Gas Gauge

[Alan From New York]

Another "non-problem" I've had is with the gas gauge. I'm sure I've filled it, but the gauge displays one bar less than full. Oddly, after one fillup, the gauge displayed all bars next morning.

My smart dealer said mine was the second mention of this that day and asked if my smart is at an angle when filling the tank. "Nope."

He then said that it's possible when filling it, an air bubble gets into the tank and confuses the sensor. "That's kinda hard to tell," I said. "I guess I'll just have to hold off the next fillup until the tank shows near empty and see what happens."

Not a big deal with a car that will easily get me to a gas station on less than a gallon, but still a bit unpleasant, ya know?

[shirley8648]

Well I have had my Smart Car for 4 months and this happens every time I fill up. I haven't had it back in the dealership but sounds like they don't really know what is going on either.

[Dave Van]

We have 2 smart Pure.....the black car always shows full after a fill-up. The Bee will at times show full...other times missing one bar. Both are filled at the same place. Not a big issue....a minor announce.

[forestacademy]

Originally Posted by Alan From New York

He then said that it's possible when filling it, an air bubble gets into the tank and confuses the sensor. "That's kinda hard to tell," I said. "I guess I'll just have to hold off the next fillup until the tank shows near empty and see what happens."

Maybe you need to Burp your baby when feeding it.

When you are close fo full, Stop filling, pull out the hose, Shake the car, continue filling.


Get ready to explain yourself to onlookers. Hopefully you won't get arrested for shaking your baby.

[smark]

Smart Car will not fix this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They said it's normal to have a malfunctioning gas gauge. It can be off by a 1/4 of a digit. It goes to 7/8 when filled. To full at 50 mile to 7/8 at 80 miles. Why don't all of us who have this issue, call Smart car customer service. Let all do it tomorrow. Smart give us a working modern gas gauge. There know it's a issue.

[Alan From New York]

Originally Posted by forestacademy

Maybe you need to Burp your baby when feeding it.

When you are close fo full, Stop filling, pull out the hose, Shake the car, continue filling.


Get ready to explain yourself to onlookers. Hopefully you won't get arrested for shaking your baby.

Burp the baby?

I know Max is only 1800 pounds, but there's gotta be a better way!

[sk8ndad]

This is not an issue just to smart...every car I've ever owned has had its own idiosyncrasies with its gas gauge. My wife had a car that slowly went to 1/2 full, then dropped like a rock. Just learn what your car's reading mean and go on. The gauge was never meant to be precise, but an indicator. As long as it tells me when I need gas, I'm happy.

[forestacademy]

With all the ins and out of this tank, THeir are lots of places for air bubble to form, When you drive the car a little sloshing will even things out.

[Duckhunter]

Mine just did this for the second time. Does not bother me. Air bubble sounds about right. I just use the trip meter like on my bike as a backup. Like most every fuel guage that I have had, the last half tank does go faster than the first half.

[maverick1]

I have exactly the same issue with an 08 Cabrio... What a design.