Mazda 3 2014 - fuel tank capacity lower than stated?

fb1969

I am on my second Mazda 2 (2008 TS2 and 2012 Sport) which has a 42 litre tank.

On both cars the low fuel warning starts flashing with around 9-11 litres left. I have gone over 30 miles with zero showing on the miles left indicator and put about 35-36 litres in. The readings are on a par with my previous Corsa where the warning comes on with about 2 gallons left.

If you are prepared to run the car until there is no fuel left I expect the tank capacity will be about right. I just assume that the gauge and warnings are set so that you should never run out.

Yolina

Nasqueron wrote: »

I have a Mazda 3 64 plate (2.2 diesel, 150ps), stated fuel tank capacity on Mazda website is 50l.

I have NEVER, even when tank is 99% empty (estimated range is 0 and driven 3 miles to the garage sort of empty) managed to put more than 43L in

Some cars include the "reserve" in the estimated range left, and some don't (my old 206 did, my Yaris doesn't). About 6 or 7L sounds about right for the reserve amount once the "please feed me" light comes on.
Have to say that I did prefer when the estimated range included said reserve

enfield_freddy

Nasqueron wrote: »

I am not saying definitely not neil, I just wonder as I got the 206 at 1 year old and never had any issues putting in close to 50l when it got low, this one saying it is empty and being 7-10l short of capacity when the nozzle cuts out seems odd and does does mean a few more visits to the garage.

50L tank = 10 gallons

At 45.6mpg I should be getting 456 miles from a tank but 400-415 is normal (unless the tank has really got 7L more in there and car is talking nonsense) so it's just a guess, just not come across is before

no its not ,
4 Litres = 0.88 Gallons5 Litres = 1.1 Gallons


50l = closer to 11 gallons

andygb

uncreative wrote: »

for a diesel I was always told to fill up once it hits the quarter left. You dont want all the crud that settles on the bottom of the tank getting concentrated and sucked into the fuel lines / filter.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
As the fuel is always being drawn from the bottom of the tank then that is quite difficult to avoid.

=rizla=

Our Toyota is similar, the biggest clue was when the dealer said he'd put £20 of fuel in it and the electronic gauge showed 0/6(I think) bars. The warning light used to come on well after the bars disappeared, and then could only fit 45l into a 55l tank, even after being brave and running it for a few more miles, nowadays the bars seem to be a little more accurate, and I've got nearly 50l into it. The miles left bit, well that goes to zero before zero bars or light on, and its done plenty of miles with it on zero.

Nasqueron

loskie wrote: »

Life's too short to worry about this. What have you got to gain?

Wasn't worrying, just curious as I don't want to run out of fuel and it seems to involve going to the garage more than before

Nasqueron

enfield_freddy wrote: »

no its not ,
4 Litres = 0.88 Gallons5 Litres = 1.1 Gallons


50l = closer to 11 gallons

Eh well close enough lol, the site I used to check said it was litre to UK gallon but found another that says 50L = 10.9985 gallon

So in theory should get 501 miles on current MPG from a 50l tank but really don't want to risk driving 60-70 miles when range says 0 so will just keep filling up when range gets low

teffers

I have a 2008 Mazda 2 and spent some time on the owners forum reading about other Mazda owners take on this.

I would imagine it's a similar configuration in terms of the Fuel gauge for the 2 as it is the 3.

When the digital gauge on the 2 says empty, in reality you have about 1.5 Gallons left - so a range of between 50 - 80 miles :eek:

I've tested mine to 50 miles but then I lost my bottle and filled up lol.

Mazdas seem to have a very generous 'reserve'.

Richard53

scotsbob wrote: »

You beat me to it! I also have an MX5. The gauge plummets from full to half at an alarming rate, then takes forever to go from half to empty.


I guess it's just a Mazda thing.

teffers wrote: »

Mazdas seem to have a very generous 'reserve'.

The fuel gauge on my MX-5 (NB) is pretty linear, in fact. It goes down consistently, and when the fuel light has been on for 15-20 miles and it is reading empty, I can get 43-44 litres in, so probably a useable 5 litres or about 30 miles left in it. Older cars I have had, the red line on the gauge was about 30 miles from empty, and empty was empty *


I would guess that because running a car dry is more of a problem with modern fuel systems than with a couple of SUs, the manufacturers build in a little more leeway. I'm not complaining.


* My Dad had a Triumph Herald, and that had a proper reserve, like a motorbike. You had to get out of the car and move a lever in the boot to get the final gallon.