Re: "Out Of Fuel" warning lamp

[Gerard <gerard@poboxes.com>]

> I, too, have experienced similar "mis-readings" on the computer - my '86
> 4000CSQ always displays more fuel mileage on the computer than I feel is
> actually in the tank. I've never let the car run out of fuel just to see how
> accurate the computer is...but I'm quite certain it's not reading properly.
> Anyone else have this problem? Better question: what does one do to
> re-calibrate the computer to read more accurately?

Mine is not a mileage calibration problem. What is really happening is
that the
fuel gauge and the estimated range indicator work well together, but
somehow
a part of the auto-check system is triggering at the wrong moment,
perhaps
getting a wrong reading from the fuel float. However, it can't be a
faulty
float system as then the fuel gauge and range indicator would be grossly
inaccurate, but they aren't.

As for the fuel range thing, isn't this estimated on the last 30km
driven? Or
is that the average fuel consumption that is estimated on the last 30km
and
the fuel range worked out accordingly? My average consumption indicator,
estimated fuel indicator and fuel gauge (dial) work perfectly, but the
autocheck system triggers on the wrong level of signal from the tank
float.

I spoke to a guy who used to work for VW/Audi here in South Africa, well
at
least for a service division and not the factory, and he tells me there
is
a sequence of buttons to press when you start the vehicle that will
reset the
computer and auto-check system. But I'm not clued up on that. Anyway, on
this topic of pushing buttons, if you hold down the button that will
cycle
through the auto-check displays and do so while the car is off (ignition
key in
position 0) and then turn the key to the start position and "56" is
displayed
on the LCD. What is this?

It would be nice to simply push a few buttons to get the thing to reset
completely, but I think in my case it is more a problem with some
var-resistor
needing to be adjusted to trigger the "empty-tank" indicator.

G.
-- 
"a thousand miles from here, there is another person smiling"
name   : gerard van vught
tel    : +27-57-912 2658 (w) / 082 923 9609 (cell)
url    : http://www.acenet.co.za/homepages/gerard/
e-mail : gerard@poboxes.com  / han.solo@galaxycorp.com
         gerard@acenet.co.za / van_vught@frg.issi.co.za