I recently bought a used 2005 Element and the gas tank is only holding 9 gallons at the most. Is this normal? Is there a way to increase the size of my tank to hold more gas? I'm only getting about 215 miles to a tank. Not so great.

Fuel mileage is ascertained by dividing the number of miles driven by the number of gillions used. So by your figures, 215 divided by 9 = 23.8888 mpg or 24 mpg.

That's what you should be getting.

Nothing wrong with that!

I usually wait for the fuel light to come on. That happens with 2 to 3 Gal remaining in the tank.

I also get around 24 Mpg.

Dom

it's a 15.9 gallon tank... Your light is coming on with 6 gallons still in there... that's extreme in my opinion....

My low fuel light comes on with six gallons left as well. On the bright side I've never came close to running out of gas since I cannot bare to see the little orange gas pump light come on. Evil light.:-x

Mine comes on anywhere from 11.5 to 12.0 gallons used. Closest I've gone to 15.9 gallons is 15.2 gallons.

The low fuel warning light will come on with 2.5-3 gallons left in the tank, not 6 gallons left.

The low fuel warning light will come on with 2.5-3 gallons left in the tank, not 6 gallons left.


According to McNamara and Elementbyron it does... Well there's does, mine is about 3 gallons... My Sisters '03 is roughly 2.5... so they do vary, but like I said before 6 gallons is extreme.

now the question is, where is the needle on the guage if the light goes on with 6 gals left? If diff than normal, then prob with tank?

McNamara did not mention anything about his gas light. Mine comes on around the 12.5 gallon mark. Maybe McNamara is not waiting for the light to come on or does not realize that the E's fuel gauge will hang on the "empty" side for a long time before truly running empty.

My suggestion; get a gas can and fill it with two gallons of gas then go drive your E until you run out. Put the two gallons in the tank and then go fill up at the nearest gas station. If you still only use 9 gallons to fill up then something is not right.

He bought the E "used".

There could be some "stash" in there:shock:.......just sayin...

Good point Jojo. I would hate to be busted buying a used car with a couple kilos of cocaine hidden in the fuel tank. Not to mention that stuff is bound to foul up the injectors.:D

McNamara did not mention anything about his gas light. Mine comes on around the 12.5 gallon mark. Maybe McNamara is not waiting for the light to come on or does not realize that the E's fuel gauge will hang on the "empty" side for a long time before truly running empty.
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I didnt see that he didnt mention that. But at 9 gallons, my guage is just under the half-way mark, and even when my light comes on at 12 gals, I havent reached the E line yet.:-)

My fuel warning light comes on at approximately the 4 gallon remaining point. Seems like a lot of fuel left for the light to come on to me too. Light comes on, I head to the gas pump, and I can only get 12 gallons back in.

Honest engine!

Have the checked underneath, to see if the previous owner hit something that pushed in/deformed the plastic tank so it holds less gas?

My light comes on around 12.

I always thought it held 13:(