Today I filled the gas tank for the first time, when the distance to empty showing 20 miles. Am i cutting it too close? How confident should i be about the distance given? I had many cars before, but this is my first one that gives such seemingly precise estimate
how accurate is " Distance to Empty"?
- Thread starter oldme
- Start date
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- Plano, Texas, USA
Wrong answer at the first time. But I have never felt this "Distance to Empty" on any cars are accurate. I'd rely on fuel gauge or low fuel level warning light to fill-up the gas tank.
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- 2023 CX-5 Premium; 2018 Mazda 3 GT hatch
Light comes on when the DTE reading is 25 miles or so; fuel gage is on empty when all you can get in the tank is 13 gallons!
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- 2023 CX-5 Premium; 2018 Mazda 3 GT hatch
Who's talking about letting it run out of gas? I thought this was a thread about the accuracy of the DTE display?
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- Plano, Texas, USA
I did see the owner's manual mentioning fill-up the gas tank when fuel gauge drops to 1/4. That's why I haven't seen the low fuel level warning light yet as I was trying to change my habit and fill the gas up earlier. According to a friend of mine, low fuel light will be on when his 2016 CX-5 GT FWD fuel gauge drops to just below 1/4. BTW SkyActiv has 2,900 psi fuel injection pressure.
It worth mentioning if folk want to tinker with low fuel levels.
thank you! in view of the replies, i should plan on filling up gas before DTE 50 miles, just to be safe.
By the way, i love the gas mileage! After filling up, the DTE now shows 450 miles. I can drive to NYC and back in one tank of gas! (from central Maryland)
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- Plano, Texas, USA
You're right. "Distance to Empty" is an estimate based on history of the MPG. Hence it may not be accurate. Use fuel gauge and low fuel level warning light are the better way for time to fill-up the gas tank.
all are good points and i agree totally. I should have thought of that...
i don't think you'll know it's actually accurate unless you let it go to "0 miles" and if your car stops working, then you know it's accurate. 
But none of us are going to test that, and most of us are counting on the fact that it is NOT accurate so that when it is "0 miles" we still have enough to make it to the next gas station. The lowest i went was "20 miles", light was on, when i filled up the tank it took about 12.6 gallons but i have an AWD so it is an 14.5 gallon tank but i know it can't go all the way to 0 gallons either. i wonder what the minimum amount of gallons left in the tank is before it damages the fuel pump?
But none of us are going to test that, and most of us are counting on the fact that it is NOT accurate so that when it is "0 miles" we still have enough to make it to the next gas station. The lowest i went was "20 miles", light was on, when i filled up the tank it took about 12.6 gallons but i have an AWD so it is an 14.5 gallon tank but i know it can't go all the way to 0 gallons either. i wonder what the minimum amount of gallons left in the tank is before it damages the fuel pump?The car has two fuel pumps, the one in the tank is simply to get the fuel to the high pressure pump which is integrated into the head of the engine. Neither pump would be damaged unless it was run dry.
I have driven my 2013 CX-5 past "zero miles to empty" at least 5 or six times. The most was 22 miles past that point with zero issues. At that point I believe I have at least 20 more miles (if not 40 miles) but I'm not willing to test it out past about 20-25 miles after "0 miles to empty" displays.
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- Plano, Texas, USA
CX-5 AWD has a 15.3-(US)gallon tank. FWD has a 14.8-gallon tank.
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- Plano, Texas, USA
At this stage, your fuel gauge bar has to be shown empty and the low fuel level light has to be on?. I was driving the car until it was totally running out of the fuel a couple of times before on purpose. Although there was no signs of damage to the fuel pumps, but like you, I'm not willing to test it out anymore!
i stand corrected. thanks.
Yes, the low fuel light comes on before the gauge reads empty and the display reads "0 miles to empty" around the same time the tank reads empty.
How many miles past "0 miles to empty" did you get before running out?
iced_theater
Member
I haven't done it in awhile, but I've went 50 miles after it hit 0. So it's not accurate at all. I usually fill up at 0 or just before anymore.
