Miles to "low fuel" light?

[2010Explorer]

I top off tank so no more fuel will go in. I then go 140 miles and my low fuel light comes on. I checked and my tank is suppose to be 22 gal. 140 miles is only 10 gals. I should have 12 in tank still but light coming on. I have records that fuel pump was just done. But gauge reads full at correct time and gauge shows below 1/4 tank when low light comes on. When does your low fuel light come on?

 

[NickSantagataa]

It goes on at 50,40,30,20,10,0 but then you still have some in reverses which is the 2 gallons you're talking about out of the 22 gallons just do every 230 miles get gas , I get like 350 till e with a full tank. You could have a leak?

 

[2010Explorer]

It goes on at 50,40,30,20,10,0 but then you still have some in reverses which is the 2 gallons you're talking about out of the 22 gallons just do every 230 miles get gas , I get like 350 till e with a full tank. You could have a leak?

Please reread my post.

 

[Flag Gibby]

I have only seen the low fuel light come on when the computer estimates only 50 miles left on the tank until empty. Never seen it come on based on gauge level. Like Nick mentioned, it sounds like you may have a leak in a fuel line from when the fuel pump got replaced. It is possible that the reason the fuel pump was replaced was because of a cut in the line causing low fuel pressures and not a faulty fuel pump. If you smell fuel under the passenger side of the vehicle when it is idling then you have a serious leak on one of your fuel lines.

 

[2010Explorer]

Come on , stop talking about fuel leaks and fuel pressure. Those are not even remotely linked to this. I just want a simple answer. Which would be.... Answer My low fuel light comes on when I have x.. amount of fuel in my tank.

 

[BrianDye]

Our fuel light comes on when the computer detects 50 miles til empty, as the other 2 posters have said. On mine it's always appx 1/8th of a tank according to the gauge. Don't know what else you want us to say from your post. You have some issues in your Explorer if you're only driving 140 miles til your light comes on.

 

[Flag Gibby]

Come on , stop talking about fuel leaks and fuel pressure. Those are not even remotely linked to this. I just want a simple answer. Which would be.... Answer My low fuel light comes on when I have x.. amount of fuel in my tank.

You are the one that mentioned that the fuel pump was recently replaced in your original message and implying that you are going through gas a lot faster than you should. So the big question is how much gas can you put in it when the system says that it is almost empty because your original statement is not very clear.
Just to reiterate, three of us have now said that the message center simply lights up and indicates that the fuel is getting low starting at 50 miles to empty based on the computers calculations. In other words it is not going to be a consistent amount left in the tank, but if the light has come on then it should take in the vicinity of 20 gallons. Maybe this last statement is what you were after all along.

 

[2010Explorer]

My post never states i'm going thru gas faster then normal. What I's saying is my low fuel light is coming on WITH 10 gals still in tank. I fill tank to top where it can't take any more gas. Zero trip meter. Drive 140 miles and low fuel light comes on. Truck says it's getting 14mpg on dash. I think the new pump they messed up level sensor. They did pump before I bought truck with a non Ford unit.

 

[2010Explorer]

Just did test again. Drove it till dash said Zero miles to empty and then filled tank. Took 16 gals. So 6 gals still in tank. Thats's another 84 miles. Just wondering if Ford is leaving that much of a buffer.

 

[Flag Gibby]

No it is typically around 2-3 gallons to empty when the low fuel indicator comes on. What kind of fuel economy does the computer suggest that you are getting?

 

[2010Explorer]

No it is typically around 2-3 gallons to empty when the low fuel indicator comes on. What kind of fuel economy does the computer suggest that you are getting?

It says 13.9 ish

 

[Flag Gibby]

It sounds like the sending unit float got messed up/bent when the fuel pump got replaced. The sending unit is a part of the fuel pump assembly. You will have to drop the tank to take a look at it and replace if necessary or maybe it can be bent back into the correct position.

 

[Cartyboy1]

Mine does the same

My daughter's 2006 explorer does the same thing. We fill it up, it may go 90 miles or 180 or somewhere in between. The digital "Miles to empty" starts at about 350 full and gradually decreases then just starts dropping quickly; then when the gauge goes below 1/8 tank., low fuel light comes on and there is still plenty of gas in the tank. Turn ignition off or go continuous...no matter. Battery cable off does not reset.

I'm not sure if the pump was replaced before we purchased this vehicle In June of this year. I dropped the fuel tank, checked the resistance on the sender...all good.

So yes, I agree with explorer 2010 that "low fuel light" and "miles to empty" are based on gauge reading rather than actual level of fuel in tank. I have read and read and am just now looking back into it so I can check it out over the holidays when she is here. The issue must be with the gauge and not the sending unit in the tank. I have also seen other threads about anti-slosh module but I'm not sure.

Is there a Ford technician that has seen this same issue?

 

[MNgopher]

Hate to say it, but mine goes on when there are an estimated 50 miles left in the tank. At zero miles left on the tank, I still have about 2 1/2 gallons in the tank. Depending on the driving I've been doing a lot before, that can be with. When its winter, it can turn on with 7 gallons in the tank (when my fuel mileage is around 10 mpg) or it can be as little as 4 gallons in the tank when I've been doing freeway driving in the summer.

Has nothing to do with where the guage is on mine anyways.

 

[pzy3339]

I get about 21 gallons into mine when I hit 5 or less miles to empty. If I fill up right when it goes off at 50 miles usually like 19 gallons.

The most I ever put in is maybe 21.5, and that was going a bit past 0.

Computer typically reads 340 miles to empty when full. Last time I looked my average mpg was 15.4.

Mine is pretty accurate.

 

[berny13]

On the two occasions that I topped off my tank (OCD trying to reach whole dollar amounts), I got the low fuel warning after about an hour or so of driving. I learned to stop fueling when the gas pump shuts off automatically.

Takes about three days of driving short trips for the fuel gauge to respond correctly. Otherwise, mine warns me at 50 miles until empty.

Berny

 

[Cartyboy1]

My daughter's 2006 explorer does the same thing. We fill it up, it may go 90 miles or 180 or somewhere in between. The digital "Miles to empty" starts at about 350 full and gradually decreases then just starts dropping quickly; then when the gauge goes below 1/8 tank., low fuel light comes on and there is still plenty of gas in the tank. Turn ignition off or go continuous...no matter. Battery cable off does not reset.

I'm not sure if the pump was replaced before we purchased this vehicle In June of this year. I dropped the fuel tank, checked the resistance on the sender...all good.

So yes, I agree with explorer 2010 that "low fuel light" and "miles to empty" are based on gauge reading rather than actual level of fuel in tank. I have read and read and am just now looking back into it so I can check it out over the holidays when she is here. The issue must be with the gauge and not the sending unit in the tank. I have also seen other threads about anti-slosh module but I'm not sure.

Is there a Ford technician that has seen this same issue?

Does anyone know a fix for this gauge issue?

 

[schmidty1284]

I am having the same problem. I have replaced the sending unit and pump and my gauge still reads empty. I filled this up and it still reads empty. I checked the resistance on the old sending unit and it was working corectly. That being said i believe this is an issue with the computer. This all started a few weeks ago when i filled up and the gas gauge only went to 3/4. I figured maybe the pumped kicked off early. Same thing happen on the next fill up. Then last Sat i go out to the car and it says --- to empty. I knew i had around 1/4 so i filled it up and still said -- miles to empty. Three days later it started working but was not reading correctly. Has anyone had any luck with this?

 

[schmidty1284]

Update. There was a broken wire in the wiring harness down by the tank. Had a local shop investigate this and they had to drop tank again and fix. Hope this helps the next guy.

 

[USMCBuckWild]

Good on ya for following up and posting.