Tank on EmptyTank on Empty
 

Learn Your Gauge

November 5, 2012 about Chevrolet Cavalier

My Cavalier is a '98, and I do have to admit that I love this car. But of course with it's age, it has quirks. The biggest one is that the fuel gauge is now completely inaccurate.

When I fill the tank, the needle goes up half a notch past the 'F', and stays there for at least a few dozen miles or more. When it gets to the 1/2 half mark, I know there's REALLY only about 1/3 or less left in the tank. When it gets to 1/4, I really need to start looking for a gas station. When it gets to about halfway between 1/4 and 'E', now I'm playing with fire.

Funny thing is, the 'E' light never actually lights up, because the needle never actually gets much lower than 1/8 of a tank. I've run out of gas a couple of times. The car stops, the Check Engine light goes on, but the 'E' never actually lights up. So I suppose that means the 1/8 mark on MY car is the equivalent of everybody else's 'E'. If that's the case, I guess I usually get about 10-15 miles before I actually run out of gas.

The strange thing is, though, is how much gas actually goes in the car when I fill it up. I have a 16-gallon tank. Yet when I KNOW I'm out of gas, the pump stops at about 13.5 gallons, tops. I still have yet to figure out where that extra/missing 2.5 gallons goes, but I suppose it doesn't matter. As long as I know when I need to get some gas in there!

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Story replies

January 25, 2013 by Sid

Maybe you've got a leak?

February 20, 2013 by Nicole

I have a 2005 cavalier, and my gas gauge does the same thing... I can never really tell when my tank is empty until the gas light comes on !

September 19 by Isibro o ochoa

You need a new fuel because there is a gage in the thank on the fuel pump that tells you how much gas you have and by now it is worn out so it only marks to the gage is still is not worn out wish I could explain it better but trust me that's what is wrong with I it won't give you an exact reading