it all. And I need more feedback and experience before I get a real feel for when I have to REALLY fill up. But it seems to me the warning light....is really conservative.

I wouldn't want to mislead anyone, and I'm still feeling it out, but it seems when the warning light comes on....I still have PLENTY of fuel left.

Kinda wish Honda hadn't calibrated the whole system to be so conservative. Not so much for me? But because even if I know, I have plenty of fuel left, It's scares passengers riding with me when they see my gauge reading totally empty, the range being Zero, and I'm telling them NOT to worry I have plenty of fuel left.

Kinda wondering if the gas pump at the station wasn't off?

Is The Fit gauge and monitoring system really THAT conservative? Or am I pushing the envelope on being stuck roadside?

I was sweating bullets by the time I filled up, but the pump seemed to suggest I had a gallon or more gas left, and this was after driving quite a while past the range of zero.

It was the fullest "empty" I have ever had with any vehicle.

Anyone else have this type of experience?

PS.
Really...REALLY...Your mileage may vary....
And I'm admittedly still feeling this out.

I'm pretty much going tank by tank and by the Gas Stations "Non-Top-Off" reading of how much gasoline I'm pumping in tank to tank.

And I haven't got a big sample size here yet.

Don't want to read that somebody stranded themselves or put themselves in danger because they drove way past zero.

It's ALWAYS safer and better, just to fill up.
I'm NOT recommending anyone do what I did.

Once I get a feel for it. I'll probably just start filling up earlier. Less gas in? Means less cost to fill up.
Full tank? Means no worries about running out.
It's a win, win.

 

Added Above-Delete

 

I read multiple reviews on the Fit before buying (I just bought last week) that stated the exact problem you described. One reviewer even said that the low gas light came on with 3 gallons left in the tank. I suspect that the unique position of the gas tank in the fit might make it difficult to get accurate readings so Honda played it on the safe side.

 

Yeah, it does seem really conservative .... most I've ever been able to get in was 9.1 gallons when it hit empty/range of 0....or maybe it's relative, beings as the tank is so small ....ir we had a 15 gallon tank, having a gallon and a half in "reserve" might not seem as extreme....OR, what if....that last gallon and a half isn't really fully accessable and you could be closer to "running out" than ya think, like maybe, yeah, the tank still has X amount in there but maybe only a small portion of X can actually be pumped to the engine....no idea, but...am used to it now, after 4 months, I just fill it when it shows 15 to 30 miles left and let it be

 

^^ Common GK Fit issue, having 3 gallons left in the tank.

 

Wife won't drive the car with the yellow gas light on, even with 2 ticks left. She gets nervous she'll run out of gas. I tell her she has 60km left, but to no avail. We gas up.

It would be nice to ask such questions to the Honda designers. I'd like to know why the gas gauge is so conservative.

My bike has no gas gauge, so I calculate when to fill up after x kms, If I'm wrong I just flick the gas knob to reserve and I still have 25kms in the tank. Oh, how simple but effective.

 

I have the same anxiety gene, so I fill up when I have 50 miles or so reading. Invariably I can't get more than 8 gallons in the car, and usually less.

But I have to stop more than we need gas anyway, so it's okay.

 

I use an Ultragauge, which has its own tank estimates.

The Fit's low fuel light comes on at 25% full. That's not debatable, it's science. Low fuel light means 100mi to go.

 

I have to say, now that I've done a few tanks, I think the way The Honda Fit fuel gauge is calibrated is almost a defect.

IMO it's far too conservative.
The low fuel warning light comes on for me, anywhere between 240-260 miles. The range to drive? Usually 20-30 miles more...when I hit Zero and No Pips showing, IF at the pump estimates are correct, I have over a gallon of gas left in the tank.

It is what it is.
It makes for more economical single trips to the gas station. BUT...it's nerve wracking driving a vehicle that is sending you feedback that it is entirely empty...No Pips...No Range to Drive...when you know you have a whole lot further you could go.

Eventually, I wimp out, just based on NOT liking looking at a totally non-existent gas gauge and a range of Zero to drive.

I really wish Honda hadn't been so conservative...and just let you know a little more accurately exactly how much gasoline you have left.

On the other hand? I think you'd really have to push the Fit past all the warnings..for quite a distance, to run out of gasoline.
So that's good? Maybe.....

SUPER CAVEAT WARNING:

Your Mileage May Vary.- So don't push it.
My vehicle seems to be VERY Conservative.
But I wouldn't want to hear about anyone running out of gasoline because of my results so far.

I have no way of knowing except for the feedback here, whether this is singular to my vehicle or a "personality" flaw of the Honda Fit line.

So...Your Mileage May Vary.

 

^^ There is only one way to find out how much gas you had remaining, for sure.

Be sure to post back, and tell us how far you had to walk, LOL.

 

I filled up yesterday with 1 dot left on the fuel gauge and 24 miles of range left according to the computer. Turns out I actually had 2.9 gallons left, or 91 miles

 

Honestly, I'm not trying to run out of gas.
Just trying to figure out the reality of when I REALLY need to fill up.

I really don't want to run out of gas and be stranded, which isn't good for the vehicle and can be dangerous.

A conservative gas gauge is OK, the worst case scenario is you are filling up at less cost because you don't need to put as much in. Which I'm OK with.

Part of this is just adjusting to a new vehicle.

I had a few years gap in between, but I don't remember my 2010 Honda Fit's gas gauge being as conservative. But maybe I just have forgotten.

 

The Fit has a 10.6 gallon tank. If you're mpg on the trip computer is showing 45 MPG, then you can do quick math and estimate approximately 450 mile range. That's how I determine when to fill up and give myself a buffer at the same time.

I once did 422 miles and when I filled it was only to 9.4 gallons. Another time I did 336 miles and filled up 7.1 gallons.

The fuel light coming on really early has been discussed many times. It's even a complaint from when it was a long term tester at Car and Driver.

 

That's the formula I'd want to apply.

So far my MPG, many short trips, mostly city driving, has been in the 33-35 mpg range, so if I'm being conservative, I'm thinking I can go 320 miles on the tank...safely.
Assuming the Honda fuel computer is being optimistic, that still gives me a safe buffer.

BUT...

When the low fuel warning light comes on at around 250 miles...
Followed by reaching cruising range 0....at around 280 miles.....
usually simultaneous with the gauge showing absolutely NO PIPS...

It's pretty nerve wracking to put the additional 30 miles on the vehicle...when all it's feedback is that it is totally empty and you need to fill up ASAP.

I really am to the point where I think I'm just going to assume, at my current MPG rate, I fill up at around 300 miles driven, and let the chips fall where they may.

As far as I can tell....that's a safe fill up point for my vehicle. Not putting me at risk for running out of fuel.

I'll let you all know if that turns out to be a wrong assumption.

 

I've had the range indicator down into single digits and then put in a bit over 10 gallons. Considering that the tank is advertised at 10.6 gallons I am reasonably satisfied at the accuracy of the range meter. The fuel light seems to come on with about 30 miles of fuel remaining, again a reasonable amount.

I wonder if the people who are complaining are filling their tanks completely? The Fit tank will take nearly two gallons after the nozzle clicks off automatically. That long fill pipe makes it fill a lot slower than other cars for the last few gallons.

 

Very annoying and misleading, but the empty fuel indicator is not a defect.

It is working exactly as designed, unfortunately for us. There are no safety concerns, so not a defect, just not desirable. Wife refuses to drive the car when the light is on, no matter what I say.

 

why not just use the odo in dis case?

 

Warning light solution: Strategically-placed sticker.

 

I just purchased a 2016 Fit EX 9 days ago. I have a 2007 Fit Sport previously. My other, current ride, is a 2006 Acura TSX.

On my TSX, when my fuel light comes on, I do change to Trip B meter, and reset. I know that I have 2.7 gallons remaining with it. Then it is relatively simple math. If I'm getting 30 mpg, I can go 81 miles before I run out (which I have never done.) My basic formula is 2.7 x average MPG x .9 (90%) = safe driving distance on trip meter before I need to fill it up.

I drove a 2015 Fit LX as a company car for a while, so I am familiar with the conservative approach of the gauge; however, having a company gas card and not many stations on my route meant that I filled up at the same place each day anyway - which made it a bit of a non-issue, but still annoying.

I'm just now over 100 miles, but it is showing 1/2 tank.

When I am trying to figure out how much gas is left - I fill a 1 gallon container, and take with me. I do the Trip B thing, and see when I get the first "sputter" then pour the gallon in and head to the closest station. Then I can top off to find out the actual capacity of the tank.

NOTES: I do not recommend running low on gas. I do not recommend topping off the tank. Both of these items are not recommended by Honda or most other manufacturers. This is what I NORMALLY do, and have never had an issue with a Honda product doing this, BUT I cannot recommend this for YOU!!

Thanks,
David
current owner of 5 Honda products
have owned 19 Honda products
and have had at least one continuously for the past 39 years.

 

There is a much easier way to calculate how many miles you have left:

1. Determine your average MPG on a tank of gas (obvious)
2. Calculate your total range per tank by multiplying average MPG by tank size (10.6) gallons (my total range is 319 miles Black Fit (Honda Fit) | Fuelly)
3. After you fill up your tank, reset one of your trip meters
4. Ignore your low gas light, determine your remaining range by subtracting the miles on your current trip meter from your total range per tank
5. Do NOT try to get every last drop of gas out of your tank, because your total range is an estimate based on average MPG

I'm still super annoyed that my car tells me I'm out of gas when I have about 50 miles left of driving...