GTI MK6 Fuel Gauge reading

[cs3110]

So this is about as random as it gets but im going to ask anyway.... I have recently been driving home and just as im about to get home the fuel gauge light goes on and says that i have an estimated 40KM's left in the tank. I will park and the next time i jump in my car as soon as i turn the car on it says that i only have 20KM's left and to re-fuel immediately. This has happened 3 times now and i highly doubt that my flat driveway is 20K.... lol

My question is; does the fuel gauge give a lower representation of fuel to make sure that you get out of the lower levels as soon as possible?

Thoughts?

[Diesel_vert]

The estimated range is calculated using the most recent fuel consumption figures. And since fuel consumption is very high whenever the engine is started from cold, the range decreases rapidly until it has warmed up.

[blutopless2]

as stated above... estimated range is exactly that... estimated... based on your recent driving style.
seem to recall that the fuel warning light comes on with either 6 or 8 Litres left in the tank. So if your out on the freeway it may come on with your estrimated range reading about 80km and possibly more.

[elephino]

I'm pretty sure the distance to empty is calculated differently (likely over a shorter period of time) once the fuel light comes on as the range shrinks much faster then than under normal circumstances.

[joec]

I'm just used to drive Japan made cars and most of the time the fuel gauge isn't that accurate compare to Golf. When it ask for refuel, it does mean it need refuel IMMEDIATELY.

Especially when it drop to the red level, it does drop pretty quick.

[Corey_R]

You'll find that even when it says it's empty, it isn't. But it's a good practise to not let it get that empty anyway

[Coaster]

For a little bit of trivia, Richard Hammond drove 65km's past 'empty' in his Polo Bluemotion during Top Gear's 'One Tank Challenge', and I don't think he'd totally drained the tank once he reached the finish line in Blackpool.

[MiiLos]

i've personally done about 35km in my TDI while the MDF was displaying 0km remaining

was a late night uni assignment (all nighter) - when i left for uni the following morning, after about 2km the MDF displayed 0km left in the tank. i couldnt detour to petrol station as assignment would have been handed in late, anyway got to uni (about 14km drive), then drove straight home to sleep (another 14km) as i was dead tired. woke up some time later, then went to give the car a wash and finally to the petrol station.

also on the way to uni i wasnt really trying to be fuel-conservative haha!

in that refuel i managed to fill up 54.57 litres (kept the receipt for proof lol!) - considering the 55 litre tank i still had a few km's left

[Diesel_vert]

in that refuel i managed to fill up 54.57 litres (kept the receipt for proof lol!) - considering the 55 litre tank i still had a few km's left

0.43 litres at 8.0 l/100km means a range of about 5.4 km, so nice timing.

[Flighter]

My warning signal always comes up when it estimates there is 50km range left.