How does Miles to Empty work?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: Columbia MO
How does Miles to Empty work?
OK, I was returning from Effingham and Reserve Fule light came on with 82 miles remaining fuel. My average MPG was 28.9. I pressed reset and continued on. The fuel gauge was between the bottom two RED lines and I had NO further notice in DIC but, I ran out of nerve and filled up as I did not want to run out of gas. DIC indicated 62 miles of remaining fuel. My average was 28.9. Took 15.656 gal. to fill. Hand calculated MPG was 27.7. Distance to home was 30 miles, would I have made it without running out of gas? How are the numbers calculated by DIC?
Thanks
Ray
Thanks
Ray
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,495
Likes: 0
From: Paducah Ky
Yes, you would have made it home. I believe the way it works is the way you have been driving the car. If you were in 6th gear doing 2000 rpm and it showed 82 miles remaining then if it had been in fourth gear doing 3500 rpm it might have shown 60 miles remaining. Works on the avg mpg you are getting.
CHICAGO CREW !
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 17,591
Likes: 93
From: We are living in a Bazzaro World everything is upside down half ass backwards !
CI 4-5-6-7-8-9 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08 & '12
c5 what a car going home yesterday from funfest 29.4 mpg this is with a cam headers a4 car oh yea the air on and flying low at 95 plus all the way home !! no kidding some burst to a 110 mph ............... for all the kids on the forum I was dreaming all this 
8th Gear
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Worcester MA
Originally Posted by Digmo
How are the numbers calculated by DIC?
The Average MPG is a rolling average, the input is the Instaneous MPG value. I have never been able to figure out what the interval is, though it's long. When you've been driving around town averaging 17MPG and you hit the highway, it takes quite some time before the Average comes up to the current, better highway MPG.
You can reset the Average when selected in the DIC by pressing and holding the RESET button. It'll beep and the rolling average calculation will reset to Zero. Then you'll see it changing fairly rapidly, as it tracks the faster Instaneous MPG value changes. After a while, as the new Average builds up, the Instaneous has less effect and the Average "settles out".
If you check your Range on the DIC, then reset the Average, then switch back to Range, you'll see the Range value changing, just like the Average value changes after the RESET.
MPG changes as a function of your current driving condition, so Range does too. To get a best estimate of your remaining Miles for any given situation, reset the Average, continue driving for a few minutes, then check the Range.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 756
Likes: 172
From: SC
It estimates how much fuel is in the tank using the same senders that make the fuel gage work. It takes the current Average MPG and multiplies by that estimate.
The Average MPG is a rolling average, the input is the Instaneous MPG value. I have never been able to figure out what the interval is, though it's long. When you've been driving around town averaging 17MPG and you hit the highway, it takes quite some time before the Average comes up to the current, better highway MPG.
You can reset the Average when selected in the DIC by pressing and holding the RESET button. It'll beep and the rolling average calculation will reset to Zero. Then you'll see it changing fairly rapidly, as it tracks the faster Instaneous MPG value changes. After a while, as the new Average builds up, the Instaneous has less effect and the Average "settles out".
If you check your Range on the DIC, then reset the Average, then switch back to Range, you'll see the Range value changing, just like the Average value changes after the RESET.
MPG changes as a function of your current driving condition, so Range does too. To get a best estimate of your remaining Miles for any given situation, reset the Average, continue driving for a few minutes, then check the Range.
The Average MPG is a rolling average, the input is the Instaneous MPG value. I have never been able to figure out what the interval is, though it's long. When you've been driving around town averaging 17MPG and you hit the highway, it takes quite some time before the Average comes up to the current, better highway MPG.
You can reset the Average when selected in the DIC by pressing and holding the RESET button. It'll beep and the rolling average calculation will reset to Zero. Then you'll see it changing fairly rapidly, as it tracks the faster Instaneous MPG value changes. After a while, as the new Average builds up, the Instaneous has less effect and the Average "settles out".
If you check your Range on the DIC, then reset the Average, then switch back to Range, you'll see the Range value changing, just like the Average value changes after the RESET.
MPG changes as a function of your current driving condition, so Range does too. To get a best estimate of your remaining Miles for any given situation, reset the Average, continue driving for a few minutes, then check the Range.
Thank you
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
