How accurate is the center display (economy, fluid checks, etc.) on the Explorer? I've never really checked the mileage computation against manually compute.
Also, when the computer checks mileage (per gallon), is this mileage as you a currently drive, or mileage since the last 'reset'? I don't think the owners manual was very clear.
2000 Ltd, 5.0 V8
I've only ever had it tell me my washer fluid was low (which it was) and when the oil life is done (it was...). There are two millage modes, instant and overall. The instant is done as you drive and updated maybe once per second. The overall is based on the last 500 miles driven or since the last reset, whichever is smaller.
I've only ever had it tell me my washer fluid was low (which it was) and when the oil life is done (it was...). There are two millage modes, instant and overall. The instant is done as you drive and updated maybe once per second. The overall is based on the last 500 miles driven or since the last reset, whichever is smaller.
I've wondered this myself. Mine is a 1996 Ltd. 5.0 V8, one night I drove it until the fuel remaining read 0 gallons and 0 miles to go. Filling the tank required 2 gallons less than rated capacity. Does this mean there was still 2 gallons of fuel in the tank? If there was that much gas left, would the fuel pump have been able to deliver it? I think the console is an "indicator" rather than an a calibrated guage, and any readings should not be taken as gospel.
.02 cents
Yes, toggling the Fuel 'ECON' button will switch between instant and overall. Per page 15 of my Ford Explorer Owner's Guide:
Fuel Economy
Press once to display your vehicle's average fuel economy in kilometers/liters (miles/gallons). Press again to display the fuel economy that your vehicle is getting at that particular time. Your vehicle must be moving in order for this display to function properly.
Good luck,
Steven
stevef wrote:
thanks-I don't have access to the owners guide now, but will check it later.
Fuel Economy
Press once to display your vehicle's average fuel economy in kilometers/liters (miles/gallons). Press again to display the fuel economy that your vehicle is getting at that particular time. Your vehicle must be moving in order for this display to function properly.
Good luck,
Steven
stevef wrote:
To best maintain your fuel pump, I would get your truck fill up ASAP when the LOW FUEL indication comes on or 50 MILES TO EMPTY. That would be risky to drive until you have no miles left. You could ruin your fuel pump that way and possibly strand yourself if you don't have the nearest gas station for 2 gallons away. That is for reserve and you shouldn't have to use it. Only for emergencies should you be using your fuel reserve.
Keep in mind that the fuel pump requires plenty of gas in tank to keep it either warm or cool with gas being as a "lubricant" depending on weather.
The average fuel econony indication is best when you reset after each fill up. Otherwise, you would get inaccurate results.
I've driven mine until it reads 15 miles and 0.2 gallons and when I filled up it was actually just over the rated capacity so I'd have to say that while it's probably not calibrated, mine is pretty accurate.
Jeff
DE wrote:
Not sure about the 96, but some model years (and certainly my 98) have the pump located in a spot which is dry when there is less than 2 gallons in the tank and the truck facing downhill. The instantaneous gas mileage reading accuracy is anybody's guess, of course. I heard that they removed it from newer models. My experience with the 'average' reading is that it's 6-7% optimistic, and very consistently so. Wish there was a way to calibrate that out. But they are doing pretty good, considering that there is no direct fuel flow sensor, and all this has to go by is indirect data, like MAF reading and fuel trim.
Terribly inaccurate (economy) on mine (2000 LTD, V6). I actually get just under 16 mpg overall in suburban driving, logging every gas purchase over the past 1.5 years and using a fuel logbook on a local gas prices website to do the computations (and keep an ongoing record) for me. My display usually computes the mpg to be 1-2 higher than actual. In addition to the normal way of checking that you mention, try resetting your "gallons used" to zero each time you fill up, then compare it next time(s) to how many gallons you really put in. I find that I will add, for ex., 9.5 gallons when I fill up, but the display will only think I used 8 gal. But the thing does tell me when I'm low on washer fluid, etc., pretty well.
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