Mileage estimate not correct after filling up. Anyone else?

[tahoe81]

Anyone else seeing the mileage to empty estimate wrong after filling up? I've noticed it since day one and told the dealer who says they can't find anything wrong but that the mileage to empty shows an estimate after the fill-up based on average previous mileage (or something to that effect). I put $52 in my Tahoe the other day which gave me like 285 miles to empty according to the gauge and then I drove nearly two hours and by the time I reached my destination I had like 240 miles to empty. So it's like it's just not lowering the miles to empty estimate until after it reaches the point of what it's showing on the gauge.

 

[Chad G 1979]

It may have something to do with when you fill up that it takes a bit for the system to to the calculations to get your miles to empty reset. In my 16 canyon after filling, it shows around 350ish mils til empty, and once i get about 10-15 miles on the tank it updates the range to empty. I also reset my trip 1 every fill up as i use it to caclulate mileage, so that may tie into how it does its calculating.

 

[tahoe81]

It may have something to do with when you fill up that it takes a bit for the system to to the calculations to get your miles to empty reset. In my 16 canyon after filling, it shows around 350ish mils til empty, and once i get about 10-15 miles on the tank it updates the range to empty. I also reset my trip 1 every fill up as i use it to caclulate mileage, so that may tie into how it does its calculating.

Guess I'll mess around with it and see. Since noticing this, mine hasn't updated after 10-15 miles but could be based on the trip. I'll reset next time and see

 

[A1onpoint]

We just picked up a 23 suburban and the first 2 tanks display very inaccurate mileage estimate. If you find out why remember to report back here.

 

[tahoe81]

We just picked up a 23 suburban and the first 2 tanks display very inaccurate mileage estimate. If you find out why remember to report back here.

Will do. Not sure I’ll be able to figure this one out. I guess next time I’m due for service I can take a technician to the tank and fill it up. The first time I drove my 22 table off the lot with a full tank it was nearly 500 miles to empty if I recall correctly. Now, I fill up and it doesn’t normally get over like 360-380.

The one time a couple months ago I filled up completely and it said like 380 and then I drove nearly three hours and had like 320 after reaching my destination. It’s very clearly not working correctly but not something easily shown and duplicated to a technician.

 

[iamdub]

Anyone else seeing the mileage to empty estimate wrong after filling up? I've noticed it since day one and told the dealer who says they can't find anything wrong but that the mileage to empty shows an estimate after the fill-up based on average previous mileage (or something to that effect). I put $52 in my Tahoe the other day which gave me like 285 miles to empty according to the gauge and then I drove nearly two hours and by the time I reached my destination I had like 240 miles to empty. So it's like it's just not lowering the miles to empty estimate until after it reaches the point of what it's showing on the gauge.

Is it supposed to reset automatically after you fill up? I've never known any to do this, but I've never messed with the newer ones. Mine just keeps a lifetime running average until I reset it. Then, after a short distance, it'll calculate the range based on the average MPG.

Fill up, reset your average MPG and drive gently and see if the MTE goes into the 400s or thereabouts.

The one time a couple months ago I filled up completely and it said like 380 and then I drove nearly three hours and had like 320 after reaching my destination. It’s very clearly not working correctly but not something easily shown and duplicated to a technician.

You must've been cruising on the highway for most of this distance. Yes, the fuel level was dropping, which would've decreased your range. But, since driving at a relatively steady highway speed, the average MPG was so much better than your obviously more common city driving, so that countered the fuel level dropping to make the MTE only drop 60 miles.

 

[swathdiver]

Anyone else seeing the mileage to empty estimate wrong after filling up? I've noticed it since day one and told the dealer who says they can't find anything wrong but that the mileage to empty shows an estimate after the fill-up based on average previous mileage (or something to that effect). I put $52 in my Tahoe the other day which gave me like 285 miles to empty according to the gauge and then I drove nearly two hours and by the time I reached my destination I had like 240 miles to empty. So it's like it's just not lowering the miles to empty estimate until after it reaches the point of what it's showing on the gauge.

It's not wrong, it's just a different logic. The number you are seeing is based on the last tank of gas and or the last few miles of driving. If it's mostly city, the range will be low when you refuel. If you then hit the highway for a while, it is not likely to change the numbers upwards but rather be slow in drawing down the estimate.

I've had other GM cars that I liked the logic better but have gotten used to it now that I know how it works.

 

[Stbentoak]

I only pay attn to the DTE when I'm below 1/4 of a tank. At that point it most reflectively shows what happened in the preceding 1/4-1/2 tank and is probably the most accurate at that point. That is also the time I'm most concerned about refilling.

 

[tahoe81]

Is it supposed to reset automatically after you fill up? I've never known any to do this, but I've never messed with the newer ones. Mine just keeps a lifetime running average until I reset it. Then, after a short distance, it'll calculate the range based on the average MPG.

Fill up, reset your average MPG and drive gently and see if the MTE goes into the 400s or thereabouts.




You must've been cruising on the highway for most of this distance. Yes, the fuel level was dropping, which would've decreased your range. But, since driving at a relatively steady highway speed, the average MPG was so much better than your obviously more common city driving, so that countered the fuel level dropping to make the MTE only drop 60 miles.

I assumed so, but reading the replies makes me believe otherwise. I guess in my mind, if I'm filling up the tank completely, then based on the mileage per gallon the vehicle should be getting it should display roughly the same mileage until empty each fill up. Big given that it seems like it's all based on recent driving habits and recent MPG, I guess it makes sense that it won't reset.

And yes to your second thought. I filled up and then immediately jumped on the highway was was cruising around 80mph majority of the way. Your explanation makes sense, I guess I just expected it to automatically adjust at some point and reflect the new miles to empty estimate.

It's not wrong, it's just a different logic. The number you are seeing is based on the last tank of gas and or the last few miles of driving. If it's mostly city, the range will be low when you refuel. If you then hit the highway for a while, it is not likely to change the numbers upwards but rather be slow in drawing down the estimate.

I've had other GM cars that I liked the logic better but have gotten used to it now that I know how it works.

This logic makes sense to me, but still feels like it has to be a little off. I mean, at the end of the day it is what it is and as long as it notifies me before I run out, it's whatever. But given that a full tank in theory should get me like 480miles or so give or take (on the highway), it's hard for me to believe that based on my recent city driving, the full tank range would be lowered to around 360. I'd expect a difference based on recent city stop and go driving but ~100 miles less? Seems weird?

I only pay attn to the DTE when I'm below 1/4 of a tank. At that point it most reflectively shows what happened in the preceding 1/4-1/2 tank and is probably the most accurate at that point. That is also the time I'm most concerned about refilling.

True. As long as it's telling me when it's time to get more so I don't run out, then I'm good. lol

 

[swathdiver]

This logic makes sense to me, but still feels like it has to be a little off. I mean, at the end of the day it is what it is and as long as it notifies me before I run out, it's whatever. But given that a full tank in theory should get me like 480miles or so give or take (on the highway), it's hard for me to believe that based on my recent city driving, the full tank range would be lowered to around 360. I'd expect a difference based on recent city stop and go driving but ~100 miles less? Seems weird?

More than once mine has showed a range of say 92 miles and we hit the highway and drove 123 miles before the light came on.

When I first got my truck, I took it out on the road and made many 2-way 5-10 mile runs in 5 mph increments to determine what the truck's mpgs were at a given speed. This allowed me to calculate how much fuel it burned an hour at a given speed so I know more or less how far we can go based on the amount of fuel on board.

I also reset the trip time between refuelings. In all city driving, mine burns about 1.3-1.5 gallons an hour and about 4 gph @ 70 mph so if I jump into the truck after my wife has been driving it around town and there's 5 hours on the car since the last fuel stop, I reckon about 10 gallons has been burned and can plan my run accordingly.

GMT900s, two generations older than yours, do not calculate fuel used or mpgs displayed during a remote start event. Discovered this when I noticed a discrepancy between the fuel pumped and the fuel used. I don't know if yours does this or not.

 

[GMCnewbee]

All of my fill ups on our 2022 Yukon had been showing a calculated range of around 350 miles. My most recent, after a 100 mile highway drive, showed 450 miles. That was a big difference! I don't really pay much attention to it. I just look at the fuel gauge. I hope that is accurate.

 

[tahoe81]

More than once mine has showed a range of say 92 miles and we hit the highway and drove 123 miles before the light came on.

When I first got my truck, I took it out on the road and made many 2-way 5-10 mile runs in 5 mph increments to determine what the truck's mpgs were at a given speed. This allowed me to calculate how much fuel it burned an hour at a given speed so I know more or less how far we can go based on the amount of fuel on board.

I also reset the trip time between refuelings. In all city driving, mine burns about 1.3-1.5 gallons an hour and about 4 gph @ 70 mph so if I jump into the truck after my wife has been driving it around town and there's 5 hours on the car since the last fuel stop, I reckon about 10 gallons has been burned and can plan my run accordingly.

GMT900s, two generations older than yours, do not calculate fuel used or mpgs displayed during a remote start event. Discovered this when I noticed a discrepancy between the fuel pumped and the fuel used. I don't know if yours does this or not.

Interesting. Thanks for the insight.

All of my fill ups on our 2022 Yukon had been showing a calculated range of around 350 miles. My most recent, after a 100 mile highway drive, showed 450 miles. That was a big difference! I don't really pay much attention to it. I just look at the fuel gauge. I hope that is accurate.

So given that, it would seem that it does calculate based on recent driving pattern like others have stated. I'm about to go on a 600 or so mile trip. So we'll see what happens. I'll be sure to reset my trip odometer prior to leaving and then later during the trip See what it estimates a full tank after nothing but highway driving

 

[WalleyeMikeIII]

I haven’t done the math to prove this, but my guess it it calculates range based on an estimate of fuel remaining based on fuel sender in fuel tank, and it uses the Average MPG from the fuel economy screen. I have my average set to calculate based on 400 miles, and find the vehicle does a pretty good job of estimating the range.

That said, I also know that I get about an average of 16 MPG for my city driving and I get between 17.5 and 20 MPG on highway. So, I estimate my range using these numbers and knowing that a full tank is 28 gallons.

Then I do as others do and look at the fuel gauge.

Reality is the fuel remaining estimate is not too precise, so that probably throws off most of the computer’s calculations.

 

[tahoe81]

Just took a 650 mile trip (one way) and watched this closer. To start off the trip I filled up the tank (and reset the trip meters prior to filling up). After fill up it said I had about 360 miles to empty. Ideally given tank size and estimated MPG, it should be more than 360. That said, again I drove for an hour or so before the the estimated milage moved much at all (seemingly it just stayed at 360ish before it actually dropped below that threshold and then continued to drop from there). During the trip I had to stop and fill up again. After this fill up, it estimated I had around 465 miles to empty which I assume is just a result of interstate driving prior to that fill up which ideally brings better MPG.

So like others have said, it seems to be purely an estimate based on immediate previous driving history and resetting trip readings don't affect it (at least in my experience).

 

[Sean Bearly]

Anyone else seeing the mileage to empty estimate wrong after filling up? I've noticed it since day one and told the dealer who says they can't find anything wrong but that the mileage to empty shows an estimate after the fill-up based on average previous mileage (or something to that effect). I put $52 in my Tahoe the other day which gave me like 285 miles to empty according to the gauge and then I drove nearly two hours and by the time I reached my destination I had like 240 miles to empty. So it's like it's just not lowering the miles to empty estimate until after it reaches the point of what it's showing on the gauge.

My 2017 Tahoe is doing the same thing lately. For a few years it was generally accurate but now after a fill-up it will say 350 or so when it had always been closer to 500. Our driving habits are very predictable and we make a trip every two weeks from our home in southern california to Las Vegas to visit a family member in a medical facility (and that has been for 2 years) so we know exactly how many miles we actually drive in a two week period from when we fill-up for that trip.

 

[blackelky]

If your actual gas mileage is between 15-18 you're good to go. I don't even really pay attention my last truck was a Ram hemi. While it got slightly better gas mileage it took plus so it evened out really

 

[tahoe81]

My 2017 Tahoe is doing the same thing lately. For a few years it was generally accurate but now after a fill-up it will say 350 or so when it had always been closer to 500. Our driving habits are very predictable and we make a trip every two weeks from our home in southern california to Las Vegas to visit a family member in a medical facility (and that has been for 2 years) so we know exactly how many miles we actually drive in a two week period from when we fill-up for that trip.

I'm pretty sure that it's just calculating based on recent driving habits. For me, I normally drive in stop and go city traffic to get to work so if I've done that for a week and then fill up, it bases the miles to empty on that last week of stop and go driving. However, I've noticed that after driving 10 hours on the interstate that after I fill up, the miles to empty will be greater than it was before because it's guessing I'll be able to drive further based on my recent habits of interstate driving. I think all in all it will always equal out anyway, but different than other vehicles I've had where if you fill up, it's going to give you the same miles to empty every single time until you start driving where then it adjusts on the fly.

In my case, if I've been in stop and go traffic and then fill up it may say 285 on a full tank rather than 350 or so (can't remember what the absolute max miles to empty I've seen is) but then I take off on an interstate trip then the miles will adjust accordingly during the trip. I might drive a few hours and the miles to empty barely drop below where it started right after fill up.