New owner here:

I read the specs stated that the LR3 had a 22.3 gallon fuel tank. This morning I pulled into the fuel station with the fuel low light on, the computer saying I had 20 miles left and was only able to fill up 18.5 gallons.

Is this normal?

Thanks in advance.

 

I usually get at least 20 gallons in.

 

Ditto. If I had "20 miles left", I would probably get 20.5 gallons into the tank. Could just be that you had vapor in the tank though that was causing the pump to shut off early?

 

Sometimes I get lazy, now that gas has gotten so expensive I cannot fill up before the credit card limit of $75 is reached, and so I just stop there.

 

My LR4 is the same way. Says it has a 22 gallon tank, but I have never put in more than 20 gallons and that was after driving 50 miles with 0 miles as the range.


My only guess is the sensor sucks or this is some kind of built in fudge / safety factor incase you are in the backcountry.

 

The LR4 does have a more high-performance engine, I THINK with direct injection... so I could see the fuel pump might need to stay cooler than the one in the LR3... maybe they leave more fuel in the tank so it keeps the pump cool.

 

I have ran mine completely out of gas until it died sitting on an uphill incline when I needed to pull the tank for a sensor change out and there was still about a 1/2 gallon or more left in the tank that I had to pump out after the tank was out of the car. After I was done I put 1 gallon in and went to the gas station around the corner and pumped in 21 gallons. So it does seems to have 22 gallon capacity but it will run out of gas at 21.5 or less.

 

Some years ago, I had a 2007 Honda Civic. If I filled up each day, I would average 46 mpg. Go two days before a fill up and it would be down to 39 mpg. I never could figure this out until one morning I was talking to the weights and measures inspector while filling up and he told me that other than the prescribed volumes that are tested, the pumps may not put out what it says it puts out.

He told me that most states do their testing at 4, 12, and MAYBE 16 gallons to determine pump accuracy. Other amounts may be tested at the discretion of the inspector.

You may both be getting the same amount of fuel when you fill up when the LR3 says there is 20 miles left.

Just some food for thought

 

Same here...Says I have 2 miles left (I know...cutting it close!) I can only get in 20 Gallons.

 

Fuel pump is mounted to top of tank, so after about 1/2 a tank (with exception of sloshing) it isn't submerged anymore, therefore not cooling by being bathed in fuel.


Also, these pumps are designed for heat. After all, who needs a pump to overheat and potentially start a fire inside your fuel tank which I assume is a composite or plastic of sorts.


I have 2 fuel pumps in my M3 race car. Between the heat put off my the pumps, track temperature, and car temps, I have never had an issue getting down to 1/8 of a tank before I start seeing fuel starvation in high G turns and this is on a 100+ degree day.