‘23 Malibu has wildly inaccurate fuel range

[John105]

How can a vehicle possibly predict how many miles one can get from what remains in a tank? It has no idea if you are going to go on a hundred mile 65 mph trip on cruise control, or going to be in bumper to bumper traffic. These things appeared maybe 20 years ago, how do we get past them. It reminds me of Jimmy the Greek, a weather person, or stock market analyst being accused of not knowing what they're (doing) when the outcomes are not what they had said.

edit added doing

 

[miden851]

On our accents the range number seems to account for the previous tanks MPG when you fill it up. So if i had a good tank and got 40 something mpg it will show me a range of 450ish miles. If it's winter and I've been short tripping it will show me something like 390 miles. Does the Malibu show the same range at every fill?

of course, the car estimates outlook at your most current mpgs!

Accord numbers from yesterday

 

[ATex7239]

How can a vehicle possibly predict how many miles one can get from what remains in a tank?

average mpg x total gal of tank - miles traveled since last fill up = current fuel range…. The Fusion I had before this and the Sienna are able to do this pretty well… even the ‘15 Hyundai does it. This isn’t sorcery in 2023.

 

[ATex7239]

My Mini Roadster has a 13.2-gallon tank. The fuel gauge has 9 segments and the fuel light comes on when I'm down to two segments. At that point, there are 2.6 gallons left in the tank. My fuel consumption is between 24mpg in the city and up to 45 mpg on the freeway. Average gas mileage is 34 mpg which equals an average range of 450 miles. The remaining range while running on Reserve is between 62 and 117 miles depending on driving conditions. The display shows the remaining miles. I had to run the fuel down to 5 miles left per the display on one occasion and I could then fit over 13 gallons in the tank. I guess I had about a 1/4 gallon fuel left before refueling.

Assuming a 15.8 gal tank with the posted average mpg (34) and based on the trip range when the light came on (386) then I had about 150 miles left not 56… I would not call that “empty”, a LOT of Bobs probably would but not me.

 

[John105]

Assuming a 15.8 gal tank with the posted average mpg (34) and based on the trip range when the light came on (386) then I had about 150 miles left not 56… I would not call that “empty”, a LOT of Bobs probably would but not me.

What is the real significance....we drove a 2019 Sienna rental to Toronto and back, and did I feel nervous when the range was down to 10? Admittedly, yes. But the math didn't add up. So we drove another 50 miles until we got into NYS, to fill it up. It was at 0. I wouldn't call the car inaccurate, I'd say it couldn't predict the future, which was highway driving on cruise.

 

[ATex7239]

What is the real significance....we drove a 2019 Sienna rental to Toronto and back, and did I feel nervous when the range was down to 10? Admittedly, yes. But the math didn't add up. So we drove another 50 miles until we got into NYS, to fill it up. It was at 0. I wouldn't call the car inaccurate, I'd say it couldn't predict the future, which was highway driving on cruise.

If it doesn’t work and cannot be trusted then why is it a feature? It’s simple math based on current situation and past data and you guys are acting like I’m asking the car to pick out the winning powerball numbers

 

[John105]

If it doesn’t work and cannot be trusted then why is it a feature? It’s simple math based on current situation and past data

That may be where you're stuck. It's not based on the current situation

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

New Malibu’s fuel range meter is way off. It starts out at full usually showing 500+ miles until E. However the gas light comes on slightly before 400 miles, according to the trip meter, with the typical range left at approximately 50 miles… cannot say I trust it though. That’s a pretty large discrepancy from start to finish. If I had to estimate the actual range I would say it is around 420 miles. Anyone else seen or have this issue?

Sucks cause I like to plan my fill ups based on the convenience of my schedule that day. Had three Fusions before this and I have to say I’m not a Malibu fan. It’s just a car for work and putting around so whatever. I can just do the math in my head assuming 400 miles to a tank, but dang, it is 2023... I’ve been using the fuel range feature in vehicles for awhile now.

After 2000 miles definitely not impressed so far.

This makes no sense. Range is based on current operating conditions.

 

[ATex7239]

That may be where you're stuck. It's not based on the current situation

Average MPG and trip range is in fact the current situation…

 

[MSCH]

New Malibu’s fuel range meter is way off. It starts out at full usually showing 500+ miles until E. However the gas light comes on slightly before 400 miles, according to the trip meter, with the typical range left at approximately 50 miles… cannot say I trust it though. That’s a pretty large discrepancy from start to finish. If I had to estimate the actual range I would say it is around 420 miles. Anyone else seen or have this issue?

Sucks cause I like to plan my fill ups based on the convenience of my schedule that day. Had three Fusions before this and I have to say I’m not a Malibu fan. It’s just a car for work and putting around so whatever. I can just do the math in my head assuming 400 miles to a tank, but dang, it is 2023... I’ve been using the fuel range feature in vehicles for awhile now.

After 2000 miles definitely not impressed so far.

do like I do and reset the trip meter. and go by that..

 

[John105]

Average MPG and trip range is in fact the current situation…

We're likely into semantics at this point. Wouldn't it be great then, if during an NHL shootout, the goaltender had a range meter like this vehicle. That way, when the shooter dekes, the meter tells him and actually indicated ahead of time whether there would be a goal or not, without even knowing whom the shooter nor the goaltander would be.

 

[ATex7239]

We're likely into semantics at this point. Wouldn't it be great then, if during an NHL shootout, the goaltender had a range meter like this vehicle. That way, when the shooter dekes, the meter tells him and actually indicated ahead of time whether there would be a goal or not, without even knowing whom the shooter or the goaltander will be.

You are making this way harder than it actually is… you wouldn’t by any chance work at the General Motors Fuel Range Engineering Division?

 

[fsdork]

This makes no sense. Range is based on current operating conditions.

That's fair, but begs the question - how short of a sample is valid? If the computer isn't averaging MPG over some significant amount of time, you'd watch your range dip and spike every time you changed the throttle position. For someone who loves data, that might be cool. For most drivers, I think they want to look at the sign that tells them how many miles to the next town, then look down at the dash and make sure the remaining miles of range number is bigger. If they were previously driving conservatively, and just made the decision to run the vehicle at its governed speed for the rest of the trip, they might get burned. Probably not typical.

 

[John105]

You are making this way harder than it actually is… you wouldn’t by any chance work at the General Motors Fuel Range Engineering Division?

No, accounts payable, but I work remotely and shop at Costco on co. time

 

[John105]

That's fair, but begs the question - how short of a sample is valid? If the computer isn't averaging MPG over some significant amount of time, you'd watch your range dip and spike every time you changed the throttle position. For someone who loves data, that might be cool. For most drivers, I think they want to look at the sign that tells them how many miles to the next town, then look down at the dash and make sure the remaining miles of range number is bigger. If they were previously driving conservatively, and just made the decision to run the vehicle at its governed speed for the rest of the trip, they might get burned. Probably not typical.

we try to use very simple examples. How about a batting average? If someone bats .293, but he gets two home runs like he did yesterday evening, the batting average failed to predict that. It had no idea what was going to happen. They say pro sports today is all about analytics. Can you imagine if the staff couldn't interpret them?

 

[ATex7239]

No, accounts payable, but I work remotely and shop at Costco on co. time

But how on earth are you able to forecast the financials…??? No one could ever predict the future.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

As someone who has always had a Ford or two laying around, I guess I expect that no vehicles are going to have an accurate gas gauge.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

That's fair, but begs the question - how short of a sample is valid? If the computer isn't averaging MPG over some significant amount of time, you'd watch your range dip and spike every time you changed the throttle position. For someone who loves data, that might be cool. For most drivers, I think they want to look at the sign that tells them how many miles to the next town, then look down at the dash and make sure the remaining miles of range number is bigger. If they were previously driving conservatively, and just made the decision to run the vehicle at its governed speed for the rest of the trip, they might get burned. Probably not typical.

TBH I rarely if ever use range but when I do I'm aware that it's based on my current driving state and adjust accordingly. There aren't too many places in the US where someone can't find a fuel station within 20 miles anyway.

 

[4WD]

I don’t look at any of that … 1/4 tank is empty to me …

 

[John105]

OK guys we're all sorta kidding around here, and I think we agree range can be very inaccurate. I don't think we actually know the algorithms behind the calculations.

But as mentioned, we rented a Sienna and went from Phila to Toronto and back XMAS 2019. The range was 0, and from what I could see, that's not possible, so we drove 50 more miles into NYS, where the fuel was cheaper. I did feel uncomfortable but went with the science instead of the display...