C4S fuel gauge issue
#16
03-17-2013, 05:40 PM
Re:
Awaiting for calibration this week, they tried to calibrate last week but didn't have a loaner so they fill up my tank and let me get back this coming week.
In the meantime my tank came close to 1/4 today. I visit the pump scared and fill up immediately.But it only took ~11 gallons...(tank capacity is I think at 18.xxx galons)
So thats also striking since the last time I hit 1/4 I got towed.
Again all this is before calibration...will report back soon.
In the meantime my tank came close to 1/4 today. I visit the pump scared and fill up immediately.But it only took ~11 gallons...(tank capacity is I think at 18.xxx galons)
So thats also striking since the last time I hit 1/4 I got towed.
Again all this is before calibration...will report back soon.
Sorry to hear your baby had to get towed! I know how that feels!
Calibration seemed to have helped with my car. I ran it as low as 30 mi range remaining, and was fairly accurate. I think the estimate range @ the level becomes "calculated estimate" rather than actual measurement when about 1/4 tank is remaining. This means as long as your driving condition is fairly constant, this estimate will also be fairly accurate. But when the driving condition changes significantly such as long highway driving, this estimate can get way off. At least for me that seems to be what happened. I drove down to LA from SF and the fuel gauge basically got stuck at 1/4 tank with 66 mi range. I'm wondering if the estimate was based on 25 mpg of highway driving when I was actually back doing city driving. That's my theory, but the bottomline is I now fill up that tank when the light comes on!
Calibration seemed to have helped with my car. I ran it as low as 30 mi range remaining, and was fairly accurate. I think the estimate range @ the level becomes "calculated estimate" rather than actual measurement when about 1/4 tank is remaining. This means as long as your driving condition is fairly constant, this estimate will also be fairly accurate. But when the driving condition changes significantly such as long highway driving, this estimate can get way off. At least for me that seems to be what happened. I drove down to LA from SF and the fuel gauge basically got stuck at 1/4 tank with 66 mi range. I'm wondering if the estimate was based on 25 mpg of highway driving when I was actually back doing city driving. That's my theory, but the bottomline is I now fill up that tank when the light comes on!
#17
03-18-2013, 01:34 AM
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 84
Rep Power: 22 
Awaiting for calibration this week, they tried to calibrate last week but didn't have a loaner so they fill up my tank and let me get back this coming week.
In the meantime my tank came close to 1/4 today. I visit the pump scared and fill up immediately.But it only took ~11 gallons...(tank capacity is I think at 18.xxx galons)
So thats also striking since the last time I hit 1/4 I got towed.
Again all this is before calibration...will report back soon.
In the meantime my tank came close to 1/4 today. I visit the pump scared and fill up immediately.But it only took ~11 gallons...(tank capacity is I think at 18.xxx galons)
So thats also striking since the last time I hit 1/4 I got towed.
Again all this is before calibration...will report back soon.
For whatever reason, I do think calibration somehow improved accuracy of my fuel gauge & range estimate so far; won't know for sure until I take a road trip though.
Good luck!
#19
03-18-2013, 09:39 AM
will smell like gazoline for days?!
Gosh..I am really dissatisfied with the whole thing
I am just wondering if there is a kind way to tell the dealer to take the car back and give me a 2S...lol its been a week now
Gosh..I am really dissatisfied with the whole thing
I am just wondering if there is a kind way to tell the dealer to take the car back and give me a 2S...lol its been a week now
You may not want to have your tank full when you take it in for a calibration since they have to empty out the tank. Also after the calibration, your car will smell like gasoline for days! Helps to leave front hood open at night although that stinks up your garage.
For whatever reason, I do think calibration somehow improved accuracy of my fuel gauge & range estimate so far; won't know for sure until I take a road trip though.
Good luck!
For whatever reason, I do think calibration somehow improved accuracy of my fuel gauge & range estimate so far; won't know for sure until I take a road trip though.
Good luck!
#20
03-18-2013, 09:55 AM
If you never had a 4S before but had experienced the 2S I am advising you to stick with a 2S. Don't make the mistake unless if you really need it for bad weather.
I test drove the 991 2s and it is superior to the 997 2S in terms of grip
and stability (especially if you have the sports plus on it)
Now I am dissatisfied with the 4S, first of all with the 1/4 tank -->get towed problem,
and second its a true gas guzzler comparing to the 2S
this weekend I didn't exceed 3500 rpm and I averaged 11mpg! (mix of city and highway)...
The only truly good thing about this car is the steering wheel is as heavy as the old 997 one!
. That, comparing to the new electromechanical 2S that is light as a feather. Now while the same wheel is on the 991 4S, It seems the front AWD equipment somehow makes it feel heavier which is extremely pleasant..
I test drove the 991 2s and it is superior to the 997 2S in terms of grip
and stability (especially if you have the sports plus on it)
Now I am dissatisfied with the 4S, first of all with the 1/4 tank -->get towed problem,
and second its a true gas guzzler comparing to the 2S
this weekend I didn't exceed 3500 rpm and I averaged 11mpg! (mix of city and highway)...
The only truly good thing about this car is the steering wheel is as heavy as the old 997 one!
. That, comparing to the new electromechanical 2S that is light as a feather. Now while the same wheel is on the 991 4S, It seems the front AWD equipment somehow makes it feel heavier which is extremely pleasant..Last edited by gracious_911; 03-18-2013 at 09:58 AM.
#21
03-18-2013, 01:14 PM
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 84
Rep Power: 22 If you never had a 4S before but had experienced the 2S I am advising you to stick with a 2S. Don't make the mistake unless if you really need it for bad weather.
I test drove the 991 2s and it is superior to the 997 2S in terms of grip
and stability (especially if you have the sports plus on it)
Now I am dissatisfied with the 4S, first of all with the 1/4 tank -->get towed problem,
and second its a true gas guzzler comparing to the 2S
this weekend I didn't exceed 3500 rpm and I averaged 11mpg! (mix of city and highway)...
The only truly good thing about this car is the steering wheel is as heavy as the old 997 one! . That, comparing to the new electromechanical 2S that is light as a feather. Now while the same wheel is on the 991 4S, It seems the front AWD equipment somehow makes it feel heavier which is extremely pleasant..
I test drove the 991 2s and it is superior to the 997 2S in terms of grip
and stability (especially if you have the sports plus on it)
Now I am dissatisfied with the 4S, first of all with the 1/4 tank -->get towed problem,
and second its a true gas guzzler comparing to the 2S
this weekend I didn't exceed 3500 rpm and I averaged 11mpg! (mix of city and highway)...
The only truly good thing about this car is the steering wheel is as heavy as the old 997 one!
. That, comparing to the new electromechanical 2S that is light as a feather. Now while the same wheel is on the 991 4S, It seems the front AWD equipment somehow makes it feel heavier which is extremely pleasant..
It's a bit annoying to fill up a tank when it's 1/4 full, but if that's all I have to do, I think I can live with it. I still think the handling of 4S is simply amazing although I agree the 991 2S handled much better than previous generations when I test drove it. Can't go wrong w/ either one!
#23
03-18-2013, 03:59 PM
I just got my on 3/14/13 and still have a half tank. I wonder if every C4/C4S is having this issue or if they have resolved it (fingers crossed)? Would be a serious bummer if a $105,000 base priced car was too stupid to know how much gas it had in its tank. I mean seriously...I have NEVER heard such a silly thing. Porsche better have a fix for this if it is a real problem or we all need to band together and file a group complaint to get this fixed.
#24
03-18-2013, 04:42 PM
Hey,
So I am picking up my C4S this Saturday (3/23) from Beachwood, OH and have a 588 mile trip back home. I talked to my salesperson (Rick Balas) and gave him the link to this post. He initially replied that he spoke with a few people and read through all the campaign and recall info and didn't find anything. He then spoke with their master technician. The master tech stated that this is a well known problem, with one caveat. Your battery has to die and you must have less than a quarter tank left. When the battery is then recharged it still reads that you have a 1/4 tank, no matter how much you had before (assuming it was less than a quarter tank). It sounds like to me anything more than a quarter tank is actually measured and once it drops below this it is calculated (pure speculation on my part). Anyways, just the two cents of the master tech at Beachwood Porsche in OH. Wish me luck!
So I am picking up my C4S this Saturday (3/23) from Beachwood, OH and have a 588 mile trip back home. I talked to my salesperson (Rick Balas) and gave him the link to this post. He initially replied that he spoke with a few people and read through all the campaign and recall info and didn't find anything. He then spoke with their master technician. The master tech stated that this is a well known problem, with one caveat. Your battery has to die and you must have less than a quarter tank left. When the battery is then recharged it still reads that you have a 1/4 tank, no matter how much you had before (assuming it was less than a quarter tank). It sounds like to me anything more than a quarter tank is actually measured and once it drops below this it is calculated (pure speculation on my part). Anyways, just the two cents of the master tech at Beachwood Porsche in OH. Wish me luck!
#25
03-18-2013, 05:27 PM
Wow...that is crazy if it is true. Seems like there should be some "auto recalibration" function. Heck...they can tell you where the power is being applied and even g's full time, but they can't tell you or auto recalibrate how much gas the car has in it? Someone at Porsche in the 911 C4 "engineering" department needs to go work for Hundai or Yugo or any other car company so they can show him how to properly display how much gas the car has.
#26
03-18-2013, 08:46 PM
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Silicon Valley, California
Posts: 2,293
Rep Power: 150
I actually don't worry too much about it...I usually get the tank filled earlier anyways and don't wait until the light comes. I have 60 days complimentary check with the dealer l's service...ill ask them but wouldn't want it to smell like gas for days...I like the sweet smell of leather wrapped all around me
#27
03-18-2013, 08:53 PM
Have you guys checked this one?
http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...4s-fuel-gauge/
it has a blueprint shape of the old C2S tank vs the old C4S 'saddle' like tank
The last one is used in order to accommodate the AWD equipment
So it maybe that estimating the gas on this car is not a trivial engineering problem but for a company of such a caliber it should be...
Feels like they haven't paid attention the last 14 years..either because
the 4/4S production is limited or who knows what else..
In any case, I don't think I will allow the calibration procedure
to get the gas pumped out of the car
and have a stinky brand new car for several weeks..
I just can't digest the whole idea paying 6 figures for a car and have these worries.
For now at this point, I prefer to treat the 1/4 line as the red line
and pretend this was a '15' galon tank and not an 18..
http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...4s-fuel-gauge/
it has a blueprint shape of the old C2S tank vs the old C4S 'saddle' like tank
The last one is used in order to accommodate the AWD equipment
So it maybe that estimating the gas on this car is not a trivial engineering problem but for a company of such a caliber it should be...
Feels like they haven't paid attention the last 14 years..either because
the 4/4S production is limited or who knows what else..
In any case, I don't think I will allow the calibration procedure
to get the gas pumped out of the car
and have a stinky brand new car for several weeks..
I just can't digest the whole idea paying 6 figures for a car and have these worries.
For now at this point, I prefer to treat the 1/4 line as the red line
and pretend this was a '15' galon tank and not an 18..
Wow...that is crazy if it is true. Seems like there should be some "auto recalibration" function. Heck...they can tell you where the power is being applied and even g's full time, but they can't tell you or auto recalibrate how much gas the car has in it? Someone at Porsche in the 911 C4 "engineering" department needs to go work for Hundai or Yugo or any other car company so they can show him how to properly display how much gas the car has.
#28
03-18-2013, 08:58 PM
We are not talking about the light here, we are talking about the 1/4 line..
way off the red line.
this is where the car has the potential to reach empty..
Curiously enough, there are no 1/8 lines below the 1/4 line on the 4S...
not sure if this the same on the 2S (someone please confirm?)
(I can post pic of what mine looks like)
If not, and the 2S is different then the luck of 1/8 lines after the 1/4 landmark on the 4S indicates the actual estimate starts there by design...
ie: they do know about it but as fas as I know, it is not in the manual.
But even if this is the case, the bug here is that the needle will never actually
fall off the 1/4 line...(well...If you want to confirm this, you may have to get towed at the same time..)
way off the red line.
this is where the car has the potential to reach empty..
Curiously enough, there are no 1/8 lines below the 1/4 line on the 4S...
not sure if this the same on the 2S (someone please confirm?)
(I can post pic of what mine looks like)
If not, and the 2S is different then the luck of 1/8 lines after the 1/4 landmark on the 4S indicates the actual estimate starts there by design...
ie: they do know about it but as fas as I know, it is not in the manual.
But even if this is the case, the bug here is that the needle will never actually
fall off the 1/4 line...(well...If you want to confirm this, you may have to get towed at the same time..
)I actually don't worry too much about it...I usually get the tank filled earlier anyways and don't wait until the light comes. I have 60 days complimentary check with the dealer l's service...ill ask them but wouldn't want it to smell like gas for days...I like the sweet smell of leather wrapped all around me
#29
03-18-2013, 09:01 PM
To clarify, are they suggesting that if we disconnect the battery
in conjunction with having gas level below 1/4
will actually fix the problem?
in conjunction with having gas level below 1/4
will actually fix the problem?
Hey,
So I am picking up my C4S this Saturday (3/23) from Beachwood, OH and have a 588 mile trip back home. I talked to my salesperson (Rick Balas) and gave him the link to this post. He initially replied that he spoke with a few people and read through all the campaign and recall info and didn't find anything. He then spoke with their master technician. The master tech stated that this is a well known problem, with one caveat. Your battery has to die and you must have less than a quarter tank left. When the battery is then recharged it still reads that you have a 1/4 tank, no matter how much you had before (assuming it was less than a quarter tank). It sounds like to me anything more than a quarter tank is actually measured and once it drops below this it is calculated (pure speculation on my part). Anyways, just the two cents of the master tech at Beachwood Porsche in OH. Wish me luck!
So I am picking up my C4S this Saturday (3/23) from Beachwood, OH and have a 588 mile trip back home. I talked to my salesperson (Rick Balas) and gave him the link to this post. He initially replied that he spoke with a few people and read through all the campaign and recall info and didn't find anything. He then spoke with their master technician. The master tech stated that this is a well known problem, with one caveat. Your battery has to die and you must have less than a quarter tank left. When the battery is then recharged it still reads that you have a 1/4 tank, no matter how much you had before (assuming it was less than a quarter tank). It sounds like to me anything more than a quarter tank is actually measured and once it drops below this it is calculated (pure speculation on my part). Anyways, just the two cents of the master tech at Beachwood Porsche in OH. Wish me luck!
#30
03-18-2013, 11:27 PM
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 84
Rep Power: 22 Hey,
So I am picking up my C4S this Saturday (3/23) from Beachwood, OH and have a 588 mile trip back home. I talked to my salesperson (Rick Balas) and gave him the link to this post. He initially replied that he spoke with a few people and read through all the campaign and recall info and didn't find anything. He then spoke with their master technician. The master tech stated that this is a well known problem, with one caveat. Your battery has to die and you must have less than a quarter tank left. When the battery is then recharged it still reads that you have a 1/4 tank, no matter how much you had before (assuming it was less than a quarter tank). It sounds like to me anything more than a quarter tank is actually measured and once it drops below this it is calculated (pure speculation on my part). Anyways, just the two cents of the master tech at Beachwood Porsche in OH. Wish me luck!
So I am picking up my C4S this Saturday (3/23) from Beachwood, OH and have a 588 mile trip back home. I talked to my salesperson (Rick Balas) and gave him the link to this post. He initially replied that he spoke with a few people and read through all the campaign and recall info and didn't find anything. He then spoke with their master technician. The master tech stated that this is a well known problem, with one caveat. Your battery has to die and you must have less than a quarter tank left. When the battery is then recharged it still reads that you have a 1/4 tank, no matter how much you had before (assuming it was less than a quarter tank). It sounds like to me anything more than a quarter tank is actually measured and once it drops below this it is calculated (pure speculation on my part). Anyways, just the two cents of the master tech at Beachwood Porsche in OH. Wish me luck!
I don't think there is any easy solution for us 4S owners right now; I plan on doing what Fester plans on doing, just keep filling that tank whenever it's less than half. Lucky for me the sweet smell of new leather came back after leaving the trunk lid open for few days, but that smell was not a trivial thing to endure; gave me nasty headache every time in the car for days after calibration!