Is it just my fuel gauge?

[Smudgemanuk]

My fuel gauge seems to have a habit of lying.

After filling it up, I did 80 miles and it still shows full.

Then it drops like normal, and then I went through the last 1/4 of the gauge in about 5 miles

Is this normal? Is it just part of the charm?

 

[Pond]

My fuel gauge seems to have a habit of lying.

After filling it up, I did 80 miles and it still shows full.

Then it drops like normal, and then I went through the last 1/4 of the gauge in about 5 miles

Is this normal? Is it just part of the charm?

Normal. Analogue fuel gauges are crap. Look on it as a 'guesstimation' at best.

I have an aftermarket fuel gauge in my Z3 now, using the BMW sender. It's even worse than the original!

 

[RickyBobby]

My fuel gauge seems to have a habit of lying.

After filling it up, I did 80 miles and it still shows full.

Then it drops like normal, and then I went through the last 1/4 of the gauge in about 5 miles

Is this normal? Is it just part of the charm?

Sounds like the one on my Grand Voyager - it seems to take ages to drop after I've filled it up but the last time I did that it cost me over £100 so it doesn't happen that often.

 

[Jam03]

My fuel gauge seems to have a habit of lying.

After filling it up, I did 80 miles and it still shows full.

Then it drops like normal, and then I went through the last 1/4 of the gauge in about 5 miles

Is this normal? Is it just part of the charm?

They don’t all do that, but it’s not uncommon. You normally need to plan to fill up after about 250 miles give or take a bit depending on how you’re driving.

 

[Kaz117]

My fuel gauge seems to have a habit of lying.

After filling it up, I did 80 miles and it still shows full.

Then it drops like normal, and then I went through the last 1/4 of the gauge in about 5 miles

Is this normal? Is it just part of the charm?

I experience the same just a bit less exaggerated. I think it's because its a simple floaty sensor, and the bottom of the tank may have less cross-sectional area (so less volume at the bottom). Can't go wrong keeping it above 1/2.

Additionally mines starts 1/8 too high if fuel is less than half full, then goes "correct" when warm.

I managed to cruise 250 miles on a tank and have 1/4 showing on gauge afterward (realistically 1/8 probably).