QUESTION: Fuel Guage Dodgy? or just me....

[CMF_AAA19V]

I have a question, don't know if anyone can answer it but when I fill my Micra up the arm on the fuel guage doesn't seem to quite reach the top properly but the tank is very very full, can't get any more in. Then it seems to drop really quickly.. so I stress out and put more fuel in once it gets just below half. It just occurred to me that it might either be faulty OR the top of the tank is skinnier than the bottom of the tank.

Can anyone enlighten me?

My Micra is a 1995 SLX 5 spd manual.

I had a lancer years ago that the top of the tank was really wide and the bottom very skinny... so after halfway on the guage the fuel dropped very rapidly... maybe it's the other way around.

Finally... how big is the fuel tank in these models? my manual says 42L but surely it isn't....

 

[CMF_Yom]

Well I have supposedly put more than 42L in mine (fuel tanks are all the same).

But its not uncommon to have a dodgey fuel gauge... It is a Nissan.

I found the best way to figure out how much range you have out of a tank is to fill it up as much as possible and drive for a bit until the gauge hits half way. Then fill it back up as much as possible. Have a look at how many litres you have put into it and then how many KM you travelled.

This will give you a fairly accurate representation of your fuel economy. If you search for "fuel consumption" or economy (can't remember) you'll find a whole thread dedicated to micra fuel consumption.

Cheers and I hope your new micra treats you well!!

 

[CMF_Alex_B]

mine is exactly the same, i usually can't get the gauge to hit the full mark, and it drops to halfway in about 220km sometime only 170km ( i get 550-600Km on about 33L), then takes aages to get to the red bit, and to get the light too come on it almost goes past the red mark. Mine has had the sender unit replaced back when it was under warranty, honestly i wouldn't bother, just do what Yom said, fill too top + reset trip meter, drive around abit. Then refill too top see how many km you did and how many litres of petrol you used, then figure out the fuel consumption, or post here with litres used and km travelled if you not to good on the maths, then you will know if you got problems.

Alex

 

[CMF_White Knight]

THink they are all different. Hack can fill to the brim and gauge never shows 100% full. Takes a very short time to get to half full and then ages from half to empty.Most I have ever stuffed in it is 35 litres which means when red light comes on still 5litres left.
Whitey the opposite !! Yeah just set the trip meter if at all worried. Me I just drive around till I feel the urge to fill up.Whitey would be sucking air around 400kl Hack 480kl.

 

[CMF_danarthurton]

check this out this is my car on red and it was still easily going about 20 miles after that without running out. the tanks must be really wide at the bottom!