Trip computer how many mile left to go

Problem with your Megane? Can't find an answer? Workshop manuals and technical notes are in here.

Moderators: q292u, Ray, AndyAdmin, Stranger

damiansaint
Passed Theory
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:35 pm
Currently Drives:: Renault Megane 1.5 DCI Authentique

Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby damiansaint » Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:52 pm

This is a very odd problem

When the fuel is getting to about 85 miles left in tank showing and the warning light comes on, which by the way is so bloody loud the 85 miles does not show
From what I can see I thought it should go down to 0,
What actually happens is it goes down to a minimum of 85 miles left and then never gives a reading.. I mean whats the point in that. And after watching top gear on sunday it would appear that most cars go down to 0 and usually have loads left in there.

Anyone else get this.

User avatar
A13XDT
Just Passed
Posts: 108
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:20 pm
Currently Drives:: 54 Plate Megane Dci 86 Rush - Platinum Silver

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby A13XDT » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:18 pm

I like it going blank when it reaches about 80 odd. Simply so i know i should get to petrol station pretty pronto, but i can travel to get diesel at the cheapest local price.
Also, the trip computers arent 100% accurate, so Renault can cover their backs and get you fill up slightly earlier. I'm sure its harmful to the engine, driving through the very last drops of fuel too.
That's how i feel about it anyway.
Alex
Image

User avatar
rjacko
Pass Plus
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 5:20 pm
Currently Drives:: Renault Megane 1.9 dci Dynamique, 3dr 03 reg
Location: connah's quay
Contact:

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby rjacko » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:49 pm

can get ours to about 65 before comp blanks and it beeps. got another 30 on clock once just to see if it would die, know it would be ok as my dads old land rover discovery tdi got about 40 on reserve once before he ran out of juice. thankfully old diesels are easier to get going than their modern counterparts. its a pain once you get air in the fuel lines, not sure how you sort it tbh any one know?
3dr 03 Megane 1.9Dci, Dynamique, panoramic roof, keyless system, full leather, 6 cd changer, 17" Nervasport alloys

User avatar
pw981
Rally Driver
Posts: 1046
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2005 11:55 am
Currently Drives:: 04 Megane 1.9dCi replaced with a 07 Toyota Auris 2.2 D-CAT 180
Location: County Durham

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby pw981 » Wed Nov 26, 2008 3:14 pm

There is a hand operated fuel primer pump on the drivers side of the engine bay on the 1.9dCi, under all the plastic covering, near the coolant reservoir.

My low fuel light comes on at approx 50-60 miles. Changes into dashes not long after!
Last edited by pw981 on Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2004 Megane II 1.9dCi

User avatar
rjacko
Pass Plus
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 5:20 pm
Currently Drives:: Renault Megane 1.9 dci Dynamique, 3dr 03 reg
Location: connah's quay
Contact:

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby rjacko » Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:31 pm

handy info about primer, good to know cheers
3dr 03 Megane 1.9Dci, Dynamique, panoramic roof, keyless system, full leather, 6 cd changer, 17" Nervasport alloys

Toosh
Advanced Driver
Posts: 672
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm
Currently Drives:: 03 Megane 1.9 dCi 120 Dynamique Sport Hatch in Black.
Nervasport alloys, Comfort Pack, Full Leather interior, 6 Disc CD Changer,
Panoramic Roof, and loads more stuff.
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby Toosh » Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:36 pm

I'm with Damian on this, i find it annoying when i get a beep at 50-60 miles left. My previous car, a 406, went down to zero i found this more useful than guessing what i've got left.
Black 03 Megane dCi 120 Dynamique Sport Hatch. Gone but not forgotten.
Black 56 Pug 207 GT 1.6 Turbo

andywills
Advanced Driver
Posts: 536
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 10:17 am
Currently Drives:: 04 Megane 1.6e 16V VVT

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby andywills » Thu Nov 27, 2008 7:19 am

you could always try looking at the guage and think...hmmm....i better stop and fill up
Renault Megané Dynamique 1.6e 16v VVT 2004

User avatar
nickbell69
Advanced Driver
Posts: 601
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:13 pm
Currently Drives:: megane 1.9dci priv 53
Location: wrexham

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby nickbell69 » Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:13 am

andywills wrote:you could always try looking at the guage and think...hmmm....i better stop and fill up


You could Andy but is the whole point of having a fuel computer so you know how many miles you have left? Pretty useless feature if its not that accurate and goes blank when 60miles are left. If anyone watched the race to Blackpool on last weeks top gear it was interesting how many more miles they got out of the cars after computers went to zero. Can't remember the figures but i think jeremy in the jag got over a hundred more!!!

damiansaint
Passed Theory
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:35 pm
Currently Drives:: Renault Megane 1.5 DCI Authentique

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby damiansaint » Thu Nov 27, 2008 1:22 pm

of course it would be stupid to let it run down but thats my whole point

Mine caps at 80. what the point in having the trip computer if its shuts down then. My point was that even if they could go to 0 I bet there would still be at least 40 miles in the tank I'd say.

Its obviously the same for everyone but all my previous cars went down. you know how it is you get ti 80 it cuts out and you've had a long day and cant be arsed to go to the petrol station and think...hmm I suppose I have a couple of days left but OH No the computer is not going to say......

User avatar
rjacko
Pass Plus
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 5:20 pm
Currently Drives:: Renault Megane 1.9 dci Dynamique, 3dr 03 reg
Location: connah's quay
Contact:

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby rjacko » Thu Nov 27, 2008 4:41 pm

So basically comp is a waste of time as at 80 miles left it goes blank (hold that figure of 80 in your head now)

Now set the scene:Driving around in your Megane your tank light comes on as usual at 80 miles left. I now immediately trundle to a petrol station to go fill up the tank to the max. Hopping in the car after filling and fire it up and see 500 miles to go on the comp. Thinking to yourself "great, how economical the megane is", but is it........?

Oops, we forgot about the comp tripping out at about 80 miles left so you can immediately drop your range to 420 miles. Not quite as economical as you think, is it ;-)

Neat little trick by Renault or not, you decide.
3dr 03 Megane 1.9Dci, Dynamique, panoramic roof, keyless system, full leather, 6 cd changer, 17" Nervasport alloys

User avatar
72uoba
Just Passed
Posts: 143
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2006 10:16 pm
Currently Drives:: Renault Laguna 2007 GT 175
Location: Inverness
Contact:

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby 72uoba » Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:37 pm

Er, no!

You've still got that 80 miles' worth, you've simply decided not to use it before filling up on this occasion.

User avatar
rjacko
Pass Plus
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 5:20 pm
Currently Drives:: Renault Megane 1.9 dci Dynamique, 3dr 03 reg
Location: connah's quay
Contact:

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby rjacko » Fri Nov 28, 2008 8:33 am

72uoba wrote:Er, no!

You've still got that 80 miles' worth, you've simply decided not to use it before filling up on this occasion.


Ok not having a go but lets give you benefit of the doubt. Zero your trip computer next time it drops offline at 80miles and see if you to get 75 miles out of it. You technically have 5 miles of juice left to spare tho, so you'll be ok :wink:

I know i wouldn't try it and I honestly don't think the car would do it.
3dr 03 Megane 1.9Dci, Dynamique, panoramic roof, keyless system, full leather, 6 cd changer, 17" Nervasport alloys

andywills
Advanced Driver
Posts: 536
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 10:17 am
Currently Drives:: 04 Megane 1.6e 16V VVT

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby andywills » Fri Nov 28, 2008 10:25 am

72uoba wrote:Er, no!

You've still got that 80 miles' worth, you've simply decided not to use it before filling up on this occasion.


i was refraining from saying that becasue he might take offense, but what the hell....i agree, he's talking rubbish.
Renault Megané Dynamique 1.6e 16v VVT 2004

User avatar
Gav
Advanced Driver
Posts: 293
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:55 am
Currently Drives:: Sport Tourer, 1.5 dCi 106
Location: Chilworth, Surrey

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby Gav » Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:15 pm

It is annoying that the trip computer goes blank around 80 miles left, but IMHO there's no reason not to then drive those 80 miles and the fill up. The fuel tank is 60l in size (13.2 gallons), and I've never managed to put in more than ~56l when filling up. The computer tells you how much fuel has been used in gallons, so at 13.0 I'd want to fill up again.

Personally I end up filling up when its convenient (ie I'll be passing a Shell garage) rather than when I absolutely have to. Round here it's not unusual to have a queue at peak times, so waiting 700+ miles is preferable...
06 Extreme Blue 1.5dCi 106 Dynamique Sport Tourer with panoramic sunroof and Dension Gateway

User avatar
pw981
Rally Driver
Posts: 1046
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2005 11:55 am
Currently Drives:: 04 Megane 1.9dCi replaced with a 07 Toyota Auris 2.2 D-CAT 180
Location: County Durham

Re: Trip computer how many mile left to go

Postby pw981 » Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:13 pm

This is just a personal thought/theory:

Remember that the 60-80 miles left to go when the light comes on is based on the average fuel consumption displaying on the trip - now if Renault for some unknown reason can't have the instantaneous fuel consumption for our imperial (mpg) trip computers but can for the metric (l/100 km) trip computers, I then assume renault cannot program the trip computer to act fast enough and realise that the car will not be always be travelling at the same average MPG as stated on the trip and therefore not be able to adjust the miles to empty when the figure gets below 80 miles to be accurate enough? Maybe thats why it just changes to dashes.

Personally I don't mind the the tip changing into dashes below 60 miles (in my case). My trip computer is currently showing about 42mpg average. I also work out manually my mpg when I fill up, and it has been ranging from 41-43mpg for the past few weeks.

If my fuel light comes on, according to my trip I have 60 miles left to drive at 42mpg. Since I've driven my car for 92k miles now and for almost 4 years, I have a slight idea about what sorts of mpg I will get in town driving and motorway driving. I will predict accordingly if I cannot fuel up straight away - which is rare I usually fill up just before the fuel light comes on anyway!
2004 Megane II 1.9dCi


Return to “Problems / Questions”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 52 guests