2025 Gas Gauge Trustworthy?

[Glen Baker LLC]

Maybe measuring liters instead gallons, being built Mexico?

In my younger days, I did stupid game with fuel gauge, always driven while low, and dare vehicle to run out of fuel. Hop up 283 w 4 barrel.

Piloted my own plane. Trained myself that on cross country flight, every time landed, to top off tanks no matter how much fuel in it.

Sorta carried that scheme to my vehicles on long trips.
Like my F250 diesel truck, the Mav gauge would fall rapidly from Full to maybe 3/4 mark. Then could drive on and on till read maybe 1/4 - 3/8 mark, then fall rapid. I contributed that to tank shape. Coke bottle dump effect.

Same here.
Pilots and open water boat owners. We learn to be aware of our fuel on board. It carried over to my Automotive use.

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[OleFordGuy]

Never have I heard of anyone burning up a fuel pump due to low gas. Never ever.

The crap in the tank is still in the tank whether it’s full or empty If it’s in the bottom of the tank, the fuel pump might suck it in. If your tank is full, the fuel pump doesn't suck gas higher up in the tank. Therefore the amount of fuel and crap in a tank are not related
Bob

There's truth to it. If we think about it, it makes sense the fuel cools and lubricates the fuel pump since its inside the tank. With a little research one can find lots of info documenting it. One example:
https://www.autoworks-wa.com/blog/can-driving-on-empty-ruin-your-fuel-pump

 

[Cherokee]

Never have I heard of anyone burning up a fuel pump due to low gas. Never ever.

Well I’m glad I was able to broaden your horizons.
I’ve installed a few in my day.
More than one old school career mechanic would teach us kids a thing or two if we’d help em out around the garage.
Keeping the pump submerged was common advice back in the day.
Never said it would burn one up.
I did say it would shorten a pumps life.
Am I that hard to understand or is it reading comprehension on the other end ?

See post # 17

 

[surfstar]

Fuel pumps magically burning up are right up there with short first oil changes and no more than 5k miles on your oil change.

All the issues on these forums, none of which will be addressed by the above (which don't even cause issues!!!).

 

[Bob zimmerman]

lol.
I’m 57. I’ve been around vehicles my whole life like everyone else. I’ve also been working on vehicles my whole life. I fix things for a living.

I have NEVER heard of anyone having their fuel pump go bad. I’m not saying it can’t happen. If running your gas down to the low fuel light comes on could cause this then everyone would be replacing fuel pumps.

So much fake information on this forum. So many assumptions. So many Holiday Inn doctors.
I read that article it it is full of ‘could’ ’might’ ’possibly’ So much conjecture. No evidence or case study

Go re-read that article and tell me it was not written by a laymen.

 

[OleFordGuy]

This is the great thing about opinions. Everyone's free to have their own, regardless of subject

 

[Lone Mav]

This is the great thing about opinions. Everyone's free to have their own, regardless of subject

I'm not quite sure that's how the saying goes.

 

[MavMeister25]

1/8 increments. There are 4 large notches with each one having a position directly on it and one in between it. So each position of the meter drops 1/8.

 

[Scott Asheville]

A few years ago we had some fuel tank and indicator threads here on MTC. Be careful. I think guys almost came to blows arguing technicalities and best practices. There may have been mailbox bombs involved.

My personal theory. Drive until you get uncomfortable. When that happens is your business and only your business.

 

[The Real Maverick]

Yep, I learned the hard way back in the late 90's. I was in a meeting mid afternoon on a saturday at church, all of a sudden the pastor's assistant came in to get me, strange I thought. Once in the hallway, I got the news my father had a heart attack and I need to get to the hospital quickly. I had driven my wife's car that day, didn't get far before I noticed the gas gauge was at the empty mark. I panicked, thankfully a gas station was close by. Turned in almost on two wheels, started putting gas in, ran in and paid then quickly back on my way to the hospital, 10-15 miles away. Ran in to see him, he passed like 5 minutes before I got there. Stunned, there was alot I would have liked to say and talk about before the end.
Needless to say, no vehicle I own ever gets below 1/2 tank since then. You just never know what nor when critical events can take place.
Not at all meant to be a sad story. Just a thought, a reminder to for us to ponder, what is so important that causes us to push things to the limit?

I read this totally in the opposite way.

You may have missed saying goodbye to your father because you did not understand the vehicle had quite a bit of fuel buffer past "empty".

I know for sure my Maverick (and all Mavericks) have a buffer of gasoline, on the order of 2+ gallons. Or 50+ miles, past the imaginary empty indication.

I would not have stopped for gas in your same situation in a Maverick. I would not have panicked. I would have made it there in time. I test all my vehicles to know what is true and what isn't.

The Hybrids hold 16.5 gallons.
The EB holds 18.5 gallons.
There's "reserve" built in.
At "empty" your pump is still submerged.

 

[dochawk]

I have yet to meet a ford that didn't significantly understate remaining fuel . . .

My brother was test driving a used one, and it came to a stop while indicating that it still had fuel.

When the salesman tried to tell him that the gauge was reading high, he simply laughed at him and walked back to his own car.

 

[dochawk]

There is a very long thread (both years and pages) on an OBD system someone rigged for the F-150 for custom displays.

I don't know how much would apply here. As I understand it, it uses iPhone & android to evaluate and make custom displays.


https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/powerboost-1-5-we-need-more-than-idiot-lights.19352/

 

[TROGDOR!!!]

New 2025, says I have 58 miles left but it looks almost empty on the gauge.

Do you trust it???

No. It's not even internally consistent with the gas % as presented in the FordPass app. If it can't even represent the same % in two different indicators, how can you know which is correct? (if either)

 

[Dave O]

Introducing AI into the equation may provide different options so you can drive until you can barely limp into a service stations - I guess I’m old school I fuel up when it’s convenient whether or not the fuel light is illuminate. I also won’t drive 10 miles out of my way to save $0.01 a gallon so using some logic filling up your vehicle is not rocket science and in most case there are plenty of fueling option close by…

 

[ZH84]

"500 miles left"

drive 10 miles

"478 miles left"

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