Fuel gauge accuracy

[Geomets]

I didn't join the forum for a week as I was driving my new GTI. Everything is good except two things (unfortunately). The first is the noise of the front-left suspension. -The Masters at the garage said that it should be louder so they can identify the type and the source of the noise (complete idiots).
The second problem is more complicated than it seems, as it has to do with the fuel gauge... So, I took delivery with a completely empty tank, the gauge did not move at all so I "crawled" to the fuel station across the road. I filled it up, took 50lt (on a 50lt tank!), gauge went straight to full. On a little excursion I made afterwards, the gauge would still show full for the next ~100km! I made a good amount of kms, the gauge showed a little less than a quarter of a tank (the red area and the almost all the white one above it), the range was at 90km(!) and in the fuel station it swallowed a good 43lt!!! According to the manual, the reserve capacity is 5lt of the 50lt tank. I, of course , went to the dealer but the Masters (yeah, sure) there told me it's fine(!!!). I made 520km since then, now I'm in a 90km range (consumption since refueling is 8.3lt/100km and long-term is 8.6lt/100km) and the gauge shows the dash under the quarter (I refer to the first white area). The range seems ok, but the accuracy.... So, after that enormous, boring post, can I ask you respected members what is the fuel quantity if the gauge is in the first quarter on your GTIs? Please, give me a clue. Thank you very much in advance.

[Gingernick]

in my current car it seems to use hardly anything for a while but as soon as it gets to halfway it seems to empty quicker

i often wonder if its to do with irregular shaped areas they squeeze the tanks into?

[2014GTi]

I think the fuel guages are always top heavy and my Polo was the same.
I find that I do far more mileage towards the upper range of the gauge than the lower but I generally find the GTi economy really good.
I get around 40mpg on my commute to work but this does include a large stretch driving at 50mph.

[karlak]

http://autos.aol.com/article/gas-gauge/


Some reasoning behind the fuel gauge setup.

[Geomets]

The economy is great for the type of the car. But what is the exact amount of fuel left when it is in the first quarter? Or, how much fuel do you get when you refuel whilst the gauge is in the first quarter?

[monkeyhanger]

My gauge is far less top heavy than any other VW I had before it. When I fill up to the 1st click, the needle can move off full within 20 miles, generally reads around 120 miles done at 3/4, 225 miles done at 1/2 and when it hits the red, the car is reading about 370 miles done. My overall range to empty on the MFD is generally about 430/440 miles. Only the last 40 miles seems a bit screwy on the gauge.

Anyone finding it very top heavy, are they filling to 2nd click and maybe squeezing another 1.5L more than a 1 click fill?

[GrahamFR]

First half always goes down slower than last half. One of the reasons is the fuel that's in the pipe leading to the tank is full but not measured, so in theory you have more than a full tank if you brim the tank

[Sootchucker]

Mines the same as MH. Seems much more linear then any VW I've owned before. My Scirocco would do about 50-60 miles without budging from full, then about 270-300 miles to half then plummet like a stone.

As MH said, within 25 or so miles mine is already starting to move off the full mark, about 240-265 miles to half the about 420-430 miles before the light comes on (so I guess about 470-480 total taking into account the reserve). Seems much more accurate.

[corgi]

Fuel gauge is only a rough indicator of the amount of fuel you have available. As the gauge moves lower I tend to look more at the range available as this is calculated on your recent fuel consumption

There appears to be nothing much wrong with the car - your average is 32-34 mpg which seems reasonable to me for a GTI in general driving.

[GTI7me]

I'm not convinced the tank in the GTI is 50l. I filled up the other day with a 25 mile range and i put 50.7l in to it 

J