does anyone know how much gas is left when the light goes on?

 

I don't know what the official technical manual says but I know with mine I still have about 4 gallons left. My RX's gauge seems to read low. Quickly after a fill-up, it will start to come off the full mark and it will indicate low with quite a bit of fuel left. My Toyota is just the opposite. It will go 75 miles before it ever indicates less than full. I don't think I've ever taken the Avalon down to the low fuel light like I have with the RX.

 

edbro,

I think you are about right. I have seen anywhere from 3 to 5 gallons for the tank. I have been able to get in one extreme situation about 40 to 50 miles once. However, I can go to my track about 10 miles away in a straight line, run it to a low tank, take back the toll road to go home, which requires I go north a bit (I do this went there is a lot of traffic going the shorter way) and I run off about 30 miles. I think our good old friend Daddy-O (who started our FAQ in the RX300 forum) rattled off 43 miles in one case after the light came on.

On another point, sometimes I still get the warning light after filling up bone dry with about $5 to $7 USD of gas (as in a track situation to minimize weight), and in order to reset this, I have to pull of the negative battery cables to get it to reset.

 

Is this one of those 4th grader math question?

Gas Tank Capacity (from User Manual) - # of gallons filled up when the light is on (gas receipt)= # of gallon left in the tank for your RX

 

With both my RX 300 and the 330, I've found I can comfortably run 30-34 miles in mixed freeway and urban driving with minimal traffic once the light comes on. I beat this once driving the coast highway through Oregon, having been burned by WA fuel prices and not wishing to be ripped off again I traversed a good deal of Washington and all of Oregon, all but coasting into a gas station just across the California line. The last 45 minutes of the journey involved spending more time staring at the warning light and the infinitesimally slow sinking of the gas needle into unexplored regions than the road ahead. It also involved a distinct lack of service stations, some feather-footed driving, and a lot of prayer.

 

I know the feeling. About 5 years ago, I took a long-winded trip through the mountains to get home from Texas (instead of taking the regular highway to Mexico City). One of the most beautiful trips I have ever taken, like taking the Pacific Coast Highway, but there was practically no civilization and of course no gas. I had no A/C on to conserve gas, middle of summer, and a lot of winding roads, but finally just north of a tiny town called Zimapan in Hidalgo state, I found life in the form of a Pemex station that sold Magna or Premium (I would have taken the regular, junky, high sulfur Magna that day). That trip took me almost 20 hours, instead of the normal 12 or so from San Antonio, Texas.

 

That depends on model year. My 2002 would have 4.3 gallons left if I topped it off. (The light comes on at around 15.5 gallons, whilst the total capacity is 19.8.) Earlier model had a 17.6 gallon tank. Your mileage may vary.

If you run low on gas in the middle of nowhere, slow down to about 45 mph - which seems to be the best cruising speed for the RX for fuel economy. It gets 35-40 mpg at that speed. If the weather permits, turn off AC but keep windows up.

 

I can't tell you how many gallons left, because each pump is different with when it "pops" to indicate the tank is full, so you'll be here and there by 1 gallon I would imagine. All I know is that I had the unfortunately event of having the light come on, but I was in PA in the middle of the night and there were no gas stations open along with route. I drove for about 45 miles more highway before I stalled out. AAA had to come rescue me. Quite embarassing actually. I got towed to a station 20 miles away, so I would not have made it no matte what.

TIP: When driving at night through "nowhere" start with a full tank.

 

You guys know that most cars use the gas that is in the tank to cool the fuel pump right?

When you let the tank go way down you are risking overheating the pump. As a rule I would not let it go below a quarter tank. Does not mean that you will have a problem but not worth the risk to me.

 

Whilst it is true that the RX's fuel pump is cooled by the gasoline, it does not generate a large amount of heat. It is also air cooled to some extend.

That said, it is unwise to let the gas run too low. I find it to be quite a distraction as I'd be staring at the needle every few seconds.

 

This is true about the fuel tank being low, however I do it for racing purposes or when I am in the middle of nowhere and somehow there is no gas station as I mentioned earlier. I have had it run to nothing once trying to get a record a few years back, but it just chugged.

 

How much gas (or miles one can go) after the low fuel light comes on is an academic question.

I have not opened RX fuel tank but typically there are partitions in the tank to give it strength and at times to wrap around exhaust/structure. Holes or pipes connect them but with time they get clogged. The suction tube (form the pump) also can vary in height and can substantially influence how much gas is left before it sucks air.

The pump is designed to operate without being immersed in fuel, but you can extend its life by keeping in cooler. Further the ratio of sediments to clean fuel goes up as the tank depletes, which can influence injectors.

If the RX is your vehicle, you will be using all the gas in the tank and more. The only down sides to being fueld up is more (frequent) trips to the gas station and more dead weight you carry.

A good driver, checks the gauges and warning lights. 1/4 tank => go to the gas station.

Salim
ps: Running out of gas on diesel engines is very painful. We can think and talk about running out of gasoline but you dont want to risk that with diesel driven cars.

 

I'm curious about why you say that. I had a diesel Mercedes Benz from 1975-1995. The way you shut off the engine normally was to stop the fuel supply (i.e., run out of "gas"). There was a hand pump as part of the fuel pump assembly to purge air bubbles in the fuel line, should that become an issue. Maybe there is something about newer diesel engines that creates a problem, but not on the older ones.

 

I grew up with 65 BMC Morris Oxford with Diesel engine. It had no hand pump and the main fuel pump had to be purged [if air got into it ..(the air in line would not let the pressure to be built-up). We were stranded overnight and the part [small tube from the gas tank ... when you convert the currency was less than a penny] but the aggravation was huge. As you point out to kill Diesel engine you cut the supply ... I was alluding to the air in system.

Salim

 

back to the original question, 'how many gallons are left after the light comes on'? my '99 has three gallons left. use them as you will....

thanks all
ken