Low Fuel Warning sound volume

[neomist]

I’ve never owned a Toyota prior to purchasing this years TRDPro, I’ve also never owned a vehicle with such a discrete low fuel indicator warning. Admittedly my hearing isn’t what it once was, but I’ve looked up and seen 4-5 miles of fuel remaining a couple times and panic.

Has anyone else experienced this or is just my lack of attention and/or hearing the alert? My prior vehicle (2024 Ford Raptor) gave me a loud audible warning as well as a significant visual warning as soon as I hit 50 miles and every time I started it with less than 50 miles of fuel.

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[127.0.0.1]

distance to empty is right there, I don't know how anyone could miss it

 

[Nodak]

toyota's mile to empty is a very conservative drive to zero. typically toyota models will reserve 10-20% of a tank size for reserve once you hit zero miles to empty.

bigger tanks tend to lean to the 10% mark and smaller tanks lean to the 20% side

its to ensure you dont drain the fuel tank of fuel which also keeps the fuel pump from over heating and burning out.

thats why when you go to fill up a toyota gas tank, you can NEVER fill the whole tank (well thats if you dont run 50 miles more once you actually hit zero miles to empty)

on a 2025 4R around 3 gals will be reserved so you shouldnt be able to fill more than say 16-17 gallons of the 19 gal tank

but that goes back to, how far are you willing to go past zero mile to empty and test the water. i wouldnt since that fuel is also making your fuel pump last longer.

 

[neomist]

distance to empty is right there, I don't know how anyone could miss it

I get it. I only drive this vehicle a few times a week, my son drives it primarily. It’s not that I don’t understand how to read a fuel gauge, perhaps it’s the frequency of the audio alert combined with the smaller visual notification once the vehicle senses low fuel. Maybe I’ve been spoiled with my prior vehicles notification and have gotten lazy as I’m getting older.

I guess the answer is pay more attention and don’t rely on the vehicle’s discrete notification for low fuel.

 

[Nodak]

I get it. I only drive this vehicle a few times a week, my son drives it primarily. It’s not that I don’t understand how to read a fuel gauge, perhaps it’s the frequency of the audio alert combined with the smaller visual notification once the vehicle senses low fuel. Maybe I’ve been spoiled with my prior vehicles notification and have gotten lazy as I’m getting older.

I guess the answer is pay more attention and don’t rely on the vehicle’s discrete notification for low fuel.

or go into the head unit and turn up the volume on notifications ? or something like that.

i know i turned down my proximity alerts beeps to 1/2 level and now i am wondering if i should turn them back up in volume, i hardly notice the sound when i leave the garage stall in the morning.

 

[HVLA]

I honestly had no idea that any vehicle made any type of a sound to alert you to a low fuel level.

 

[get.outside.75]

toyota's mile to empty is a very conservative drive to zero. typically toyota models will reserve 10-20% of a tank size for reserve once you hit zero miles to empty.

It's a distance to 2.8gal left (or roughly 50 miles). I have just turned zero and put in almost exactly 16 gallons. Most cars I have had put the actual alert on at 50 miles to go, not have zero on the gauge when you have 50 miles to go.

 

[MikeD]

Per the manual, there are 2.8 gallons left when fuel indicator turns amber and low fuel message pops up. I've confirmed the details with real data and that 2.8 gallons is spot on. See 4runner range thread
Also, to OP, I'm confused because this is what shows when you hit that point (see photo) ... you must manually hit the return button to get it off the screen - not sure how one could miss that. Perhaps your son is closing out this screen and failing to tell you :>) (OTOH, I don't recall hearing any sort of audio warning if that is what you need.)

 

[neomist]

Per the manual, there are 2.8 gallons left when fuel indicator turns amber and low fuel message pops up. I've confirmed the details with real data and that 2.8 gallons is spot on. See 4runner range thread
Also, to OP, I'm confused because this is what shows when you hit that point (see photo) ... you must manually hit the return button to get it off the screen - not sure how one could miss that. Perhaps your son is closing out this screen and failing to tell you :>) (OTOH, I don't recall hearing any sort of audio warning if that is what you need.)

To your point yes, I’ll see this if the vehicle is started and the fuel level is under the sensor threshold. Not an issue.

I have about a 40 mile commute to town and this is where I’ve typically miss the visual notification, again this could be I’m not hearing it due the settings and honesty most of my attention is usually directed at the large touch screen display for Spotify and navigation purposes. Need to verify some settings, maybe it’s just user error.

Maybe I have the volume notification setting set off or too low(if there even is one), I’ll verify once I get the vehicle back (only have about 2,000 miles on it). I do wear hearing aids so maybe need to look into that as well. I would note that any of the vehicle’s ADAS audible alerts can be heard fine, as I’ve noticed that they will automatically reduce the volume of whatever media you have playing.

Thanks for everyone’s suggestions on this.

 

[HVLA]

I think you just need to change your fueling habits. Something like always fill up every N days. Set up a calendar reminder on your phone.

Running your tank empty all the time isnt only annoying, it is bad on the fuel pump.

 

[EL616]

I've had it down to -10 miles left on the readout a couple times and there was absolutely no notification or low fuel light. The other times when I have gotten the notification, it seemed to be at a random interval (presumably because it's based on 2.8 gallons and not a mile #) and I definitely did not hear any sound.

And I'm sorry to say, but that popup in the middle is not that noticeable to me. If I'm on a long interstate drive with active cruise control on, I don't have much reason to look down all that often -- I know I my speed isn't exceeding what I set. I've looked down to see the low fuel notification a couple times and was caught by surprise because I didn't know it popped up and had no idea how long it had been there. I don't consider myself a bad or inattentive driver by any means, but I never had this problem with my Grand Cherokee. (It helped that it had a 25 gallon tank and better range... I'm still getting used to having to fill up more often.)

Definitely good to know that there's still a reserve even when the readout is close to 0 though. That's a weird choice but the last few times I've seen it under 10 I've been scrambling to find a gas station.

 

[MikeD]

I've had it down to -10 miles left on the readout a couple times and there was absolutely no notification or low fuel light. The other times when I have gotten the notification, it seemed to be at a random interval (presumably because it's based on 2.8 gallons and not a mile #) and I definitely did not hear any sound.

Last point first: I concur on the audio item: I HAVE been paying attention to when the low fuel warning pops up and have NO recollection of ever hearing an audible notification. And I can find no indication in the manuals of an audible notification - but I might have missed it. (Regardless of what the AIs say when you google on this and it points at this thread as evidence:>).

But the first point is odd to me. I've always gotten the notification at a miles to go level consistent with the recent milage I'd been getting . Typically around 20-22 miles to go, where zero miles to go (reads REFUEL NOW) is equal to about 1.8 Gallons (30-40 miles) remaining. Some photo evidence below that I have because I use it instead of pen and paper (or Fuely) for recording exact fuel usage.
But bottom line: your experience of having it at 10 miles to go without any indication is odd and inconsistent with my experience. I can imagine accidently hitting the return button to clear the center notification but you cannot clear the amber fuel gage (which is white when more than 2.8 gallons in the tank). Possibly indicates some other problem??

And note odo value when I filled

And this message that I had forgotten I ever saw - clearly after I filled up but before putting in drive to register a new "distance to empty" - maybe tied to opening the fuel door?

 

[Nodak]

well sad to say, i wont be having this issue. in ND during winters, we usually dont let the tank get below 1/2 full. its a safety issue during our winters. more so during jan & feb where we can hit -20F or -30F ambient, then add in wind chill and you can be pushing -40 to -50F wind chills.

if you get stuck or slide off the road and especially in rural ND, it can take hours or days for help to arrive sometimes depending on road conditions and location.

if this happens you have 1/2 tank of gas to keep you warm until help arrives.

too many people have tried walking to a farm house thinking hey, i can see it over there and it looks like a 1 mile walk and then end up freezing to death trying to walk to a house (this happens in the rural areas more so than places closer to big cities in ND)

 

[HVLA]

well sad to say, i wont be having this issue. in ND during winters, we usually dont let the tank get below 1/2 full. its a safety issue during our winters. more so during jan & feb where we can hit -20F or -30F ambient, then add in wind chill and you can be pushing -40 to -50F wind chills.

if you get stuck or slide off the road and especially in rural ND, it can take hours or days for help to arrive sometimes depending on road conditions and location.

if this happens you have 1/2 tank of gas to keep you warm until help arrives.

too many people have tried walking to a farm house thinking hey, i can see it over there and it looks like a 1 mile walk and then end up freezing to death trying to walk to a house (this happens in the rural areas more so than places closer to big cities in ND)

Mine isnt a safety issue I just have always never let my tank get below 1/4 tank

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