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Well i have just completed a 2300 mi round trip in my 97 sls and it was pleasant for the most part, car ran like a dream 28 to 30 mpg ac perfect (It was hot) there were a lot of tires and cars on the side of the road. Except the nut behind the wheel malfunctioned. Im on the interstate and notice its time to get gas (half a tank) I look over at the wife and she had just fallen a sleep so I thought I would get gas when she woke up. I set the info to miles left and when it reached 158 miles (a little over a quarter) I decided to get gas at the next town about 40 miles away. I notice the read out started to drop fast it went to 80 and then the warning bell sounded (woke the wife) and the fuel low message came on. Im looking for the exit and the car shuts off. Im coasting on the shoulder boy can this car coast! exit coming up car stops on a little cut out at the start of the exit. Got the car started there was a liquor store at the bottom of the exit, car stalled entering the lot got it started again and pulled into a shady parking spot. No gas stations at or around this exit. A vendor in front of the store said I was the 4th person needing gas since he has been there. Im sure he was there more than a day. As it turns out a liquor store isnt such a bad place to be stranded. The guy running the store made a phone call and a friend of his came with 2 gal of gas about 10 min. later. People are nice, under the circumstances it was a good experience. At the next exit got 16 gallons of gas added to the 2 at the liquor store made 18 gal. The tank holds 20. I really dodged a bullet thanks to cadillac and good people. For the rest of the trip I relied on the fuel used plus the dash guage.

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My 96 STS fuel gage was SERIOUS. If it got close to E, the car ran out of gas. My first experience with it doing that I was able to cruise right in to within a foot of a gas pump at a convenience store, and push it the rest of the way. My wife did not even know what had happened.

Bruce

2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing

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I never let it get close to E. I also ran out of gas at the gas station. Filled it up drove about 10 miles then my fuel pump died. I was only 2 blocks from my house. Dropping an almost full tank of gas isn't fun. Was at the dealer one day and saw that you can reach the fuel pump from inside the trunk on newer models, but not on my 95.

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I had my fuel pump die on my 97 gmc with an almost full tank. It's long and heavy!

So I lifted the bed instead of dropping the tank.

The Range Rovers have a measuring template available for cutting the rear floor to make an opening for pump replacement.

I would like to find the same for my truck.

The caddy hasen't lost a pump yet, But I've heard you shouldn't let the tank go below a quarter tank because the pump needs to be kept cool. But then again, I've heard it makes no difference either.

Bob B

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I've never run out of gas with my Eldo.

It's supposed to have a 20 gallon tank but I don't trust it. The range estimate falls off quite quickly after I've used 16 or 17 gallons, and says "LO" after about 18.

I reset both the trip milage and the fuel used every time I fill the tank. I fill up after about 16 gallons or 325 miles and never have a problem.

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Mike5514,

Some '97's came from the factory with 18 gallon tanks. There is a TSB for it. Not sure if Sevilles were included or just Devilles.

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I was interested in this to. I put a new, empty( never filled) 2 1/2 gal plastic gas container in the trunk and ran the tank down to 1/8th tank just to see if I could trust the system. If I'm not going any ware but back and forth to work there are plenty of gas stations with in walking distance. I could just grab the container and hoof it for gas. The container on hand is better then paying 25.00 deposit to borrow a container. The car never stuttered, at least I know in an emergency I can go that low. I usually fill up at 3/8 tank full. Is it true that fuel keeps the pump cool??

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Is it true that fuel keeps the pump cool??

It is the fuel flowing through the pump that cools the pump so as long as there is adequate fuel to keep the engine running, there will not be any damage to the fuel system.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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GM fuel gauges are not linear....

They will stay on full for a long time.....then drop fairly fast the last 1/4 tank or so..

My understanding is this is suppose to draw your attention and that you need to start looking for gas.

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I've run out of gas a few times. The "fuel level very low" message runs continuously if the tank has less than 1 1/2 gallons, so each situation was based on my own stupidity!

BTW, I've noticed during extended highway runs, the car will prompt the "check fuel gauge" message when the tank is getting low. This doesn't happen all the time, so what is the criteria for this massage to come up?

" ...'took my Cobra down t' the track, hitched to the back o' my Cadillac..."

- Jan & Dean, 'hey little cobra'

Scott

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What is the lowest you have gone?

I recently went as far as 'range 42 miles' a couple of weeks ago...

So much for fuel pump cooling.

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my 92 eldo has never let me run out thus far....I have 3 warnings. First, I get to the "E" on the gauge, then soon after that instead of saying how many miles I have left it says "L"....this is usually as low as I ever let it get....next, if I am stupid enough to keep going it starts saying "Fuel very low. Fuel soon" on the DIC....I've only done that twice! ;)

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My wife has run out of gas in her 97 D'Elagance 3 times in the past month...I finally went and replaced the sending unit, and she is working great now.

She always managed to run out in a remote NO SERVICE on her cell area....lol

Big Jay

Life is too short to grow up!

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I ran out of gas once in my Fleetwood about 6 years ago - My wife and I were on our way back from Michigan's Upper Peninsula and I "knew" we had enough gas to make Gaylord...The fuel gage is a disital bar graph type with 17 or 18 segments. When the fuel level is down to one segment, the "Low" warning message appears next to the fuel gage. When there are no segments displayed, the Low message flashes and a chime sounds.

The "low" message appeared and I started to get concerned so I slowed down and turned off the A/C. After about 7 miles, the low light started flashing.....when we were acending a long grade on I-75, the engine stumbled and then the dash lit up....I did get it started and made it to the top of the grade and then coasted into a rest area.

My wife went to use the restroom and I noticed a troop of Boy Scouts eating lunch so I asked the troop leader if they had any gasoline. They didnt but he suggedted that I talk to the maintenance guy that was mowing the lawn. I asked him if I could buy 2 or 3 gallons of gas and he wouldn't take any money for it.

When I filled the car - I think it took 23 gallons..... :rolleyes: I don't think I'll ever live that one down.... :lol:

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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...As it turns out a liquor store isnt such a bad place to be stranded...

:lol::lol::lol:

A you sure you put the gas in a tank, not a liquor? :lol::lol::lol:

The same thing happened to me on a way to Niagara Falls. I was sure I still have enough gas based on milage left on a display, but then, it happened too fast.

AAA helps me out.

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Haven't run out of gas recently, but it is a bad feeling.. lol.. Only time I can remember actually doing it in a car I was driving was back in May of 1974 when I took my first test drive in the '73 XKE V-12 I ended up buying. Ran out of gas on the test drive on the winding, residential streets of Devon, PA...gauge read 3/4ths of a tank..."Guess you'll want to replace that, eh?"...I said to the rather sheepish salesman...

A guy from the dealer came out with a couple of gallons, and we made it back to the place. I bought the car anyway, made arrangements to pick it up a few days later, and made sure the R&R of the tank sending unit was in the contract....

Saturday, I pick it up...drive it home..pick up the old man...head out to show him what he'd cosigned for....about 4 miles from home..guess what..the SOBs never replaced the sending unit, and I ran out again. Good thing was, an E-type at 80 or so mph will coast a good deal when you run out, so long as you're not headed up any hills. :P

Needless to say, we made our feelings known to that dealership.

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I've been fortunate not have run out of gas yet in my 98 deville. However I came extremely close on a trip to L.A. from Colorado Springs. I left home on a full tank and was curious to how far I could go on a tank. Well near Salinas, Utah I got my fuel level low message on the DIC with 1 Chime to alert me to that message and range read E. After a few miles the E changed back to 3 gallons left. After a few more miles the fuel level low message reappeared but continued to blink on and off with a chime each time the message flashed. While this was happening my range read LO. Then after a about 10 miles or so the range went from LO to a flashing E and the fuel level low message was still flashing with the chime too. I finally made it to a gas station. I had traveled 524 miles on that tank. That is as close as I've come to running out. Boy was I nervous because I chose not to fill up on the Colorado/Utah border (Grand Junction, CO I-70), thinking I would see more filling stations in Utah. Big mistake. My family and I will be heading out to LA again in 2 weeks taking the same path. I'll be filling up in Grand Juction this time around.

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