[JRB]

Ok, so my owners manual shows a low fuel warning light on the dash and when the sun hits the dash right i can see it, but when the low fuel message came on DIC no light lights... Does anyones?

 

[TMoneyR523]

Well I haven't had this issue yet in my Malibu but my Cobalt I just threw away had the same issue.. LOW FUEL would come on the DIC but the actual indicator light (Which I know was there as I saw it off) never illuminated. It's probably these regional laws and crap with Canada, United States, and Europe.

 

[malibudragon]

So far on mine, Just under 50 miles remaining according to DIC I got a "Low Fuel Warning" I let it go a little further and on the way to work today it said "Low Fuel" and dinged a few times, Im guessing the next step would be the dash light screaming bloddy murder maybe? lol

I stopped and put some gas in so thats as far as I got. I didnt want to chance it beacuse the Needle was exactly on the "E" when it changed from a Warning to "Low Fuel"

 

[Truitt]

It's generally bad to let your car get that low to begin with...but anyways...

I have seen it come on once: When I was driving it across a few state's lines and had parked it. I came back to start up my car and the usual lights came on, with the low fuel warning light. I had well over 3/4 a tank. It went away with the other lights, but it's been the only time I've seen it.

 

[Yury]

Well I haven't had this issue yet in my Malibu but my Cobalt I just threw away had the same issue.. LOW FUEL would come on the DIC but the actual indicator light (Which I know was there as I saw it off) never illuminated. It's probably these regional laws and crap with Canada, United States, and Europe.

All canadian cars I've dealt with shown the low fuel light just fine I would guess the DIC message comes as a pre-light warning...it's a bit weird though. But GM has done a few funny things with that system...like ICE POSSIBLE warning on start when the temp is below zero (duh )

 

[TMoneyR523]

No what I was talking about was like.. you know how the emergency brake lights work different in Canada than the US? In the US it has to illuminate a BRAKE lamp but in Canada it's an Exclamation Point in between circles? That's what I was talking about.. maybe in Canada it's an illuminated light and for us idiots we need the LOW FUEL on the DIC... us Americans are just too stupid to understand symbols LOL

 

[Yury]

^^^ I don't know, but I doubt there's a regional difference here.
Btw, in regards to symbols in Canada - maybe that came about because we are quote unquote bilingual No one wants to make a French version of the same car

 

[TMoneyR523]

OH TRUE TRUE!!!! Now though we have like 50% Spanish-speaking "individuals".. good thing GM decided to make Español an option on the DIC!

 

[Yury]

btw, my "quote unquiote" was a reference to the fact that in reality every province has an official language, only New Brunswick is a bilingual province. On a federal level, yes, 2 languages..In reality, in ontario english dominates (unless you walk in a government organization), in Quebec it's the other way around.

 

[Pizza Man]

...like ICE POSSIBLE warning on start when the temp is below zero (duh )

Actually, it comes on a few degrees before that on cars sold in the states. It kind'a coincides with those "Bridge Freezes Before Road Surface" signs.

 

[Yury]

Actually, it comes on a few degrees before that on cars sold in the states. It kind'a coincides with those "Bridge Freezes Before Road Surface" signs.

I am sure it's the same on Canadian cars I find this warning silly
"Bridge Freezes" is a different story - it informs you of local conditions that you might not expect...but just temperature warning on startup is hardly any help, what if it freezes over 5 miniutes after ?

 

[JRB]

OK but back on topic my '09 at startup does NOT illuminate that Low Fuel warning light (looks like a gas pump and is to the left of center in the speedo). Is it supposed to or is that something they have changed in '09?

I dont usually let my fuel go that low nor do i wanna chance it to see if the light lights but It would be nice to have the light. If i wanna see something in the dic and the low fuel warning is shown and i clear it to see the trip a for instance, then i lost my warning. A constant light (like the tc light when it is off) is a nice constant reminder in the even that the warning on the dic was cleared.

Im curious if it is a regional thing or what. Curious to those who have '08's, '09's, '08's from Canada, '09's from Canada does your light illuminate at startup if not has it ever lit up?

 

[Yury]

I just checked mine - didn't see a dedicated fuel light on startup. I will keep an eye on it in bright sun.

And yes, I agree a red light on a dash would be nice. If not a fuel light, maybe some kind of generic light (like it was in my 93 Cavalier, the "check gauges" light would come on)
Unless the DIC message would come back in a while or chime or keep doing something distinct.

I am just curious - where the fuel gauge needle was when you got the message?

 

[JRB]

I just checked mine - didn't see a dedicated fuel light on startup. I will keep an eye on it in bright sun.

And yes, I agree a red light on a dash would be nice. If not a fuel light, maybe some kind of generic light (like it was in my 93 Cavalier, the "check gauges" light would come on)
Unless the DIC message would come back in a while or chime or keep doing something distinct.

I am just curious - where the fuel gauge needle was when you got the message?

pretty close to 0(E) maybe a few millimeters above 0(e). Thanks for your input ;-p

 

[AGstone]

What 'low fuel light'?

I ran low on fuel during a trip, and received the "low fuel" warning in the DIC. I got a bit panicky about getting to a gas station, but, after filling up, I realized I had about 1.5 gallons remaining in the tank.

My Malibu is an '08 2LT, and there is no 'fuel light' on startup.

 

[Grapes]

Ok, so this morning I got the "LOW FUEL" on the DIC and the needle was about a millimetre or 2 above E. No light came on, When I filled up I put in 52 litres, just passed where the pump stopped. I am curious about this because I too would like a light, I didn't enjoy when the DIC stated 75km and then switched to "FUEL RANGE LOW" I would perfer if the actual range showed.

 

[Yury]

the problem is that the fuel range is the range to completely empty tank...I could never understand that logic.

a dedicated light would be good, however I just recalled that in my 93 civic I had several cars before there was no light either and no DIC, of course somehow wasn't a problem for me, I am always aware of the reading on the gauge anyways....

 

[JRB]

See but in the owners manual on the page where it shows the dash cluster light overview, it shows a light. it looks like a gas pump. I also saw the light (well the shadow of the light it was not illuminated) on the dash in the spot where the manual shows it to be (just to the left of the speedo needle.) If the manual shows it and it is present on the dash, i wonder why it doesnt light. Thats why i was curious if it lit on the '08 models or Canadian models. All i know is that my manual shows it to be a light on the dash but it does not light on my '09 Lt2 US model.

Thanks for everyones imput. I know its just a light, lol.

--Maybe its for models overseas or models in countries that don't utilize the DIC but why is it in our manuals then...

 

[usap]

So far on mine, Just under 50 miles remaining according to DIC I got a "Low Fuel Warning" I let it go a little further and on the way to work today it said "Low Fuel" and dinged a few times, Im guessing the next step would be the dash light screaming bloddy murder maybe? lol

I stopped and put some gas in so thats as far as I got. I didnt want to chance it beacuse the Needle was exactly on the "E" when it changed from a Warning to "Low Fuel"

Here's how my 2004 Malibu LT works:
at 44 miles remaining, "Low Fuel Warning" message.
at 39 miles remaining, "Low Fuel" message and a circular light glows yellow next to the odometer.

I've had the needle beyond "E" twice.

 

[ucantcme]

When I get the Low Fuel message I know that I have atleast 50 miles until I am completely empty. Even when I fill up when I drive 30miles, I still have a half gallon or so still in the tank. I run my car on E pretty much everytime I get low on gas. You'd be surprised to see how far that needle actually goes w/o being completely out of fuel. haha

I'm going to keep an eye open or that "circular light" next to the odometer.