Fuel Gauge

[Tony F]

Does anyone have problems with the reliability of their fuel gauge.

Yesterday I ran really low on fuel as it was tipping down with rain on my way home from work and I couldn't be bothered to stop but eventually had to with only 4 miles showing on the display

I squeezed in 19.66 litres but the fuel gauge was still one block off full, should I go and ask my dealer to sort it (with all the hassle of having to give up the bike for a day or so) or is this just a quirk I will have to put up with?

Tony

 

[Bones]

The fuel gauge is useless. Trust the trip meter. My 'miles left' countdown used to start after 110 miles and I would ride for at least 20 miles with 0 miles left showing. The dealer reset the low fuel point so that it started when there was 5 litres left in the tank. The 'miles left' now kicks in after about 180 miles which is OK but the fuel gauge will still read full for 140 miles then drop to half full in one hit.

 

[marcus]

the fuel gauge will still read full for 140 miles then drop to half full in one hit.

That's because of the LED display will go from full to half with no markers in between, so it just won't show 2/3 or 3/4



The fuel gauge did concern me until I sussed it out properly. Now it's very predictable.


Add 19.5 litres, countdown starts at between 130 and 150 and when it gets down to 3 or less - add 19.5 litres, repeat ad infinitum

 

[Patventure]

And the mpg!!!!

just back from my european trip, where the mpg figure on the trip computer has gradually reduced from 48mpg to 26mpg now!

thankfully, the true mpg has remained in and around the mid-40s. what it's measuring from and how it arrives at these figures is anybodies guess. I was getting close to 300 miles from a tank (R1200GS Adventure).

Computers, eh?

 

[dlevett]

Calculating the MPG (or L/100km as they use here) I get between 45 and 48 mpg (5.8 to 6.2l/100km) based an the trip counter and the actual fuel put in.

I ride it fairly hard, am 'at altitude' (1,750m) and am surprised that the fuel consumption is pretty good.

(2006 1200 GS with 1,500km on the clock)

 

[Bones]

That's because of the LED display will go from full to half with no markers in between, so it just won't show 2/3 or 3/4

No, the 06 model has segments between full and half full (my old 05 bike, R.I.P., didn't), I just think the software doesn't know what to do with them. The trip meter is dead accurate though so I just zero that when I fill up. Tank range is always about the same

 

[APE]

i have an 06 and regularly ride a further 10-15 miles after the computer goes to zero. Same with my BMW car - i think they are set up like this. BTW my tank takes 21 litres (unless the pumps over-read).

 

[cockroach]

fuel gauges

you would be up the creek if the reading was 10miles to go, and you ran out. There has to be a safety margin.

 

[Bananaman]

Had similar problems but I must be fussy sod a my problem was the low fuel warning light not coming on after one bar. I asked Allan Jeffries to look at it and they did. Don't know what they did , perhaps they took out their BMW computer interface equipment and connected to my bikes brain via osmosis then recalibratet it all.
Maybe they just hit it with a big hammer, but it now works as it should so perhaps a trip to a dealer is in order