Fuel approximation....
06-12-12, 11:12 AM
#16
Lexus Fanatic
Toyota/Lexus speedometers are always 2MPH slow too.
06-12-12, 11:29 AM
#17
This is true. Lexus goes out of its way to make sure you don't run out of gas. I find this built-in inaccuracy to be frustrating and stupid. How about giving me guages that are accurate, with no buffers, so I know how much gas I have left instead of having to guess?
It's like a clock manufacturer making its clocks five minutes fast so you're never late. Just give me the truth and let me work it out from there.
The old wive's tale about low gas levels hurting the fuel pump doesn't apply to modern cars. They're designed to operate with low levels of fuel and it does the fuel pump no harm.
It's like a clock manufacturer making its clocks five minutes fast so you're never late. Just give me the truth and let me work it out from there.
The old wive's tale about low gas levels hurting the fuel pump doesn't apply to modern cars. They're designed to operate with low levels of fuel and it does the fuel pump no harm.
Really no guessing,just gas up at the light or a bit later.
I don't know if the cooling issue is a factor or the old running the gas too low will have the pump pick up settled dirt at the bottom of the tank but why take the chance and run the car that low?
06-12-12, 01:20 PM
#19
Lexus Fanatic
Every Toyota product I have ever owned (and I've owned a lot) has a speedo that is 2MPH slow. When you're driving and you pass one of those electronic radar speed displays, compare the speed to your speedo, your actual speed is 2MPH slower than the speedo reads. You can also use a GPS with a speed readout, it'll read 2MPH slower than your speedo. My new Jeep Grand Cherokee (first car I've had thats not a Toyota in over 10 years) has an accurate speedo, speed matches radar and GPS readout.
06-19-12, 10:05 AM
#20
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Assumptions About Fuel Gauges
I think many persons replying here have made an assumption that I'm not certain is correct. The assumption that I'm talking about is that all of our fuel gauges behave pretty much the same. Auto manufacturers often change suppliers and manufacturers of various parts such as fuel gauges from one model year to another and sometimes within model years. Although Lexus likely provides specifications for manufacturing such items I doubt they cover EVERYTHING. Thus, there is an excellent chance that a gauge made by Manufacturer #1 will not work EXACTLY like one made by Manufacturer #2 in all respects.
The only thing I feel confident about is that the gauge in my car works in a pretty consistent manner. So, if its important to me to know how much fuel my tank actually holds or how much fuel is in my tank when the guage reads empty or when the fuel light illuminates, I need to check this out myself. And, what anyone else's experience is isn't necessarily applicable to me.
The only thing I feel confident about is that the gauge in my car works in a pretty consistent manner. So, if its important to me to know how much fuel my tank actually holds or how much fuel is in my tank when the guage reads empty or when the fuel light illuminates, I need to check this out myself. And, what anyone else's experience is isn't necessarily applicable to me.
06-19-12, 10:38 AM
#21
I think many persons replying here have made an assumption that I'm not certain is correct. The assumption that I'm talking about is that all of our fuel gauges behave pretty much the same. Auto manufacturers often change suppliers and manufacturers of various parts such as fuel gauges from one model year to another and sometimes within model years. Although Lexus likely provides specifications for manufacturing such items I doubt they cover EVERYTHING. Thus, there is an excellent chance that a gauge made by Manufacturer #1 will not work EXACTLY like one made by Manufacturer #2 in all respects.
The only thing I feel confident about is that the gauge in my car works in a pretty consistent manner. So, if its important to me to know how much fuel my tank actually holds or how much fuel is in my tank when the guage reads empty or when the fuel light illuminates, I need to check this out myself. And, what anyone else's experience is isn't necessarily applicable to me.
The only thing I feel confident about is that the gauge in my car works in a pretty consistent manner. So, if its important to me to know how much fuel my tank actually holds or how much fuel is in my tank when the guage reads empty or when the fuel light illuminates, I need to check this out myself. And, what anyone else's experience is isn't necessarily applicable to me.
After all,the units are made from Toyota specs no matter what company makes the fuel gauge..
06-20-12, 02:52 PM
#22
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Opinion vs Fact
Joeb427 - Your OPINION is that the guages are all the same in spite of possibly being made by different manufacturers. I don't buy into this opinion at 100%. I may buy in at perhaps 98% but the 2% difference could cause your gauge to perform a tiny bit different from mine! And thats exactly my point!
For about 50 years I changed my own water pumps, replaced brake shoes/pads/rotors, installed new valve lifters and camshafts, rebuilt carburators, replaced injectors, etc. On several occasions I've been asked by part retailers (e.g., NAPAA, Autozone, etc.) if my car was made before or after a specific mid-model-year date. Whenever I asked about this, I was told that the car manufacturer made mid-model-year changes that requires different parts, sometimes made by different manufacturers before vs. after the specified date.
So, lacking the facts I will not assume parts potentially made by different companies will always behave exactly the same! You are welcome to your own opinion.
For about 50 years I changed my own water pumps, replaced brake shoes/pads/rotors, installed new valve lifters and camshafts, rebuilt carburators, replaced injectors, etc. On several occasions I've been asked by part retailers (e.g., NAPAA, Autozone, etc.) if my car was made before or after a specific mid-model-year date. Whenever I asked about this, I was told that the car manufacturer made mid-model-year changes that requires different parts, sometimes made by different manufacturers before vs. after the specified date.
So, lacking the facts I will not assume parts potentially made by different companies will always behave exactly the same! You are welcome to your own opinion.
06-20-12, 04:41 PM
#23
Lexus Fanatic
I think perhaps your experience with old, presumably primarily domestic cars and a modern Japanese built Lexus are a little bit at odds with each other. I have never known Lexus/Toyota to have different parts or part numbers depending on when within a model year a vehicle was built, and I've had 6 of them spanning from 1998 until today. The gauges all behaved exactly the same on all of them, except for the fuel gauge on our '04 Prius which was digital and had a bladder tank.
I find absolutely no point in this statement whatsoever. I will concede that there is a possibility, but from a practical perspective what does that possibility really mean?
I may buy in at perhaps 98% but the 2% difference could cause your gauge to perform a tiny bit different from mine! And thats exactly my point!
Last edited by SW17LS; 06-20-12 at 04:51 PM.
06-20-12, 07:08 PM
#24
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
lrdecker --
Sure, the gauges might be different or manufactured by different suppliers -- I have no idea and won't profess otherwise.....yet almost everyone that has chimed in on this thread has a similar experience in seeing vast differences w/ their Lexus fuel approximation vs their Lexus low fuel light. We are assuming the fuel gauges amongst our cars behave the same b/c each of the individual and time-tested experiences shared on this thread are very similar. We aren't submitting our results to a scientific journal, just making loose assumptions based on similar experiences.
Sure, the gauges might be different or manufactured by different suppliers -- I have no idea and won't profess otherwise.....yet almost everyone that has chimed in on this thread has a similar experience in seeing vast differences w/ their Lexus fuel approximation vs their Lexus low fuel light. We are assuming the fuel gauges amongst our cars behave the same b/c each of the individual and time-tested experiences shared on this thread are very similar. We aren't submitting our results to a scientific journal, just making loose assumptions based on similar experiences.
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