Consider the following scenario where you drive mile after mile in the middle of the desert road when your Toyota’s engine suddenly starts to make a growling sound and comes to a stoppage.
You look at your fuel gauge, where you notice that the indicator is set to empty (E) and, on the other hand, no gas station is nearby. In such scenarios, a call for help will sound embarrassing.
Therefore, one thing to learn from this experience is that whenever your fuel reservoir is set to empty, you should know the distance to empty Toyota vehicles. Research says it falls 30 – 45 miles after the open fuel light is on. Thus, you should go through this article to learn more about it.
Distance to Empty Toyota: What Does it Mean?
So, what is meant by the term “distance to empty Toyota?” in simpler terms is simply the miles traveled by the Toyota after the fuel indicator light has been turned on.
The ECM (Engine Control Module) processor continuously monitors the drive part and the amount of fuel left in the tank. After a certain distance, for example, 10 kilometers, the module measures the power left. How does your Toyota calculate such a value?
Your Toyota’s gas mileage will be calculated using the distance traveled/fuel used formula. When you multiply the gas mileage by the power left in the tank, you get your distance to an empty value.
Eventually, the ratio of fuel left/used will gradually decrease. At a certain point, the indicator will switch to E to indicate how much power you have left inside the Toyota tank.
One crucial fact to know is that the miles to empty might differ according to some key factors:
- Type of driving
- Road surface
Type of Driving
Some drivers like to ride their Toyota as smoothly as possible. At the same time, some want to show off their driving skill on the road. The combustion of fuel depends on the gear push of your Corolla. Hence the more you push your car, the more energy will burn, decreasing the ratio faster.
Therefore, the fast drive will lead to fewer miles to an empty value and vice versa.
Road Surface
The mile to empty is also dependent upon the surface of the road. If you drive on rugged terrain, this will account for fuel burning, which results in less gas mileage and hence decreases the ratio.
On the road, driving on a smooth surface will reduce average fuel consumption; hence, the ratio of fuel left/fuel used increases comparatively. Therefore, a hard surface leads to less distance to empty and vice versa.
Reason Why Distance to Empty Message Appears
As mentioned, the distance to empty is the message of how many miles your Toyota can travel until the average fuel consumption reaches zero. In simpler terms, it means that your fuel pump is empty, and the car will suddenly come to a stop.
Therefore, Toyota motor corporation established a DTE message signal in that case. This message will appear whenever your tank is low on the fuel pump. Whenever there is insufficient gas, and your car displays DTE, we suggest immediately stopping the vehicle and locating the nearest gas station.
If that is not the case, all you can do is seek help from one of your closest relatives nearby.
Things Will Happen When the Distance to an Empty Message Is Inaccurate
As for the discussion starter, the miles to empty value may differ occasionally. Additionally, the value of this factor may not be as accurate as you think. Why do you think that is? Here’s why!
The main reason lies behind the drive pattern of your vehicle. For example, if you drive significant miles on the highway and then enter the city road where you end up in the traffic with your Toyota turning on, the ECM will overestimate the gas mileage, leading to fewer empty miles.
The opposite might happen when your Toyota vehicle suddenly stops before traveling the estimated distance to an empty value. Therefore, please fill up the gas tank right after the needle hits a quarter part of the fuel level.
Assuming the worst-case scenario, we must show you some of the adverse effects of running your Toyota Corolla or any other vehicle with an empty tank. The following results are listed below:
- The fuel pump is wearing out
- Tank muck
- Air pollution
- Stalled engine
- Additional stress
Fuel Pump Wearing Out
A lot of fuel inside the tank acts as insulation, lubrication, or heat exchangers. There is a considerable probability that the tank’s temperature will rise when there is low fuel, thus creating a hazardous situation.
On the other hand, due to less lubrication, the tank might rust at a faster rate. Also, less insulation will prevent air particles from entering the tank, thus forming air pollution. Therefore, keeping tanks full will determine their longevity.
Tank Muck
Fuel reservoir contains much-unwanted debris or contamination, which we know as sludge or muck, after long-term use, turns into effective bacteria. If you run your Toyota over low fuel, this sludge will get a healthy environment to grow and clog up the entire tank to the engine, which will be more costly for renovation.
Air Pollution
A low-filled fuel tank will have air inside, creating a severe problem. The fuel tank is connected to many other car parts, such as the engine and the carburetor. These air particles can enter the unwanted vacuum places and ignite sudden ignition.
Stalled Engine
One of the many risks that a distance to a less-filled tank may bring you is the sudden stalling of your engine. Due to less fuel in the tank, less power will be delivered to the engine.
Hence, less mechanical power will be developed in the camshaft to the wheel due to less complete combustion, resulting in the engine suddenly stopping. Such a situation can lock the steering wheel, creating accidents on a busy road. Hence, try to fill the tank as frequently as possible.
Additional Stress
Last but not least, driving a car with low fuel can also make you stranded on a deserted road with no signs of a gas station nearby or any local people to help you out. At this time, keeping calm and not welcoming any additional stress is recommended.
Call your close relatives and wait for them to appear. Until then, take care of yourself by staying inside the car with every protection kit available.
How to Reset Inaccurate Distance to Empty Feature in Toyota?
So, after you establish an average amount of gas in your Toyota, some wonder why the distance to the empty feature does not reset; well, the fuel gauge typically rises from E to F after you fill your vehicle with a significant amount of fuel.
If such a scenario is not observed, we recommend disconnecting the battery for 15 – 20 minutes and reattaching it again. The low fuel level might start to move upward after this operation.
Still, if your low fuel light does not reset, we suggest showing your Toyota Corolla to a local mechanic for careful examination. In most cases, the ECM module sensors may malfunction due to a low reserve of fuel, which might need some circuit modification.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Toyota’s Distance to Empty Accurate?
There are several factors to consider when determining whether distance to empty is accurate in every independent Toyota enthusiast vehicle. The first factor to consider is the driving conditions. For example, suppose you have shifted your driving destination from highway to city traffic.
In that case, the ECM module will miscalculate such miles-gallons distance resulting in a lower distance to empty value than usual.
- Is it Ok to Drive a Toyota Corolla When the Fuel Light is on?
Assuming that you have driven your Corolla with gas light on in your fuel gauge over the last few months, it is very sure that your vehicle will run out of fuel very soon. According to Vertical Scope Inc, Toyota Motor Corporation provides a significant distance to an empty value.
Therefore, we will only recommend filling out the engine with fuel after running out of distance to empty miles.
- How Many Distances Can You Go with the Distance to Empty Message?
Whenever you notice a distance to the empty message, you will be sure your fuel volume is at its end, probably about 10 – 15% left. In this case, your Toyota vehicle can travel about 30 – 45 miles of extra distance before the fuel volume drops to zero.
- Does a Toyota Camry Have a Reserve Tank?
According to numerous studies, the Toyota Camry’s reserve capacity is 7 – 8 liters. It is generally estimated that driving a newer gasoline-powered Camry model can drive approximately 42 miles on average while the gauge is showing empty.
Conclusion
So, how many miles does it take to disappear all the gallons in your Toyota tank? The answer is 35 – 40 miles. We have also found out that the distance to empty Toyota also depends on the type of driving and the road condition.
Moreover, if you run a Toyota with near to empty tank gauge, the condition will deteriorate sooner or later. The problem will be vital and hazardous, from the tank sludge and air pollution to the stalled engine.
Therefore, ensure your gallon reserve is entirely or at least half full next time you go on a road trip. It is because a sudden car stopping in the middle of a deserted road will be highly problematic. Drive safe!
About the author
Marcus Brown is editor-in-chief of The FatMech and is a mechanic with ten years' experience based in London, UK. Having worked for major dealerships for many years, Marcus now works for a local independent garage and has experience working on nearly every make and model of car. Marcus also has a passion for writing and teaching, which is where the idea for The FatMech came from. In his spare time, Marcus enjoys playing golf, doing home renovations and gardening. He lives just outside London with his wife and son.