Low fuel range not accurate

[Cornwallis]

I was out with a friend and the low fuel warning light came on but the bike ran out of fuel with a range of 9 miles still indicated on the display. They're not a member of this Forum but I'd like to both give them some feedback and, if it's a problem with the 800GS, warn others.

I was therefore wondering if this has happened to anyone else?

 

[Dave Ett]

There is a lot of evidence of this, and some bikes suffered, some didn't. Mine doesn't - happily.

BMW did a recall to improve the low milage calculations, ask them to pop into BMW and check if they've had this done.

 

[GunZenBomZ]

Hi Cornwallis, I had my fuel guage replaced after running out of fuel twice. 2nd time 10 meters from my bmw dealership.

*Not happy chappy*

They replaced it & its been perfect since. Only leave 5 miles before filling fully. If you half fill the bike it does seem to ruin the estimate system.

 

[nosha]

Never been brave enough to not fill up by the time it says 20miles to go!!

My Fiat goes blank at 15m so you can't blame them when you run out with 5 or 10 miles still to go... sneeky or what!

 

[Tim Cullis]

The faulty fuel guage was the cause of one of the five journeys on a recovery truck that my 2008 F650GS earned. I wasted three hours, but it cost BMW £££ to recover the bike from the M3.

 

[Sooty09]

You cannot seriously expect a computer to work out to within 9 miles when you will run out of fuel?
I can get a spot reading of 185 mpg free wheeling down a hill, or a reading of 35 mpg when riding up hill on a motorway with a head wind at 75 mph. It is only a guide based on your most recent riding. Plan to fill up every 190 miles and you should never run out of fuel.

 

[v8legend]

mine's had the mod, and I've run mine to zero.

 

[everywherevirtually]

9 miles to go is asking a bit much. There was an issue two years ago that most of us encountered where the fuel gauge was indicating 50 miles worth of fuel left but in reality it was empty. It was overly optimistic. Now they tend to be on the pessimistic side. The short term fix was to fill up every 160 miles.

The ultimate fix by BMW came about a year later with a combination of software and fuel sensor updates. This affected the 2008 models and is documented extensively here...

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1591200#post1591200



Incidentally after the mod I ran it to -4 miles and it pretty much had a litre left.

 

[sijohnston]

mine was replaced back in 2008 after running out in europe x3! however, they've just released another recall on the same thing. mine has been fine for the last year, but it's going in for it on thurs anyway?

 

[mikebarr]

If anyone needs proof of Si's fuel disasters, I can post video evidence....

 

[everywherevirtually]

If anyone needs proof of Si's fuel disasters, I can post video evidence....

I would have filmed Si's battery disasters but myself and Mr Gibson were too busy pushing his bike down the hill trying to jump start it

 

[sijohnston]

i thought this was a thread about fuel range, not a 'spank si' thread!

 

[mikebarr]

Sorry Si, I didn't get the video camera out for the spanking....maybe this weekend?

 

[everywherevirtually]

Sorry Si, I didn't get the video camera out for the spanking....maybe this weekend?

hilarious

 

[Greggers]

Ok, so you know you're close to running out of fuel, but what does the meter say? Find out by deliberately running it dry - but take a 5 litre can of fuel with you on the trip! I did this and got another 10 miles after it read empty, so I know my max range is DTE+10 !

There's another post just now with a warning about not running the fuel pump dry ... hmmmm - I survived without incident!

G

 

[PBoy]

The 800's try to calculate range based on consumption so if you suddenly start or stop gunning it it get's confused for a while. Mine ran out with 32 to go.

 

[v8legend]

The 800's try to calculate range based on consumption so if you suddenly start or stop gunning it it get's confused for a while. Mine ran out with 32 to go.

So, on that basis, your fuel light came on, and you decided to 'gas it' and confuse the computer? When I ran to zero, I was riding like a saint so that I could get to the petrol station!

 

[EmmettC]

mine has run out with 28 miles to go, and it's kept going a few miles after it read 0. i keep an eye on it, but once the reserve light comes on, I slow down and find fuel.

 

[PBoy]

So, on that basis, your fuel light came on, and you decided to 'gas it' and confuse the computer? When I ran to zero, I was riding like a saint so that I could get to the petrol station!

No. I'd been gassing it all afternoon and into the fuel light, then took it super easy but never got as far as the station. My point is, it's too clever for it's own good. Riding steady away all day long mine was pretty much bang on, I remember frantically searching for a fuel stop in France and arrived with 1 mile left on the range.

 

[GunZenBomZ]

It' doesn't do that if you've had the fuel sensor changed. It should do whatever (190+miles for me) before showing fuel light & then gives me around 30miles in reserve.

Sounds like you need to complain you've ran out of fuel a few time & get it changed under warranty Pboy.