VZ Fuel Gauge Problem

[Barcode]

Got game yesterday after the very low fuel light came on and kept driving for a while
Drove 3km after the distance to go hit 0
I then managed to get 70.76 lt into the tank ( had to dribble fuel in slowly )
Will see how this tank full goes

 

[old mans ute]

These are links to Holdens official website

Fuel tank size in VZ S Ute - 70 litres
http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/techdata?modelid=15001

Fuel tank size in VZ SS Ute - 70 litres

http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/techdata?modelid=15002


So you did extremely well squeezing in 70 litres when you still had enough fuel in the tank to get to the service station.

Holdens web site (see links above) say that the fuel tank SIZE is the same in the S and the SS. I cant see why the fuel tank configuration should be any different in a VZ SS or a VZ S Ute.

I can understand that the gauge/software combo may be different (give them the benefit of the doubt) but GM advised me today of the following in regard to a VZ S Ute:

Low Fuel Light - 53 to 60 litres will fill the tank.
Very low fuel light - 59 to 66 litres will fill the tank
Prayer Time (dead empty) 61 to 68 litres to fill the tank

so almost 71 litres in pretty impressive.

Prior to my latest software recalibration (Disk 62 July 2005) my gauge and warning message bore little resemblance to the figures above.

A couple of months ago I squeezed in 58 litres AFTER RUNNING OUT OF FUEL at 520 kms at 11.3 average. (This computes to 58.76 litres of fuel used) so I have to be quite impressed by the distance travelled/average fuel measurements and readouts.

So I get in 58 litres from dead empty.... measured by a real world experience of running out of fuel ... not by a fuel gauge.

Based on the following Holden specifications, I would like to hear from others as to when their warnings show up. (Please be a little kind and don't reprt first readings on 45 degree slopes)

Low Fuel Light - 53 to 60 litres will fill the tank.
Very low fuel light - 59 to 66 litres will fill the tank
Prayer Time (dead empty) 61 to 68 litres to fill the tank

By the way, when I mentioned to GM that I was not the only one with this fuel gauge problem, I was promptly advised that they were not concerned with websites listing complaints or discussing other peoples cars and experiences. They were "interested in sorting out my individual problem". There was an admission that they have engineers working on the issue to make their fuel gauges more accurate.

Maybe some brilliant mind will come up with the idea that the most usable statistic from a fuel gauge or computer is USABLE FUEL REMAINING. Then its up to your judgment as to when you fill up. Haven't we done this for years, guessing from the analogue gauge as to how much fuel remains.

The other readouts are FUN, they ease a little boredom on a long trip with distances and averages but the vital statistic is usable fuel remaining.

Surely the in dash computer could be reprogrammed to provide USABLE FUEL REMAINING. It must be measuring this figure already to make its DTE calculations. Just Give us a screen readout.

Fuel used and averages are probably calculated by some measurement of fuel flow and fuel volume used rather than from information from the tank sender unit but there must be a physical measurement of fuel remaining for any sort of DTE or estimation

 

[Jinnx]

Nasa

Has anyone noticed NASA Spaceshuttle uses Holden technology :flame:
They use the fule gauge system ......spooky :whistling


:b:

 

[Boeing777]

So when I picked it up, they said the software was upgraded to a brand new version (version 000.027.000 according to the dash software), and the report said "reprogrammed as per techline - all ok".

I'll empty this tank of fuel and report back next week.

SUCCESS!!!!!

Over the last 3 tanks of fuel, I've been driving normally, and have been getting between 500-550km per tank before I get my "very low fuel" warning, which activates at about 35km remaining. I then can fit anything from 62-65 litres in the tank, which is atleast on par with my pervious VY wagon and a HUGE improvment over my last performances (I think most I ever got in the tank before was 56L), so now I can go a whole week before needing to refuel!

For those playing at home, I have an average consumption at the end of the week of about 11.5-11.9L/100KM and an average speed of 35-45km/h - I generally do about 30km of highway driving a day and about 40 around the 'burbs, and maybe about 1 50km trip a week with a decent load in the back (pallet of CRT monitors or something).

 

[Troy711]

oh my god, is there actually a fix for it...????

 

[RKZ234]

By the way, when I mentioned to GM that I was not the only one with this fuel gauge problem, I was promptly advised that they were not concerned with websites listing complaints or discussing other peoples cars and experiences. They were "interested in sorting out my individual problem".

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Every VY and VX I've driven has been able to be driven down to 0km on the km to go trip meter, on a long trip and filled up with 72-75lt of fuel. That's in a vehicle with a 75lt tank plus about 2-3 in the fill pipe. So what the hell has changed?

I got the same "we are only interested in sorting out your individual problem" lies too from Holden in response to another issue when I raised the point about my case not being isolated. It's all scripted.

That's Holden's way of going into premature damage control mode in an attempt at making you think they care and are interested in you and your concerns whilst distracting your focus from the highly valid and significant fact that your problems are also being experienced by many others.

Welcome to the real world of Holden dis-service and deception.

If Holden was genuinely serious (and our Government departments were doing their jobs properly) 2 things would happen.

1. Holden would stop selling the vehicles affected by the fault until a pre delivery fix was available
2. Holden would recall all affected vehicles to fix them

That's what a responsible and caring company would do, but instead Holden actually doing what?

 

[old mans ute]

To be continued

My fuel diary on first tank since the Juky 2005 Disk 62 recalibration

Date 28/7/05
ODO 15242 km
Trip 0 km
L/100Km 10.2 l/100km
DTE 32 km (640 km after fill)
Avge KPH NA
Warnings Low Fuel
Action Filled Tank with 47.7 litres
Gauge Full
Calculated Fuel Used NA
% 0f 70L 100% (???)

Date 28/7/05
ODO 15334 km
Trip 92.37 km
L/100Km 10.2 l/100km
DTE 640 km
Avge KPH 90.4
Warnings Nil
Action Drove 92 km and parked in level garage
Gauge Full
Calculated Fuel Used 9.42 l
% 0f 70L 13.46%

Date 29/7/05
ODO 15334 km
Trip 92.37 km
L/100Km 10.2 l/100km
DTE 640 km
Avge KPH 90.4
Warnings Nil
Action Turned on ignition in level garage
Gauge Fraction over 3/4
Calculated Fuel Used 9.42 l
% 0f 70L 13.46% (close enough to 1/8)

Date 2/8/05
ODO 16642 km
Trip 400.03km
L/100Km 10.2 l/100km
DTE 85 km
Avge KPH 62.5
Warnings Low Fuel on level road
Action Drove Sydney to Bowral and Return
Gauge 3/4 mark in the RED zone
Calculated Fuel Used 40.83 litres
% 0f 70L 58.33

Date 2/8/05
ODO 16647 km
Trip 405km
L/100Km 10.2 l/100km
DTE 80 km
Avge KPH 61.9
Warnings Low Fuel in on level garage
Action Parked car and turned on after 10 mins
Gauge 3/4 mark in the RED zone
Calculated Fuel Used 41.31 litres
% 0f 70L 59.01 (ie 6/10 of capacity)

How do I interpret this?

The low fuel warning appears after 40.83 litres of fuel is used from full. This equates to 59% of the stated capacity used or by calculation again 41% of the stated capacity remaining. (41% of 70 litres is 28.7 litres)

My DTE is 85 km or roughly 8.67 litres of fuel usable at the current consumption. Does this mean I have 21 litres of unusable fuel in this tank? Or 21 litres of the tank volume that I can't get fuel into.

I don't think this recalibration has worked very well either.

This time I know I have used 41 litres and the dash tells me I have less than 9 litres left. 50 litres sounds pretty much around the 47.7 litres I got in at the last fill.

As I stated in an earlier post, Holden advised me that when the low fuel warning comes on solid then it should take 53-60 litres to fill the VZ S ute tank (even that allows for 10% discrepancy which I could accept but over 20% on its best days is a little too much to bear.

Cant wait till the next fill but there is something very different between my old school maths and that applied by the boffins in Holdens "engineering" department.

I must add that the phone call from Holden customer assistance advised me that "one of the engineers working on this problem (sorry issue) has a VZ S ute and his latest recalibration is working perfectly. Actually I don't think this "engineer" has been christened yet because sure as hell he doesn't have a name..

I love the way Customer assistance people like to make you out as the lone "idiot" when they talk to you. Makes me at least feel like an individual. :drink:

 

[RKZ234]

I must add that the phone call from Holden customer assistance advised me that "one of the engineers working on this problem (sorry issue) has a VZ S ute and his latest recalibration is working perfectly. Actually I don't think this "engineer" has been christened yet because sure as hell he doesn't have a name.

I love the way Customer assistance people like to make you out as the lone "idiot" when they talk to you. Makes me at least feel like an individual. :drink:

That's the purpose of their whole Customer Service Strategy. They plans is to conquer their customers by dividing them, which they attempt to achieve by making most of us feel like we are the only ones with the problem we are experiencing.

Keep on hassling them mate. Don't give up on and keep us posted!!

 

[Marks-VY]

That's the purpose of their whole Customer Service Strategy. They plans is to conquer their customers by dividing them, which they attempt to achieve by making most of us feel like we are the only ones with the problem we are experiencing.

Keep on hassling them mate. Don't give up on and keep us posted!!

Has anyone ever tried to arrange to turn up to a service department as a group? It would be interesting if a "spokesperson" were to book in a dozen or more cars at the counter for the same warranty "issue", with everyone else there in support......

See if they can divide and conquer then! :rofl:

I drive a VY and and happy to say I don't have the same problem, although when it tells me there is 5 litres remaining (hold the two mode buttons down when you turn the ignition on for extra displays), I know there is about 15 litres, so I have a 100km buffer to refill. It is constant so I can live with it.

 

[RKZ234]

Has anyone ever tried to arrange to turn up to a service department as a group? It would be interesting if a "spokesperson" were to book in a dozen or more cars at the counter for the same warranty "issue", with everyone else there in support......

See if they can divide and conquer then! :rofl:

I drive a VY and and happy to say I don't have the same problem, although when it tells me there is 5 litres remaining (hold the two mode buttons down when you turn the ignition on for extra displays), I know there is about 15 litres, so I have a 100km buffer to refill. It is constant so I can live with it.

The idea has merits, but remember the problem isn't the dealers. The dealers didn't design or manufacture our faulty cars, they just distribute them. Dealerships aren't a charity, they are a business. So if the factory wants to screw customers over and decline warranty, there is nothing a dealer can do except ask the customer to pay because the dealer isn't going to work and replace parts for free.

But having said that, I totally agree with the idea of bookng in multiple vehicles with the same problem, presenting them together and having one person talk, one video the and the others stand in support.

The video then becomes an irrefutable piece of evidence agianst the many lies Holden tells customers being the only one with the problem, ot hte fault being very isolated.

But if there is no access to a video, a pocket tape/digital recorder is useful, as is making thorough notes in a diary.