[CMA]

Hi guys. I have a 2018 NV200 and I have a question about the mileage remaining before empty. My van reads "- - - " once I get between 80 - 100 kms left (approximately 1/4 tank) before empty. I've taken it in to Nissan twice and they tell me it's normal. I've never owned a vehicle that can't read the mileage remaining below 1/4 tank and this doesn't seem normal to me. I've spoken to one other NV200 owner and he says his will read down to about 10 kms remaining before it won't read anymore which seems much more reasonable to me. I've searched the forums and I am surprised that this question hasn't been brought up before if this is normal operation. I'm sure others would have had the same question. So my question is... is this normal? Thanks.

 

[number896]

It is normal for them to be pretty inaccurate - it's just guide. My suspicion with yours is that the fuel sender 'float' arm (assuming that's how the level sensor works on these) is not exactly at the correct 'designed' length, often achieved by a series of bends along the arm. Consequently as a result the path or sweep that the arm goes through from full to 1/4 tank operates the sender (potentiometer?) by the same amount as a correct one does from full to nearly empty, so in effect its operation from full to 'empty' (when it isn't) is accelerated. Therefore as these things are far from precise, once it has got to the 'send the alarm there's only'x' kms left' stage (80 in your case), it's reduced capacity for resolution (increments) means that the next fall in level sends it to the 'can't compute' or "---" stage, whereas a correct arm has the range of movement to countdown under 80 kms better because it is spreading it's 400 mile range over a longer range of movement, or something like that. As a comparison mine, in the UK, varies each time but from about 40 miles then goes to "---"

 

[CMA]

Thanks for the reply. It sounds like mine is operating normally then. I think it's a crappy design since it stops reading around 100 kms left. I'm waiting to hear back from some coworkers to see when theirs stops reading. I'm just used to all of my other vehicles which will count down to "0".

 

[Darby]

Mine stops calculating around 30-35 mi (50km), though I saw it go as low as 18 once when driving on flat ground, in the desert. At that point, I stopped looking and started praying.