E46 runs out of gas

On 14 Nov 2006 11:29:14 -0800, "Vijay" > wrote:

>
>Jeff Strickland wrote:
>> My daughter has run her '00 3 Series out of gas a couple of times, but the
>> Range button displays upwards of 30 miles remaining. she fills the tank
>> everytime she gets gas, so the car knows where/how much a full tank is.
>>
>> Does the Range button work by figuring how far the car can go based on prior
>> operation of the gas pedal? If this were true, and my kid uses a heavier
>> foot that the previous owner, then the car might expect to go further than
>> she can get it to go.
>>
>> On MY 3 Series, I've ventured into the 30 or less miles remaining several
>> times and survived to tell the story, and managed to drive up to the pump
>> too. My daughter called from a parking lot driveway to say her car was dead.
>> She said the car reported that it still had 30 miles in the tank, but I
>> figured the tank was really as close to empty as it could be, so I told her
>> to get the Auto Club to come out with some gas. The car is fine now.
>>
>> She has gotten to the end of her fuel load 3 times when the Range display
>> insists she has enough gas to make it to the next gas station. What's up
>> with this?
>
>
>This is from the Owner's Handbook from my new 335d coupe.
>
>"The (range) display indicates how far the car can probably be driven
>on the fuel remaining in the tank. The range is calculated on the basis
>of the way the car has been driven over the past 20 miles, and the
>amount of fuel currently in the tank."
>
>There then follows this warning:
>
>"If the remaining operating range is below 30 miles, it is imperative
>to add fuel, otherwise the engine's functions are not assured and
>damage may occur"

In other words, subtract 30 miles from whatever it shows to see the
real (safe) miles-to-go.
Makes you wonder how accurate these things really are.

>
>Hope it helps,
>
>Vijay

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 16:03:58 -0700, RT > wrote:

>In other words, subtract 30 miles from whatever it shows to see the
>real (safe) miles-to-go.
>Makes you wonder how accurate these things really are.

I miss the old half(?) gallon reserve trap in my Triumph Vitesse,
where you could run out then open the boot and turn the reserve valve
lever and get going again, knowing pretty much how soon you needed to
get more. Not that I made regular use of it, but it did remove pretty
much all of the doubt.
--
Dan.

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 18:12:03 -0500, Dean Dark
> wrote:

>On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 16:03:58 -0700, RT > wrote:
>
>>In other words, subtract 30 miles from whatever it shows to see the
>>real (safe) miles-to-go.
>>Makes you wonder how accurate these things really are.
>
>I miss the old half(?) gallon reserve trap in my Triumph Vitesse,
>where you could run out then open the boot and turn the reserve valve
>lever and get going again, knowing pretty much how soon you needed to
>get more. Not that I made regular use of it, but it did remove pretty
>much all of the doubt.

Still widely used on motorcycles.

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 16:03:58 -0700, RT > wrote:

>On 14 Nov 2006 11:29:14 -0800, "Vijay" > wrote:
>
>>
>>Jeff Strickland wrote:
>>> My daughter has run her '00 3 Series out of gas a couple of times, but the
>>> Range button displays upwards of 30 miles remaining. she fills the tank
>>> everytime she gets gas, so the car knows where/how much a full tank is.
>>>
>>> Does the Range button work by figuring how far the car can go based on prior
>>> operation of the gas pedal? If this were true, and my kid uses a heavier
>>> foot that the previous owner, then the car might expect to go further than
>>> she can get it to go.
>>>
>>> On MY 3 Series, I've ventured into the 30 or less miles remaining several
>>> times and survived to tell the story, and managed to drive up to the pump
>>> too. My daughter called from a parking lot driveway to say her car was dead.
>>> She said the car reported that it still had 30 miles in the tank, but I
>>> figured the tank was really as close to empty as it could be, so I told her
>>> to get the Auto Club to come out with some gas. The car is fine now.
>>>
>>> She has gotten to the end of her fuel load 3 times when the Range display
>>> insists she has enough gas to make it to the next gas station. What's up
>>> with this?
>>
>>
>>This is from the Owner's Handbook from my new 335d coupe.
>>
>>"The (range) display indicates how far the car can probably be driven
>>on the fuel remaining in the tank. The range is calculated on the basis
>>of the way the car has been driven over the past 20 miles, and the
>>amount of fuel currently in the tank."
>>
>>There then follows this warning:
>>
>>"If the remaining operating range is below 30 miles, it is imperative
>>to add fuel, otherwise the engine's functions are not assured and
>>damage may occur"
>
>In other words, subtract 30 miles from whatever it shows to see the
>real (safe) miles-to-go.
>Makes you wonder how accurate these things really are.
>

As accurate as any AVERAGE can be.

The gauge (gage) is damped and reads the average condition as the fuel slops
from side to side - back and forward.

Hence the computer reads the fuel being used - sent to injectors less that
returned to tank and calculates what the mileage would approximate to.

However - WHY THE HELL do you let your tank run dry - think of all the **** the
pump might pick up let alone the aggravation of walking to the next gas station.

Twit is a word that springs to mind for anyone that lets the gas tank get so
empty..................

Actually you would save money by keeping it as full as you can as less space for
it to evaporate.


Sir Hugh of Bognor

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!

Hugh Gundersen

Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK

In article >,
Jeff Strickland > wrote:
> My daughter has run her '00 3 Series out of gas a couple of times, but
> the Range button displays upwards of 30 miles remaining. she fills the
> tank everytime she gets gas, so the car knows where/how much a full
> tank is.

> Does the Range button work by figuring how far the car can go based on
> prior operation of the gas pedal? If this were true, and my kid uses a
> heavier foot that the previous owner, then the car might expect to go
> further than she can get it to go.

No - it simply computes the tank contents - given by the fuel gauge -
against the instantaneous fuel consumption - given by injector opening and
speed/distance sensor.

Most likely fault is the fuel gauge sender in the tank.

--
*Is it true that cannibals don't eat clowns because they taste funny?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> In article >,
> Jeff Strickland > wrote:
>
>>My daughter has run her '00 3 Series out of gas a couple of times, but
>>the Range button displays upwards of 30 miles remaining. she fills the
>>tank everytime she gets gas, so the car knows where/how much a full
>>tank is.
>
>
>>Does the Range button work by figuring how far the car can go based on
>>prior operation of the gas pedal? If this were true, and my kid uses a
>>heavier foot that the previous owner, then the car might expect to go
>>further than she can get it to go.
>
>
> No - it simply computes the tank contents - given by the fuel gauge -
> against the instantaneous fuel consumption - given by injector opening and
> speed/distance sensor.

Actually, it seems the fuel consumption is a buffered average of some
sort as the range does not vary immediately when you accelerate or
decelerate. It takes a while after a change in driving style before the
range changes. But it will not retain that average for very long, such
as from a previous driver.

--
-Fred W

In article >,
Fred W > wrote:
> Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> > In article >,
> > Jeff Strickland > wrote:
> >
> >>My daughter has run her '00 3 Series out of gas a couple of times, but
> >>the Range button displays upwards of 30 miles remaining. she fills the
> >>tank everytime she gets gas, so the car knows where/how much a full
> >>tank is.
> >
> >
> >>Does the Range button work by figuring how far the car can go based on
> >>prior operation of the gas pedal? If this were true, and my kid uses a
> >>heavier foot that the previous owner, then the car might expect to go
> >>further than she can get it to go.
> >
> >
> > No - it simply computes the tank contents - given by the fuel gauge -
> > against the instantaneous fuel consumption - given by injector opening
> > and speed/distance sensor.

> Actually, it seems the fuel consumption is a buffered average of some
> sort as the range does not vary immediately when you accelerate or
> decelerate. It takes a while after a change in driving style before the
> range changes. But it will not retain that average for very long, such
> as from a previous driver.

I was referring to the 'miles till empty' - and that does react quickly
especially when the fuel is low. A cold start followed by gentle driving
will show it count *up*...

--
*Sometimes I wake up grumpy; Other times I let him sleep.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

> wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 16:03:58 -0700, RT > wrote:
>
>>On 14 Nov 2006 11:29:14 -0800, "Vijay" > wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>Jeff Strickland wrote:
>>>> My daughter has run her '00 3 Series out of gas a couple of times, but
>>>> the
>>>> Range button displays upwards of 30 miles remaining. she fills the tank
>>>> everytime she gets gas, so the car knows where/how much a full tank is.
>>>>
>>>> Does the Range button work by figuring how far the car can go based on
>>>> prior
>>>> operation of the gas pedal? If this were true, and my kid uses a
>>>> heavier
>>>> foot that the previous owner, then the car might expect to go further
>>>> than
>>>> she can get it to go.
>>>>
>>>> On MY 3 Series, I've ventured into the 30 or less miles remaining
>>>> several
>>>> times and survived to tell the story, and managed to drive up to the
>>>> pump
>>>> too. My daughter called from a parking lot driveway to say her car was
>>>> dead.
>>>> She said the car reported that it still had 30 miles in the tank, but I
>>>> figured the tank was really as close to empty as it could be, so I told
>>>> her
>>>> to get the Auto Club to come out with some gas. The car is fine now.
>>>>
>>>> She has gotten to the end of her fuel load 3 times when the Range
>>>> display
>>>> insists she has enough gas to make it to the next gas station. What's
>>>> up
>>>> with this?
>>>
>>>
>>>This is from the Owner's Handbook from my new 335d coupe.
>>>
>>>"The (range) display indicates how far the car can probably be driven
>>>on the fuel remaining in the tank. The range is calculated on the basis
>>>of the way the car has been driven over the past 20 miles, and the
>>>amount of fuel currently in the tank."
>>>
>>>There then follows this warning:
>>>
>>>"If the remaining operating range is below 30 miles, it is imperative
>>>to add fuel, otherwise the engine's functions are not assured and
>>>damage may occur"
>>
>>In other words, subtract 30 miles from whatever it shows to see the
>>real (safe) miles-to-go.
>>Makes you wonder how accurate these things really are.
>>
>
> As accurate as any AVERAGE can be.
>
> The gauge (gage) is damped and reads the average condition as the fuel
> slops
> from side to side - back and forward.
>
> Hence the computer reads the fuel being used - sent to injectors less that
> returned to tank and calculates what the mileage would approximate to.
>
> However - WHY THE HELL do you let your tank run dry - think of all the
> **** the
> pump might pick up let alone the aggravation of walking to the next gas
> station.
>

I do not let MY tank run dry, but thanks for the insult.

The tank CLAIMS to have more than enough gas to get to the gas station, but
is apparently lying when it maks the claim.



> Twit is a word that springs to mind for anyone that lets the gas tank get
> so
> empty..................
>

Twit is a word I'm thinking of right about now as well. I'm thinking of
empty too, but not the gas tank.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> In article >,
> Fred W > wrote:
>
>>Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>>
>>>In article >,
>>> Jeff Strickland > wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>My daughter has run her '00 3 Series out of gas a couple of times, but
>>>>the Range button displays upwards of 30 miles remaining. she fills the
>>>>tank everytime she gets gas, so the car knows where/how much a full
>>>>tank is.
>>>
>>>
>>>>Does the Range button work by figuring how far the car can go based on
>>>>prior operation of the gas pedal? If this were true, and my kid uses a
>>>>heavier foot that the previous owner, then the car might expect to go
>>>>further than she can get it to go.
>>>
>>>
>>>No - it simply computes the tank contents - given by the fuel gauge -
>>>against the instantaneous fuel consumption - given by injector opening
>>>and speed/distance sensor.
>
>
>>Actually, it seems the fuel consumption is a buffered average of some
>>sort as the range does not vary immediately when you accelerate or
>>decelerate. It takes a while after a change in driving style before the
>>range changes. But it will not retain that average for very long, such
>>as from a previous driver.
>
>
> I was referring to the 'miles till empty' - and that does react quickly
> especially when the fuel is low. A cold start followed by gentle driving
> will show it count *up*...
>

I was too, and that hasn't been my experience.

--
-Fred W

Fred W > wrote:

>Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>> In article >,
>> Fred W > wrote:
>>
>>>Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>>>
>>>>In article >,
>>>> Jeff Strickland > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>My daughter has run her '00 3 Series out of gas a couple of times, but
>>>>>the Range button displays upwards of 30 miles remaining. she fills the
>>>>>tank everytime she gets gas, so the car knows where/how much a full
>>>>>tank is.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Does the Range button work by figuring how far the car can go based on
>>>>>prior operation of the gas pedal? If this were true, and my kid uses a
>>>>>heavier foot that the previous owner, then the car might expect to go
>>>>>further than she can get it to go.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>No - it simply computes the tank contents - given by the fuel gauge -
>>>>against the instantaneous fuel consumption - given by injector opening
>>>>and speed/distance sensor.
>>
>>
>>>Actually, it seems the fuel consumption is a buffered average of some
>>>sort as the range does not vary immediately when you accelerate or
>>>decelerate. It takes a while after a change in driving style before the
>>>range changes. But it will not retain that average for very long, such
>>>as from a previous driver.
>>
>>
>> I was referring to the 'miles till empty' - and that does react quickly
>> especially when the fuel is low. A cold start followed by gentle driving
>> will show it count *up*...
>>
>
>I was too, and that hasn't been my experience.

I've seen it count up. I guess it depends on your definition of "gentle driving".