If I have a 13.2 gallon tank, why can't I fill it past 11.2?

[NJDevil]

Thanks StealthRabbit...I like that one...along with some others. When the fuel light goes on, I admit I have no idea how much gas is left in there. I've gone another 20 miles, and at that point I assume it's pretty low - almost empty - and when I fill it at that point sometimes I still only get 11g and sometimes before the light goes on I get 11g in it also. That makes no sense.

When it clicks off, I stop there. I read that if you keep clicking you may be getting more air than gas. So I don't think I need to worry about overfilling it. Thanks for all serious replies.

I don't know what a range computer is.

[us66]

My Silverado (26 gallon tank) has about four gallons when the low fuel light comes on. My Aura (about 16 galons) has maybe a gallon and a half. In my friend's old Cherokee, "E" meant empty. On some of the old trucks we had at work, "1/4" actually meant empty for some reason.

US pumps do stop when the tank is quite full; however, you can override that and keep filling until there's a puddle on the ground.

[StealthRabbit]

I don't recommend running a car out of fuel to determine tank volume. It CAN trash your $300 'in-tank' fuel pump.

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by NJDevil

I have a Toyota and my mom's Rav4 is the same way - 15.9 gallon tank but she's never gotten more in it than 13.5. Why do they lie?

Take the gas tank out of the car, empty it out, then fill it all the way to the top again and see how full it gets.

[us66]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

I don't recommend running a car out of fuel to determine tank volume. It CAN trash your $300 'in-tank' fuel pump.

That doesn't include labor. They're about $750 or so installed. I'm on my third...I got my last one more or less free, courtesy of a billing screw-up involving Pep Boys' inexperienced service advisors and a tech who didn't know much about GMs.