i'm confused as to the size of the tank in these things...

it says it's a 16 gallon tank, but when i'm nearly empty and fill up (3rd time) it only ever takes 13.5 gallons...

what gives...?

and my mileage has been pretty lousy IMO... i'm getting just under 22mpg on each of the 3 tanks to this point...

i do a 50/50 mix, but i was expecting a little more, especially since i don't drive with a heavy foot...

I put 15.3 into my tank yesterday....a little farther than I'd like to, but I had to make it home. Gas prices are 5-7 cents cheaper at home than where I work. I'm averaging 28.2 on the reformulated carp that the State makes us run...

so how come i keep getting a low fuel warning so early... how much is supposedly left in the tank once that warning comes up...?

i'm usually showing about 40 miles to go when the low fuel warning comes up... but according to the pump i still have nearly 3 gallons in the tank...

About the lowest I have run mine is 20 miles after the low fuel lighted. It showed on empty and only took 14 gallons. I had a little over 400 miles on the tank. I figure I had at least another 50 miles left in the tank.

so how come i keep getting a low fuel warning so early... how much is supposedly left in the tank once that warning comes up...?

i'm usually showing about 40 miles to go when the low fuel warning comes up... but according to the pump i still have nearly 3 gallons in the tank...


I think the answer is a combination of things. It has been stated on here that the computer is very converative on the mileage. Also, recirculating fuel is used to help keep the pump cool. They don't want you to run it too empty because it's hard on the fuel pump. Another example, the light on my Avalanche comes on with a full 6 gallons left in a 31 gallon tank.

it costs me $75 CAN to fill her up at 1.44/L

Not sure of the U.S. conversion - But I will give the numbers and you can do the math.

Here is how I understand it works....Our tanks are 65 L tanks, however it is impossible to completely fill the tank, between air, and other spaces you can never actually achieve a "completely full tank".

This being said, I can get (on empty) 52-54 litres in the tank, the remaing room cannot be filled.

If you do a search on the internet I am sure there are a couple of other sites that talk about this.

Hope this helps.

i'm confused as to the size of the tank in these things...

it says it's a 16 gallon tank, but when i'm nearly empty and fill up (3rd time) it only ever takes 13.5 gallons...

what gives...?

and my mileage has been pretty lousy IMO... i'm getting just under 22mpg on each of the 3 tanks to this point...

i do a 50/50 mix, but i was expecting a little more, especially since i don't drive with a heavy foot...

Dunno. I've actually got to 15 one time, and when I realized just how CLOSE that really is to being empty, I decided to stick with my normal 1/4 tank indicated fill time. I drive around 31 miles each way for work, and was at the quarter mark the morning in question (a Friday). I decided just to tough it out and fill up on the way out the following Monday, which obviously left me with a low fuel warning indication and the situation above.

As far as your fuel economy goes, that's not too shabby, considering the car is rated at 20 combined by the EPA with the 3600 V6. Running around downtown Asheville immediately after a fillup and keeping an eye on the instantaneous and average mpg readouts, I see that mine is around 23ish (mostly city). But I'm an exceptionally boring driver- stay at speed limits, minimize stops if at all possible, stick to 45+ mph roads where I can, etc. What I consider 50/50 driving results in 25-26.5 mpg tanks (based on my logs).

Anyway, I surely miss the 31 gallon capacity I had with the 07 Av. I was getting 19-21 mpg driving it to work and back, and ran it out to around 28 gallons on the closest I came to running it empty. I knew that I could possibly hit 600 miles on an all-highway trip, but I routinely went over 500 between fillups. That was awesome. Then again, the cost to fill the tank up with 24-26 gallons was a real downer..

Dunno. I've actually got to 15 one time, and when I realized just how CLOSE that really is to being empty, I decided to stick with my normal 1/4 tank indicated fill time. I drive around 31 miles each way for work, and was at the quarter mark the morning in question (a Friday). I decided just to tough it out and fill up on the way out the following Monday, which obviously left me with a low fuel warning indication and the situation above.

As far as your fuel economy goes, that's not too shabby, considering the car is rated at 20 combined by the EPA with the 3600 V6. Running around downtown Asheville immediately after a fillup and keeping an eye on the instantaneous and average mpg readouts, I see that mine is around 23ish (mostly city). But I'm an exceptionally boring driver- stay at speed limits, minimize stops if at all possible, stick to 45+ mph roads where I can, etc. What I consider 50/50 driving results in 25-26.5 mpg tanks (based on my logs).

Anyway, I surely miss the 31 gallon capacity I had with the 07 Av. I was getting 19-21 mpg driving it to work and back, and ran it out to around 28 gallons on the closest I came to running it empty. I knew that I could possibly hit 600 miles on an all-highway trip, but I routinely went over 500 between fillups. That was awesome. Then again, the cost to fill the tank up with 24-26 gallons was a real downer..

Havent gone down that far yet to where the yellow light comes on. In my last car the tank was 13 gallons and the light came on with 3 left.

Most lights come on with 2-3 gallons left.

It is a 16gal tank, by the way :D

I was looking at a review of the 2009 Malibu and they made mention of Chevy keeping the range indicator, as well as a 16 gallon tank.

So I can assume that it applies to the 2008 as well. Though that makes no sense...since when my gauge gets near zero (not right at empty but nearly) I struggle to put in 12 gallons.

yeah my needle has been buried down there and still only was able to squeeze in 13.5 gallons...

i'm gonna roll the dice and try and run an additional 60 miles after my low fuel warning pops up the next time...

Not sure of the U.S. conversion - But I will give the numbers and you can do the math.

Here is how I understand it works....Our tanks are 65 L tanks, however it is impossible to completely fill the tank, between air, and other spaces you can never actually achieve a "completely full tank".

This being said, I can get (on empty) 52-54 litres in the tank, the remaing room cannot be filled.

If you do a search on the internet I am sure there are a couple of other sites that talk about this.

Hope this helps.

For those wondering why they can't fill their tank completely full...hopefully this post above will help.

Cheers.

I have to make a small correction. I just reviewed my fill up records, and the most I've put in so far was 14.8 gallons. So I didn't quite make 15 gallons (stated in my earlier post).

it costs me $75 CAN to fill her up at 1.44/L

it's dropped to average 1.18 today in Toronto...

Well, I ran down the 1/8 mark and I put in a comfortable 13.2/gal in the tank. I pushed it so the dollar amount would come out on the quarter (OCD problem of mine).

I cannot see how it fits 16 gallons in it...though I have spoken to a friend that has a father working at a junk yard and he looked at the Bu' as a possible purchase (Ended up getting an Accord...he'll regret it in six months) and he said that the Malibu has a 15gal tank.

Right now I do not know what to believe. I would run my engine dry out of curiosity if it would not hurt the thing!

(Ended up getting an Accord...he'll regret it in six months)

he-he, familiar story :)

From my experience (what I've read and what I have put in the tank) is that the capacity is definitely 15 gallons.