...once your fuel light comes on? This is always a critical question in a new car! Just put in my first tank of gas. (BTW I decided to put in 91 but will experiment with 87 and post my observations in the thread on that subject). My display told me I could only go 10 more miles (range) when I filled up. I put in 16 gallons exactly (after adding 4/10 of a gallon after the nozzel clicked off). The computer was reading 23.6 MPG for the tank. I was surprised to see that the specifications state the tank holds 18.5 gallons. As you can see, this does not come close to computing. Look forward to your real life experiences. Also, what does the range read if you get to the point where you get it down to zero? Does it just stay on zero?

seeker

 

On the range indicator one can travel where it displays zero miles

Been there done that because it first told me I had a range of 14 miles which went to zero way too soon, after about 5 miles, but I drove it about 4 more miles telling me I had zero. My city MPG is not anywhere near EPA rating.

I would NOT push it any further than that though and certainly not even do what I did if in an area without gas stations reasonably close walking distance.

 

I've driven over ten miles after the display indicates a range of zero.

Based on the gallons used to fill up, I suspect that you could probably do triple that, but I haven't tested it. The only way to be sure is to put a can of gas in the trunk and drive it till dry, noting the mileage and range.

The range dislpay never goes below zero, just as the mpg display never goes above 90.

 

Dreyfus, when you went over 10 miles beyond the range, do you remember how many gallons you put in?

What is the most anyone ever put in? How much can you put in after the first time it clicks off?

 

Not sure with the ES 350 but in the
RX 300
RX 330
RX 400h
GS 400
GS 430
SC 400
GS 300

You can go at least 60 miles (TOPS) with the gauge on E. And when you fill up, the tank still has about a gallon and a 1/2 left.

I don't suggest anyone do what I did (to find out for myself) as I have never ran outta gas in any Lexus but I am curious to see how much truly is left.

I say 60 miles left driving frugal.

 

Sorry, no, I don't remember. But it was certainly less than 17 gallons.

I would not be surprised to find that 1SICKLEX is right and you have another 60 miles left.

 

Yesterday after driving about 10+ miles with the fuel warning light on and with 0 miles to empty showing, it took only 16.5 gallons to fill the tank. I had clicked the pump about 2 more times after first shutoff. As has been posted above, there would have been about 2 gallons (50 more miles) to the fumes and a flameout at that point.

Running out of gas is very much to be avoided in modern automobiles for reasons other than the obvious inconvenience. Electric fuel pumps are submerged in the tank for cooling and rely on gasoline for lubrication so they should never be run dry. In addition, as the engine flames out, all sorts of havoc is wreaked with the ECC program trying to figure out what's wrong. I can almost guarantee that you'd end up with the Check engine light latched ON for at least three normal starts and the ECC in relearning mode, thus drivablility might suffer for a while.

 

There are generally 2-2 1/2 gallons left from empty.

 

That sounds about right. Both of my Lexus' and my previous Toyotas could take about 1.5 gal after the pump shut off. It's not recommended to do so if you are going to fill it up and park but if you plan on doing at least 1.5 gal worth of driving it seems to be ok. I was told that it could damage the fuel vapor recovery system.

 

My experience is I have about 3 1/2 - 4 gallons left when the fuel light starts to glow. It will do so intermittently at that point. And just as Phoenix posted above when the gauge hits E. Makes it difficult TO run out of gas...unless you are in BFE.

 

Rather than give you miles (since that will vary given the mpg for that tank), as a general rule of thumb, Toyota gives 10 litres (2.6 gal) reserve. IOW, when there's 10 litres left in the fuel tank, the Low Fuel warning will come on. You can then calculate the miles you can travel given your avg mpg.

 

Basically... If you drive in an economical way, you can do 400miles a tank + some change on any of them from '92 onwards.
Please keep in mind that not "hot rodding" does not count as driving economically. There's driving economically, then there's everything else LoL!


It's really just dependant on afew things. Best thing to do is run it down to empty, calculate your average mpg & then multiply that by 17.5 so you keep a gallon in the baffles in the tank & you know it'll pick-up fuel god forbid you slam on the brakes, or tackle some twisties.
That way, you know how far you can go before it's just out of gas (times 18.5), you know how far you can reasonably go (Most of us fill up around 15-16g left in the tank), and you actually know how much gas is left in the tank when you hit empty. (Gas pumped in minus 18.5)



All of which is quite handy information to know!

 

DO NOT continually force fuel into the car after the pump shuts off.
Why the hell you think people's EVAP canisters habitually die after afew years LoL! (Lotta Toyota's don't get 5 years out of the evap canister. Partly from over-filling, not only, but it does account for some of them!)

 

3.5-4 gallons! That's a huge reserve. I guess there's no point in getting nervous when the light goes on.

 

My friend who is a mechanic specializing on Japanese imports says just remember when the Empty light comes on, you got 40 miles left. I know it depends on what kinda car you drive, but this seems to be the average.