'06 owners watch your fuel light

[Cummins Cowboy]

today I ran my '06 completly out of diesel!!! The stupid fuel light will only chime once and it sounds no different than the seat belt chime. also my fuel light comes on and I usually have to fill about 33gals to get filled up. So I only have about 2-3 gals when the fuel light comes on.



My '02 would chime everytime the truck was started to let me know I was low fuel, and I would know it. It also came on when I was at about 24gals so I had about 9gals left. I think they must have moved the time the light comes on back, to compensate for the fact the new truck uses so much more fuel

 

[DieselFiend]

Mine only chimes once also but that enough for me. owners manual says that when you get the light, you have about 15% of the total tank volume and when your DTE hits zero you only have 8%. Whatever that works out to.

 

[DeezelDood]

Good info to have, but I fill up at 1/4 tank (minimum) as SOP and haven't seen a low fuel light in 35 years of driving.

 

[JEly]

I dont think it will go to 0 on the DTE at least mine didnt. I was low enough that I got a overhead reading that said LO FUEL and it kept flashing. It did not show temp-miles or anything else.



Jim

 

[driverno8]

I dont think it will go to 0 on the DTE at least mine didnt. I was low enough that I got a overhead reading that said LO FUEL and it kept flashing. It did not show temp-miles or anything else.



Jim

Yep! My wife's MegaCab said that last night on her way home from work. About the last 20 miles of her commute. She was a little nervous. I took it last night to fill up and it only took 30 gallons. You know it's low when you start the truck and needle doesn't move.

 

[kshimizu]

Mine starting flashing low fuel the other night too and no longer shows miles. I think it started flashing when DTE went below 20 miles. It did it right as I was coming down our road so I took our other truck to work and brought home a few gallons. I'm not sure how low it was yet, I plan to fill it on the way home tonight. I figured it must be pretty low since I'd already gone 500 miles and I've been getting 15-16 MPG. I planned on dropping my tank to do the vent kit but haven't had a chance to yet.

 

[Cummins Cowboy]

mine goes on at well under 10% left, I put a 5 gal can of diesel in and it took about 31. 5 or so gallons to fill up after that

 

[wcjp]

On my 06' Mega I need about about 30gal when the low fuel light chimes. I try to avoid this situation but it happens.

 

[KennethS]

I fill up at half full or half empty?

I try to keep my truck full in case I need to take off. If I am on a trip I fill at 1/4 tank. Don't plan on walking for fuel. Not my bag of oats.

 

[JThiessen]

I dont ever fill until the light comes on. Almost always takes 30-31 gallons.

 

[RVTRKN]

I have seen my lite come on, one time only, but I am interested in the option I don't seem to have which will flash low fuel. Is that on the overhead display when you go below 0 miles DTE?

 

[pwr2tow]

The flashing low fuel on overhead display is only on the 06 trucks.

 

[Walker]

Another good reason to get the vent kit, besides the NASCAR like speed fueling pit stop top offs (compared to factory). When the light comes on, I still have about 5-6 gallons left. With the vent kit it'll hold around 39 gal. And the LOW FUEL reading (06) comes on before it hits 0 miles; not much help really but you just gotta know your own needle readings.

 

[JHenry]

today I ran my '06 completly out of diesel!!! The stupid fuel light will only chime once and it sounds no different than the seat belt chime. also my fuel light comes on and I usually have to fill about 33gals to get filled up. So I only have about 2-3 gals when the fuel light comes on.



My '02 would chime everytime the truck was started to let me know I was low fuel, and I would know it. It also came on when I was at about 24gals so I had about 9gals left. I think they must have moved the time the light comes on back, to compensate for the fact the new truck uses so much more fuel

This comment is meant light heartedly, and not to offend, but I think this is why they first started referring to these little lights as "idiot lights".

I wonder if your light sensor could be re-programmed to turn on earlier. A lot of features (self-locking doors, horn chirp when using the remote, etc. ) can be modified. Look in your manual. My '06 only takes about 26-28 gallons after the light first comes on. This leaves me with 6 or 8 gallons, usually at least 100 miles worth of fuel. Unless you live in Northern Saskatchewan, this should be plenty of fuel to avoid running out.