"Low Fuel Level" message - what triggers it?

[Am_Dew]

My '05 Explorer XLT has the message console and when the fuel level gets down to some point, a "Low Fuel Level" message appears on it and stays there unless you hit the "Reset" button. The same message comes back again after a short while and stays there until you either hit the reset button or fuel up.

Besides the obvious, does anyone know for sure exactly what triggers this message? Is it based upon X number of gallons of gas left in the tank? Or does it come on when the computer determines that you have X many miles left based upon the current estimated miles per gallon? Or other?

Thanks!

 

[rancherlee]

On my lincoln it comes on with 3 gallons remaining usually (50-60 miles left), my wife hasn't let the Mountaineer get much below 1/2 tank yet so I don't know about it yet.

 

[FordLover]

on my truck it comes on exactly 50 miles to empty. I don't push it much past that.

But I'd assume it averages what the range is (last 500 miles of fuel economy) vs. what's left in the tank.

 

[Col.Dadrocks]

I swear I have no warning light or message on my 2004 xlt..any one else the same?

 

[05XLT]

I have an electronic guage that tells me that... It happens at 50 miles till empty.

 

[tower]

I swear I have no warning light or message on my 2004 xlt..any one else the same?

You do sort of but, you need to be very very low and then it will chime and the check gauge light will come on.

 

[xltv82003]

Col.dadrocks...i have to side with you on my 03 XLT i have never seen the low fuel light and on 3 or 4 occassions i have put 20+ gallons (22.5 gal tank) into it. My dad has an 04 Expedition with the message center and he has seen the message center alert low fuel but no "idiot" light on the dash.

 

[pennst8er]

I Doubt Very Much It Is Based On How Many Miles You Have Left Because That Can Be Such An Inaccurate Factor Because You Must Consider Current Speed, Traffic, Heat, Etc. I Would Tend To Think It Is Based Upon Th Amount Of Fuel Remaining In The Tank Measured By A Sensor Then Relayed To The Computer, Because You Can Make The Light Go On And Off Sometimes Depending On What Kind Of Angle The Tank Is At.

 

[90ranajo]

I would hazard a guess your message center low fuel level is run off of the fuel sender and at ~3 gal. it triggers the message. On my '02 F250 the Low Fuel idiot light come on almost exactly at 3 gal. left.

 

[Timoteo]

I agree with FordLover, mine triggers at exaclty 50 miles remaining on the tank. I wish I could change it, as it gets annoying having it go off every 5-10 mins once it triggers.

 

[Am_Dew]

Mine has now gone off at "50 miles left to E" twice in a row so it seems that's what triggers it. Thanks everyone for your replies!

 

[daprez1963]

So, does everyone with a message center have "LOW OIL PRESSURE" on it when you insert the key and turn it to the position right before it cranks? Is this normal to say that it has low oil pressure until you start it (it goes away on its own after the engine starts on mine). Just wondering....BTW, I use synthetic oil...does that make a difference?

 

[watchadoin2nite]

daprez1963...yes its normal that your low oil pressure be on when ur running on just battery. i have no idea why, but its that way in all vehicles.

 

[Exploderpilot]

The low oil pressure light comes on then goes out when you start your vehicle because the sending unit gets power as soon as the key turns, the when the motor starts, and the oil pump comes on, there's pressure. Fuel low messages come from different sources. The cars that have a message center have 2. there is a variable resistor that determines the level of fuel in the tank, and when that voltage output reaches a certain point, it triggers a relay to illuminate the light, or it tells the message center to trigger the low fuel display. and message center vehicles also guestimate based on fuel level VS fuel economy.

 

[Curtis]

I swear I have no warning light or message on my 2004 xlt..any one else the same?

my 04 XLT and my Dads 02 XLT will both show a Check Gage light on the dash when your close to empty. The needle is on E before it lights so you have to be pretty close to empty.

Give it a try like that episode of Seinfeld where Kramer test drives a car as far as he can on empty just for the rush

 

[Mountaineer02v8]

on my 02 Mountaineer, the low fuel gauge comes on at exactly 50 miles till empty.

I have pushed that all the way until it said "0 miles to empty" I only went about 2 miles after it said 0 miles to empty and then filled all the way up.

 

[Joe Dirt]

I have no idea how many miles were left when the light came on in my 2004 Taurus, but the last time I filled up on the last day I could get my gas paid for at my old job, I did this:

I drove about 12 miles after it hit 0 remaining to get to the nearest Pacific Pride station...

Fill 'er up, two clicks after, and had this:

In an 18 gallon tank. Anyone know what the reserve capacity is?

Yes, I documented the entire thing on film, because it had the makings of being totally hilarious when I ran out of gas on the highway, but sadly, it never happened. ha ha ha!

"Listen to me. When that car rolls into that dealership, and that tank is bone dry, I want you to be there with me when everyone says, "Kramer and that other guy, oh, they went further to the left of the slash than anyone ever dreamed!"

God I miss that show- what an inspiration...

 

[EasyRhino]

My wife's Explorer appears to use the computer to determine when there are 50 miles and updates the distance left to zero on an ongoing basis. WHen it says 0 miles to empty, you had better have a clear path to a filling station, as it is in the "reserve". On hills (6% grade) it will even cut out (ask me how I know).

Note that running a FI engine without gas is bad for the injectors. Gas provides cooling and lubrication for them.

 

[fordgirl84]

My 96 explorer goes off at 50 miles till E, BUT i have driven it about 60 miles past 0 when its gone to 0. My Explorer will reach about 75 miles till E and suddenly every mile i go it jumps down about 10-15 miles, anyone knows why? Just today i started it and it said 25 miles till E and i drove just down my street and it jumped right to 0! its the most relible car ive had, and when i do fill it, itll get me about 375-400 miles till E.

 

[roush9799]

Mines at 50 to go. Sunday it came on when I pulled into the driveway. Shut it off for a few hours and came back out and had 62 to go. Then it came back on at 50. After 50 it seems to alert every 10 miles.