Toyota needs to fix the fuel calculations in the 2022 Tundra

Prior to fill up, the truck thought I had 38 miles remaining when I have 6.7 gallons left.

After fill up of adding 25.3 gallons and based on the calculation the truck thinks I have a 21.8 gallon tank when I actually have a 32 gal tank. Calculated range is 500 and should be 732.

This is an unacceptable amount of error in a New 2022 vehicle. Next tank ill carry a jerry can in bed when it get close in case its not actually 32 gallons. Range is something I really find important.

 

Just have to reach underneath the truck and switch the fuel petcock from “ON” to “Reserve” to get the last bit of fuel out of the tank.


















**please note the above post is intended as satire or humor. Your truck does not have a fuel petcock, let alone a selectable reserve**

 

wow.... are you really that crippled if technology is not perfect? Have you never hand calculated your MPG and your true DTE? The DTE display on vehicles is just a gadget. It is an approximation. If you really want to know how far you can drive on a tank, manually calculate your fuel mileage when you fill up the tank and multiply the MPG by how many gallons the tank will hold. I do this every time I fill up my truck and I have done this for every vehicle that I have owned (we had to because there was a time when vehicles did not have computers). I always know what my DTE is by looking at the trip A odometer (which I reset at every fill up). I would never rely on the truck's computer to tell me how much farther that I can travel on a tank.
On new vehicles (and when you disconnect the battery), the computer needs to learn the fuel consumption. Eventually, the computer will more accurately show the DTE and MPG. It usually gets close (an approximation), but it is rarely exact.
Last year, I took a road trip and tracked the numbers:
https://www.tundras.com/threads/took-a-road-trip-from-texas-to-california.100339/#post-2563837



As you can see, the MPG display is close, but rarely exact (it was 1 time).

Just chill out... the computer on your truck will eventually learn the fuel consumption.

 

I’m not sure if this is your first Tundra but the DTE is NOT based on the full size of your tank, it’s based off approx 26 gallons. Yes you still have 5 or 6 gallons left but Toyota doesn’t want you to run out or in time damage your fuel pump because it likes to be submerged. It’s also based on your average mpg from your last couple of fill ups. That 22.9 mpg seems very high and probably from a short trip. When I fill up it usually says DTE being 450-480 depending on my last few fill ups. Your truck is fine and if you really wanted to test it bring a Jerry can and pull a Seinfeld. I always know when my light comes on and DTE says refuel, I could comfortably go another 50 miles maybe a 100 if I really needed to stretch it. On a side note my wife’s Armada can only go another 20 miles when her tank says empty and she’s called me many times asking if I think she can make it home on fumes. That’s not a good feeling

 

I am curious to hear if anyone has ever had to replace their Toyota fuel pump for any reason? I can't imagine in this day and age where Toyota literally needs 5-6 gallons of fuel to keep it in proper working order. I know the fuel tank is long and shaped like a whale turd but it 5-6 gallons just seems excessive.

 

Why would it display 732? It’s not designed to use every drop of gas. It’s designed to tell you when the fuel capacity has reached its lowest acceptable level. This includes some reserve, which is not designed for you to use, but designed to keep the fuel pump submerged for cooling purposes. I agree it’s misleading for them to advertise the total fuel capacity of the tank, VS the usable capacity. They’re not wrong, it’s just misleading. Also agree that 10 gallons of reserve is also a bit much. Maybe yours is programmed for the smaller tank, or there is only one program and both models have to share the lowest one.

 

You mean aside from the recall where fuel pumps were replaced on many Toyota models, including the Tundra.

You are right in that a large reserve should not be required to cool the fuel pump. The pump is cooled by fuel passing through it more than by sitting in a reservoir of fuel.

 

Correct. Those were defective or was that due to low fuel?

 

Not true.. It is the fuel in the pump that cools it, not the fuel around the pump. There is no such thing as a reserve for fuel tanks in automobiles. If there is fuel in the tank, you can use it.
Manufactures set those displays to show that you need to fuel up early (with extra fuel in the tank) so that people will not run out of fuel.

 

Cool, go with that. If your fuel pump is not submerged in fuel, it will run hotter and at times not be touching the available fuel, going around corners, up and down inclines etc. making it run with no fuel to lubricate or cool it. Continuing to drive past the designated empty level is not a good strategy, “available fuel” or not. I would call the “reserve” more virtual these days, but it exists. It’s the fuel available after the gauge says you’re out. You’re not. But continuing to drive it on low fuel is dumb. It’s not a conspiracy by the manufacturer to rob you of your fuel tank capacity.

 

I understand the OEM rationale, but I'm more in the camp of we should get accurate info from the DTE and fuel gauge. Let's call it "truth in fuel indication". It's then up to us to decide how close to the edge of true empty we want to run it. If the fuel pump truly requires a few gallons left in the tank to remain cool, then why is this not stated in the owners manual that running below xx gallons in the tank runs the risk of damaging the fuel pump? I'd consider it irresponsible of the OEM to not let us know of a vehicle damage possibility by "just" driving it. IMHO.

 

I am not saying to run your tank dry or to a point in which the engine sputters because the fuel pump is not getting fuel. Yes, that is not wise. However, I have put 35-36 gallons into the 38 gallon Tundra tank many times without any issues. With every vehicle that I have owned, I have always run the tank down to several gallons left before fueling (whether or not a computer is telling me that the tank is "empty"). This is across decades with many different vehicle manufacturers and I have never had to replace a fuel pump in any vehicle. Even in 10+ year old vehicles.

The "designated empty level" (or DTE) is just a computer setting. It is there to prevent drivers from running out of fuel. It is a piece of mind gadget; nothing else.

 

I think Toyota is just making sure those towing have plenty of headroom left over to get to a pump.

 

^this

If automobile fuel pumps really needed a certain level of fuel in the tank to prevent damage to the pump, then that would need to be stated in every vehicle's owner's manual (which it is not).

 

Why not state it in the owner’s manual?

Well for starters 99% of owners will not read the manual.

So Toyota and other manufacturers design self protective features into the vehicle. In this instance they ensure it’s tough to actually run out of fuel, even with a maxed out trailer in tow. They’ve probably done some testing and discovered that it’s better for the fuel pump long term to be submerged and have ready access to fuel at all angles etc. It’s all about reducing warranty claims, with a side benefit of protecting inattentive customers from themselves.

We could take your desire to put warnings in the manual for all sorts of things and remove the self protective programming. How about engine redlines? Let’s remove the fuel cutoff and let owners decide how far into the red zone of the tachometer to operate the engine! Surely that won’t increase warranty claims.

Transmission control unit programming that denies manually selecting gears that could result in damage due to engine speeds? Write something in the manual and let the owner put it in 1st gear going 55 mph, it’s his/her fault at that point right?

 

The DTE display is not self-protective programming. The display showing that you have 0 miles left on the tank does not prevent you from driving further. If it was self-protective programming, it would shut off the engine to prevent the vehicle from running out of fuel (and, if it really was an issue; prevent the fuel pump from being damaged).

 

The DTE serves as a reminder to get fuel. This is a benefit to fuel pump longevity.

You are free to believe it is a defect. I’m going to consider it a normal function that benefits the fuel system, and the driver. Based on my time working for a dealership and talking to the service techs, I’m more than happy to put fuel in when the light comes on. I don’t want the pump sucking in air, I don’t want it picking up excessive contaminants and plugging a fuel filter or worse either.

A quick Google search brings up a bunch of results suggesting that running your tank really low on fuel consistently is a bad idea.

You do you though, if you’re smarter than the engineers at Toyota who spec’d all this stuff you shouldn’t have any issues. Since you do actually fill up the tank when you do get fuel you probably won’t, you’re not running around constantly with low fuel.

I’ve known more than a few people who never fill up all the way and constantly run around on an indicated 1/4 tank unless they’re “going somewhere”. They think they’re saving money on fuel (yes I know they’re not but there is no convincing them otherwise). Those people will create issues for themselves if the fuel gauge isn’t set up to hold fuel below indicated “E”.

 

This nails it, it's not a defect. It's preserving the fuel pump integrity from the lowest common denominator, people who always drive around close to "empty". This improves longevity of the vehicle overall.

 

Correct me if I’m wrong, but you never actually fill the tank all the way, I always thought 85-90% of total capacity, minus any reserve built into the gauge system as well, my 32 gallon tank in theory should only take 29 gallons max, I just filled up for the first time today and it took 22 gallons at just less than a 1/4 tank

 

I just buy gas when I get to 1/4 or so.

 

Story on odd shaped tanks…and why those missing extra gallons might be important. I have a 21’…only have been able to put in 32 gallons. I heard the extra was to cool the pump but here is an example of another good reason.

I’m a farmer and one of my tractors has a 200gallon tank. I was at the end of the season so I stopped adding diesel and was letting it run down a bit. I was cleaning out the sprayer and needed to use the tractor for an hr. Run some water through the sprayer…clean out the tank and booms. The tractor fuel gauge when I started said I had a quarter of a tank. While I was working I had the tractor parked a little down hill…I noticed it dropped a bar on the gauge. Ok. I still should have around 50 gallons left. Finished up ten min later on the way out of the field I was driving along the edge on a path on a slope. The tractor has dual tanks….the tractor was leaned pretty good to the side away from the fill. Then I nosed downhill while leaned in a small dip in the path and she started stuttering and sputtering. Holee chit it’s gonna die I thought and shut it off immediately. I figured I had 50 gallons in the tank and she leaned far enough when it nosed down that the fuel pickup was high and dry. Diesels are a pain to restart if you run them out of gas. I had to put 25 more gallons to get fuel to pick up and get fuel to the air bleed by the fuel filter. I felt lucky it restarted that easily. I couldn’t believe it that I ran it out of gas with 50 gallons in it.

But anyway with that six extra gallons not only is the pump submerged but the fuel pickup can probably still pull fuel on most normal lean angles…nose up or nose down.

 

"I agree it’s misleading for them to advertise the total fuel capacity of the tank, VS the usable capacity."

It's all usable..........there is nothing stopping you from using it, just drive. I can already hear it now in the 3.5 gen forum if Toyota or any every other vehicle manufacturer bends the knee to some of you....."why did my vehicle stall and die when I hit 0 miles on the DTE? Why does my fuel pump keep burning up? Why don't they allow for some wiggle room with fuel so when hits 0, if I'm not near a gas station in the boonies, I have a RESERVE to get there..."

 

Fuel pump issues are overblown. Possible after repeated violations but overblown.
Ideally, I'd like toyots to provide a nominal amount of range after 0 miles due but 6 gallons (120 miles) seems ridiculous.
Every other truck, gas or diesel, has been maybe 30 or 40 miles after dte zeros and fuel pump is fine.
But grand scheme, this is nothing. I'd rather they fix the engine shutting off after remote start or placing into park.

 

Ok this thread is a mess already so I’ll bite.

Aren’t they saving a tiny little bit of gas by avoiding carrying around an extra 150lbs of fuel for no reason? I realize gasoline (6lbs/gal) is lighter than water (9lbs/gal) but 25gal is still ~150lbs

 

You're assuming 20mpgs. They base it off of the truck under load, i.e. pulling a trailer. You may be looking at 10mpg which gets you 60 miles. They know what they're doing.

 

Where is this stated?

 

Sure they’re theoretically saving maybe 1/20th of an MPG.

Although in some of their cases they could reduce total weight even more if they weren’t 300+lbs themselves.

 

I'm currently researching fuel pump damage on my next door neighbors Subaru. She has run it completely dry 4 times in the past year alone. And those are just the times that I got the call, I'm sure there are more. So far there doesn't seem to be any damage, but I'm waiting...
Yes, she has been lectured about how bad it is on the vehicle, to no avail.

 

When the needle gets close to the 'E', put more gas in it..



It's a good thing you kids didn't drive in the 70s..
This is all we had..