I was surprised to read the references to the system showing 0 miles. After the Low Fuel Indicator comes on in our Jazz, it continues to show the estimated distance we could travel on the remaining fuel until this gets down to about 20 miles, when that part of the display disappears. I noticed the same behaviour in a hired Nissan Versa Note we were returning to the airport in Hawaii (we did make it to the airport OK!) I assumed the systems are set up like this so that the manufacturers don’t get complaints either that the car ran out of fuel when it still showed 5 miles-worth in the tank, or that it had been driven for another 10 miles without problems after the last of the fuel was reported as having been used.
Can anyone confirm that their Jazz has actually shown 0 or single figures-worth of miles from the remaining fuel?
I don’t always rush to fill the tank as soon as the fuel light comes on, because there are particular occasions when it is most convenient to fill up with good-value fuel. Also, I think the Jazz has the smallest tank of any car we’ve had in the last 30 years or so (but perhaps not the shortest range). (I very much appreciate having the remaining range shown, in addition to the warning light which can only show on or off.)
I think the first car we had with a fuel warning light was our Corolla. The first time it came on, I put a gallon can of fuel in the boot, and left things until the engine began to stutter, which was about 100 miles after the light came on. I’ve never repeated that check on subsequent cars. We now live very close to the M1 and M25, and our journeys often include one of those motorways!
Chris