Why does it feel like the first half of my gas tank lasts way longer than the second half? Anyone else notice this?
No kidding! I can stay at ‘Full’ for around 60 miles, but then it feels like I lose a quarter tank every time I go to the store.
I use the trip odometer as a more accurate gauge. I reset it when I fill up, and I know I can get around 200 miles before refueling. I just fill it when I get close to that to avoid running low.
Jasmine said:
I use the trip odometer as a more accurate gauge. I reset it when I fill up, and I know I can get around 200 miles before refueling. I just fill it when I get close to that to avoid running low.
Same here, I usually go full to almost empty, which gets me between 300 and 380 miles depending on the type of driving. In the city, it’s closer to 300, but I can hit 380 if I’m doing highway driving.
@Lana
I’m guessing you don’t have the 4.0 engine like I do. It’s got great power, but man, it guzzles gas! I get about 300 miles on the highway, but I still fill up around 250 just to be safe.
Jasmine said:
I use the trip odometer as a more accurate gauge. I reset it when I fill up, and I know I can get around 200 miles before refueling. I just fill it when I get close to that to avoid running low.
My 98 3.0 V6 averages about 330 miles per tank.
@Monica
Lucky! I can only hit 300 in my '03 4.0 if it’s all highway driving. I’ve never pushed it further than that.
Jasmine said:
@Monica
Lucky! I can only hit 300 in my '03 4.0 if it’s all highway driving. I’ve never pushed it further than that.
Guess I’m fortunate with the smaller engine.
Jasmine said:
@Monica
Lucky! I can only hit 300 in my '03 4.0 if it’s all highway driving. I’ve never pushed it further than that.
Guess I’m fortunate with the smaller engine.
Yeah, there’s always a trade-off. Funny enough, I just filled up after our last conversation, and this tank averaged 13 mpg with mostly stop-and-go traffic. I’ve got a rattle in the exhaust now too, might be the baffles in the muffler giving out after 21 years.
It’s probably due to the shape of the tank and where the level sensor is placed. Also, there’s usually a reserve on the low end, so when it looks empty, you’ve still got a bit of gas left. Not ideal to rely on that often, though.
Mine’s the opposite! I feel like I’m back at half a tank within a day or two after filling up, but the second half lasts the rest of the week.
It’s because of the shape of the tank.
I’ve been thinking the same thing, OP!
Every car I’ve owned does the same thing, lol.
Fuel gauges tend to act like this on most vehicles—trucks, cars, or even motorcycles. It’s designed to make you fill up before the tank is actually dry. Running it low can damage your fuel pump since the fuel acts as both a lubricant and coolant. When you run out, you can end up stuck on the side of the road and damage the pump permanently.
I think it’s got something to do with the float in the gas tank. When the tank’s full, the float is in a position where the gauge reads ‘full’ for longer, but once it drops below that, it moves into a range the gauge can read, and that’s when it feels like the fuel starts going faster.
Huh? I’m guessing you mean if you get 100 miles on a full tank, why does it feel like there’s only 25 miles left when you hit half?