Motorists have been advised not to rely solely on their car dashboard's fuel range display, according to fuel specialists at InterFuels. The "distance to empty" reading is a live estimate that constantly changes based on recent driving behaviour and can quickly become inaccurate if road or traffic conditions change.
Factors Affecting Fuel Range
Heavy traffic, motorway driving, steep hills, air conditioning use and aggressive acceleration can all significantly impact fuel consumption. This means the remaining range can rise or fall unexpectedly during a journey.
Beth Fountain, fuel expert at Interfuels, said drivers should avoid treating the dashboard reading as a guarantee.
"Many motorists assume the fuel range displayed on the dashboard is an exact figure, but it's actually a live estimate based on your vehicle's recent fuel consumption," she said.
Why Estimates Change
"If you've just spent 20 minutes cruising steadily on a motorway, the car may predict you can travel much further than if you were driving in stop-start traffic. As soon as your driving conditions change, that estimate changes too."
Fountain added: "It's a useful guide, but it shouldn't be relied upon to decide how long you can leave filling up. Waiting until the range drops into single figures could leave you caught out if you encounter unexpected traffic, road closures or can't find a nearby petrol station."
Safe Approach Advised
While modern vehicles are becoming increasingly sophisticated in calculating fuel range, these estimates cannot account for future driving conditions or changes in terrain, the expert added.
Ms Fountain said: "The safest approach is to treat the fuel range as a helpful indicator rather than fact. If your fuel warning light comes on, it's sensible to start planning where you'll refuel rather than assuming you'll definitely achieve the remaining mileage shown on the dashboard."
Interfuels says regularly allowing the fuel tank to run extremely low can also increase stress for drivers, particularly on unfamiliar routes or during long journeys when petrol stations may be further apart than expected.
