Fuel Gauge

[RossN14]

Since picking up my S3 at the start of April, the digital fuel gauge is constantly giving different readings when I fill up the tank. Started at 360 miles to a tank and now just over a month later it’s stating 310 miles when I fill up. Is this normal or should I speak to Audi about it?

Also quite surprised that it only warns me about low fuel at a stated 25 miles of fuel left. My previous A3 2.0 TDi would warn me with 50 miles left. Anyone else with these issues?

 

[eribaMotters]

If it's like other VAG then the range is calculated on the long term mpg you are running at. These are the trip 2 figures. that I think might auto cancel after 100 hrs unless you cancel them before this.
I have ran down the tank to low fuel level warning light once to check how much was actually left in the tank. It was about a gallon, and in my case 45 miles.

Colin

 

[RossN14]

Ah I see. I just understood it to be that if there was a full tank of fuel that you should get a stated amount of miles in return and found my A3 to be pretty stable with the returns in range and MPG. Must admit I was worried that I may have had a faulty fuel gauge.

Would it then be worth trying to reset the trip 2 computer. To be honest, I’ve had some ‘spirited’ driving since getting the car, as you would do to test it out, see how hard you can push it and showing it off a bit. However the novelty wears off and I won’t drive like that all the time so the data it’s collected to this point isn’t really representative.

 

[Audi Bairn]

Mine is 2.5 years old, had it from new, and it always shows just below or just above 400 miles range depending on the type of driving I've been doing, it's certainly never been as low as 310 miles following a fill up.
Also my low level warning comes on at 40 - 50 miles, 25 seems low.

 

[RossN14]

400 miles to a tank is what I’m used to with A3 and I’m sure it’s the same size tank, albeit going from diesel to petrol. Just hate the thought of driving down south on a long journey, not realising the fuel situation and having to pay the ridiculous prices at the service stations as I get a fuel warning at 25 miles worth of fuel left.

To be fair I’ve done just over 1000 miles so I don’t know if there’s a break in period where fuel returns will be slightly off what they should be. I’m certainly not battering the car so is a bit strange

 

[TonkS3]

As previously mentioned it goes off the long term consumption figures. My refueling warning pops up at around 25-35 miles although it has never really surprised me when this pops up - its probably meant to be when there is 10% of a tank left? I tend to keep my eye on the range remaining on the VC and haven't been caught out as of yet. My full tank range has been anywhere between 300 and 380 miles so I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[Dannymoto]

As above, I wouldn't worry at all.

I think its all down to how you've driven on the previous tank, doing my usual driving it shows around 360 miles once filled up.
I took a trip to Coventry a few weeks back taking it steady, then filled up and it showed 420 miles.

Also 25-35 miles when the fuel light comes on is pretty normal for the S3.

 

[Mr Freeze]

Since picking up my S3 at the start of April, the digital fuel gauge is constantly giving different readings when I fill up the tank. Started at 360 miles to a tank and now just over a month later it’s stating 310 miles when I fill up. Is this normal or should I speak to Audi about it?

Also quite surprised that it only warns me about low fuel at a stated 25 miles of fuel left. My previous A3 2.0 TDi would warn me with 50 miles left. Anyone else with these issues?

Same as you i have come from a A3 2.0 tdi 8v and have had different readings when filling up the lowest i've had is 370 and highest is 395
My mileage sometimes shows 90 miles then ten min later jumps up to 95 which is strange

 

[Matt Titanium]

Also quite surprised that it only warns me about low fuel at a stated 25 miles of fuel left. My previous A3 2.0 TDi would warn me with 50 miles left. Anyone else with these issues?

Probably the same amount of fuel left in the tank considering the difference in consumption lol. Must be quite a shock coming to S3 mpg from oil burner economy.
The S3 has a 55 litre tank, the FWDs have 50 litres (and a deeper boot).
310 range indication on a full tank shows you are enjoying the car and didn't buy an S3 just to polish the exhaust tips. If you're at 400+ every time you fill up you may as well have bought a 1.6 diesel.

 

[Damo S]

It estimates how many miles you have left based on the economy of your driving over the last x amount of miles or distance. How long or far this is I have no idea. Ive found an estimated 50 miles left can rapidly drop to 25 in the space of a few miles of absolutely booting it. Then driving like miss daisy for another 25 miles and it never moved off 25. So during that 30 minutes of slow driving it seemed to be considering but then eventually got rid of that 5 minutes of absolutely hammering the car.

My wifes peugeot is very similar. Boot it a bit and it comes down quite a lot. Drive steady for 15 mins or so and it shoots up again especially when the tank is quite full.

If you've given it a bit of stick quite recently before going into the red then 25 miles probably isnt far off the mark. 30 mins of miss daisy driving and Id expect 40 or maybe 45.

When filling up just after the red comes on the car consistently takes about 47 litres before its full. Its a 55 litre tank so that suggest there is a gallon and a half left. Best guess is that the estimated range when hitting the red is based on one gallon only because mine is usually between 35 and 45 depending on how Ive been driving which closely matches the mpg I'd expect if I continued driving in the same way. This implies that the car hides half a gallon or so in reserve before it is genuinely empty. No plans to test that theory out though.

 

[RossN14]

Probably the same amount of fuel left in the tank considering the difference in consumption lol. Must be quite a shock coming to S3 mpg from oil burner economy.
The S3 has a 55 litre tank, the FWDs have 50 litres (and a deeper boot).
310 range indication on a full tank shows you are enjoying the car and didn't buy an S3 just to polish the exhaust tips. If you're at 400+ every time you fill up you may as well have bought a 1.6 diesel.

Well yeah, worked hard enough and waited long enough for it so may as well enjoy it.

I’ll need to rein it in a bit though as the fuel costs are hitting hard, especially with constant rising fuel prices. Was just concerned that I’m getting so many fewer miles per tank. I knew I’d see a change but not this much haha

 

[JM13]

Never managed more than 290Miles in mine. Everytime I fill up it hits 290 then stops! That said my long term MPG is 22 so perhaps it works it out based on your driving history

 

[Wibbly]

As other have said it's all dynamic. If you look at the remaining range, for example, it actually starts to go up as you drive if you start driving very gently to reduce the fuel consumption (increase mpg) ;-)

 

[Damo S]

It also goes down a fair bit when the car is cold, despite driving gently, since economy is pretty poor until the car is up to running temperature (and then improves further when the oil approaches operating temperature after about 10 mins or so)

 

[JM13]

I haven't quite managed that quoted audi MPG just yet But hey, this is what S3's are for!!

 

[Ormesome]

I hate to say it, but isn't this thread logical?! I mean, put your foot down, the consumption goes up, the range goes down. Feather the throttle, consumption goes down range goes up! Seems like the A3/S3 fuel gauge and the digital display is working just fine. I'm yet to be convinced as to which figures it uses to calculate the range but I'm not sure it is the long term figures. I would say the previous tank or journey is more realistic. I do a lot of town driving and the range is solid. Go on a motorway cruise and the range goes up. Long term usage stays the same. I would assume its more dynamic than long term usage figures.

 

[Jcbmally]

360ish seems about right. my previous S3 (MY18 310ps) showed 400ish but I always averaged about 30/31 knocking about.

To get an accurate figure regarding range just do the good old maths way.
Set trip to zero, fill up, drive until warning light comes on, refill, divide the total amount of litres you bought by 4.55 and this will give you a total in gallons. Then, miles covered divided by gallons used and you'll see exactly what your getting. I'm averaging 30/32mpg knocking about in my S3 MY19 300ps so similar to my previous one, and the trip display is always pretty close.
Don't worry about the mpg mate, enjoy the car

 

[oli356]

I wouldn't worry. I don't find the estimated mileage to be that reliable though anyway. I can either make it go up or down on depending what kind of journey I'm doing... Which is expected. But still.

http://www.fuelly.com/car/audi/s3/2016/oli356/670748
Every fuel up in be ever made and will show how many miles per tank. Sometimes tho I'll fuel up on half a tank because otherwise I'll be stopping at motorway services etc.but my average is only 235, I average 29 mpg ish overtime though... A more meaningful stat compared to miles a tank.

Mine does warn me at 50 miles left though.

 

[JohnM100]

...
I'm yet to be convinced as to which figures it uses to calculate the range but I'm not sure it is the long term figures. I would say the previous tank or journey is more realistic. I do a lot of town driving and the range is solid. Go on a motorway cruise and the range goes up. Long term usage stays the same. I would assume its more dynamic than long term usage figures.

It’s not published but the consensus from shortly after the 8V came out was that it uses a rolling average over the last ~30-50 miles.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[AudiNutta]

I see the full range has been explained well, haven’t read it all in detail so excuse me if I repeat.

Yes the range is totally dependent on prior economy, mine in the RS3 can range between 330 and 410 or so at best after a long steady run.

I’ve had the A3, S3 and RS3 and yes the fuel light does come on with a lower range in the performance models. This is only down to tank quantity, say the light triggers at 5L (picking an example out of the air) you would get more out of that 5L in a diesel compared to your S3.