Was just wondering as I've never seen one lit in mine, though it's rarely low enough to be at the point it'd trip one. Am parking mine as the snowy weather is likely done until fall, and it's on E.

I'd vote Yes, as all the early and mid-90's I've had did. Doesn't sound you've run it low enough, and remember that these have a tendency to show the fuel level wrong once they get into old age.

 

 

Tangent: My college-aged step-son ran his low so often that he and his wife burned OUT the low fuel light, and guess what? They ran out of gas once.

Was just wondering as I've never seen one lit in mine, though it's rarely low enough to be at the point it'd trip one. Am parking mine as the snowy weather is likely done until fall, and it's on E.

 

Get a gas can and find out! 

 

Unless you're parking it in a climate-controlled garage, fill the tank first or condensation will have a field day in your empty tank.

Wouldn't it light up with the key on like the rest of the dash warning lights?

 

Car has a ton of exterior rust, and has a patched back together rear strut tower after it busted free (it's back at correct ride height and amazingly handles fine w/o tire wear ). The fact it made it through the winter with zero issues, is why I'm holding onto it atm as a back up vehicle. It might have a rusted filler neck, or it needs some hose clamps tightened, etc. as it smells like gas (part of the reason I don't want to fill it). I've never driven it at E for more than a couple miles, meaning as soon as the needle touched it was filled, but that only occurred a few times in the last 5 years or so.

"Tangent: My college-aged step-son ran his low so often that he and his wife burned OUT the low fuel light, and guess what? They ran out of gas once. :rolleyes:"

 

My ex-wife ran our 82 GL wagon constantly on the bottom quarter tank till she finally wore out the sending unit in that area. After I rescued her 6 or 7 times after running out of gas, I got her a 1 gallon gas can, strapped it in the back, and declared, "Keep this full, or I'm not coming to get you again." And she never did after that! 

^ That's funny. Used to work for a guy that was the son of a used car lot owner. He would always take cars off the lot, slap a dealer tag on it, and drive it for a week. He was either too cheap, or not paying attention, but he'd do the same thing. Someone would have to go and run him a can of gas. I remember head salesman would get irritated as we'd have to go and fill up every car he was done with. Definitely not worth the aggravation, especially in the cold months, and never mind all the crud that gets pulled into the filter.

Edited May 3, 20187 yr by Bushwick

No, the light only comes when low....have you used the Tripmeter to check # of miles per tank? Like I stated above, could be the fuel sender reading "E" when there's still over 1/4 tank.

Edited May 3, 20187 yr by wtdash

As far as I know, the gauge seems accurate over the course of ownership. I'm pretty sure the fuel pump was done a few years back, and everything looked normal and operated correctly. Next time it's out, I'll carry a gas can and see what happens

Yes, trip is always reset at each fuel up. But but I rarely go above a half tank unless going further than around town.

2nd gen legacys have a low fuel level light, and no they do not light up when the key is on and the engine is off. The low fuel light isn't computer controlled, it's just an idiot light with a sensor in the tank. Since the condition of low fuel isn't met when the key is on and the engine is off, the light doesn't illuminate.

On all the 2nd gen legacys I've owned (five?), the fuel needle goes well below the empty line before you have to worry, your mileage literally may vary.

thats stressful!

 

would be funny if the light comes when you only got like 2 miles till empty.

 

had an 89GL Wagon that when the orange light illuminated, i had about 10-12miles till it left me stranded. the "standard" on todays cars is 40 miles after the needle hits E or 0miles remaining.

The 2nd gen legacys seem to be about 2 gallons left when the light comes on. I never had the low fuel light come on in my 89GL, I'm guessing it was broken like most other things on the car...

I have run my 2002 Forester for 40km (25miles) with the Low-Fuel Lamp on, before filling up.

Never ran it dry though.