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Gas Gauge and Low Gas indicator Accurate?

k9Hiken

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Thanks again for the reply k9, but I'm kind of confused by your responses. I'm not having any problem with light coming on (that was OP). I'm simply asking what it looks like when the light comes on since I've never seen it.
10-4 it my fault for miss reading your question.
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Nodak

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yeah i never have that issue. up here in ND we tend to not let our vehicles get below 1/2 tank for safety reasons. its just a habit at this point after being here 30+ years during winters.

its a safety thing in case you get stuck in a ditch or something during our brutal winters. 1/2 tank ensures you have enough gas to wait it out for help during our cold snaps.

too many horror stories of people trying to walk in sub zero temps to a farm house or something and thinking hey thats only 1/4 or 1/2 mile away and realizing its further or not dress correctly for our winters. even properly dressed its still pretty dam hard to endure walking in our cold winters.

ask some of our oil rig people, they will tell you, ND winters are no joke and leave to never want to come back.

10 to -25F ambient gets pretty brutal with our constant 10-25mph winds everyday.


edit : btw my wife freaks the hell out if her tundra tank gets below 1/2 even during summer. besides the cost of filling her tank, she just doesnt want to deal with getting stuck and not having enough gas to keep the truck running to keep warm.
 
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LLL1990

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Thanks. The warning lights and indicators section (page 82 in my manual) shows the fuel indicator in the same spot as in the photo I posted - lower right above the fuel gauge
My guess would be that same indicator changes color to amber and is accompanied by a low fuel message when the low fuel warning is triggered.
 

MikeD

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My guess would be that same indicator changes color to amber and is accompanied by a low fuel message when the low fuel warning is triggered.
Thanks LLL - that is exactly what I hypothesized above. I was literally just curious what the answer is and figured someone on the thread must have seen it, but I looked back and the original| poster is waiting on his 6gen and none of the folks on the thread actually seem to have seen the indicator. Which I find … amusing. I’ll be back with a photo in a few weeks when I run it down to 0 miles to go so I can answer the question. ;>)
but at least we all know now that the light is programed to come on at 2.8 gallons per the manual!
 

MikeD

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Thanks. The warning lights and indicators section (page 82 in my manual) shows the fuel indicator in the same spot as in the photo I posted - lower right above the fuel gauge. But for me that indicator is always there - with an arrow showing that the fuel tank door is on the drivers side. Perhaps that indicator changes color when the distance to empty equates to 2.8 gallons and I just haven't gotten there? I.e., in the 2nd to last row on my table if I'd gone 3 more miles before filling up would the light would have changed to red or amber? (Note that I put just under 16.1 Gal in on that fill and 16.2 would be 2.8 left in 19 gallon tank). I know this is a bit silly and I can easily find out by getting the miles to go indicator under 25... So thanks in advance for "illuminating" me.
Also - I think my question, the data I provided, and k9hiken's quote of the manual (2.8 gallons left) addresses fairly completely the OP question. (And if the light really is coming on at 6 gallons left there IS a problem)
Yea, replying to myself - because I promised a picture when the light came on. and here it is...

2025 Toyota 4runner Gas Gauge and Low Gas indicator Accurate? 20250720_170453


And there it is: fuel pump icon changes to amber with 21 miles left. Which is just about 2.8 gallons (I put in 16.8 at 6 miles to go: drove 15 miles at about 22-24 MPG (est. based on highway at 70 mph) = <.7 gal. So light came on with just about 16.2 gallons left in the tank - exactly what the manual says.

Odometer ReadingMilesGallonsDist. to go -Before fill"Actual" dist to go?Dist. to go -After fillMPG TankGallons (total)MPG Total
7(fuel added)(mileage)
262255.015.719?53.2?16.215.7216.67
594332.015.699?69.8?21.131.4218.91
854260.014.1?90.4?18.445.5218.76
1216362.016.07328.065.9347.022.561.5919.74
1487271.011.767102.0146.6347.023.073.3620.27
1848361.016.8346.044.4351.021.490.1920.49

And just for completeness - post fill dash:
2025 Toyota 4runner Gas Gauge and Low Gas indicator Accurate? 20250720_172847
 

vready

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Serious question: Where the heck is the "fuel light" indicating you are low? Here is a photo of my dash before a recent fill-up. It clearly shows 28 miles to go with fuel gauge at about 1/10th of a tank.
20250627_075422.jpg


And here is some real data (last two rows) that can be extrapolated to show that at "empty'" (0 miles to go) you could expect there to be about 2 gallons left in the 19 gallon tank. (The "actual" distance to go is calculated as (19-fuel added) * Tank MPG.

Odometer ReadingMilesGallonsDist. to go -Before fill"Actual" dist to go?Dist. to go -After fillMPG TankGallons (total)MPG Total
7(fuel added)(mileage)
262255.015.719?53.2?16.215.7216.67
594332.015.699?69.8?21.131.4218.91
854260.014.1?90.4?18.445.5218.76
1216362.016.07328.065.9347.022.561.5919.74
1487271.011.767102.0146.6347.023.073.3620.27


But seriously, where is the "light"? (I am fully prepared to be embarrassed at my ignorance and say "D'oh")
The fuel pump icon turns orange, and you'll also get a "Fuel Low" popup when you're about 18-20 miles from empty.
2025 Toyota 4runner Gas Gauge and Low Gas indicator Accurate? Screenshot 2025-07-21 at 9.37.44 AM
 

MikeD

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The fuel pump icon turns orange, and you'll also get a "Fuel Low" popup when you're about 18-20 miles from empty.
Screenshot 2025-07-21 at 9.37.44 AM.jpg
Amazing timing. Your photo/image is much clearer than mind but take a look at my immediately previous post:>)
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