Anyone happen to know how big the fuel reserve (the amount of fuel actually left when the guage reads "empty") is supposed to be in the '04 Dakota 4.7L? (It's a club cab 4x4, if that matters.)

I know that the tank size is supposed to be 22 gallons, but if I gas up when the guage reads exactly 1/8 tank, it only takes 13.5 gallons. If I'm doing my math right, that means that when the guage reads "empty" it will take about 15.5 gallons. If the tank is 22 gallons, that means the reserve is 6.5 gallons, which is INSANE.

Either the reserve is huge, my tank is less than 22 gallons, the fuel guage is way off, or the pump is wrong at every single gas station I visit... and I'm trying to decide which it is. I find myself having to gas up every 210 miles or so, and it's driving me nuts.

Thanks!

 

As un-nerving as it may seem, keep a 5 gallon container on the truck and run the tank empty. That is the only way for sure you will know what milage you can squeeze out of a tank. On my bike, its a 5.5 gallon tank, but only 5 gallons are usable, so there is always some gas in the tank to oil the fuel pump.

Just a thought anyway. I have yet to pickup my Dakota, so I can not be more specific for you. Sorry.

 

When does your low fuel light come on? I think that they turn on when you have about 4 gallons of gas left when i fill up after low fuel lingt i put in a little over 17 gal, but maybe the newer tanks are different
I have the 22 gal tank as well and when i usually fill up around 1/8 - 1/4 tank and I put in about 16-17 gals

I believe the 22 gal tank is an option the standard tank is a 16 gal

I would not suggest running your dakota until it is empty, instead run it until the low fuel light comes on then fill up, if you put more than 16 gallons in then you have a 22 gallon tank.

 

Thanks for the reply!

The low fuel light comes on when the fuel guage reads 1/8 tank.

This morning the low fuel light came on literally as I put the truck in Park in front of the gas pump, but it only took 13.5 gallons (that's kinda what got me started on this whole thing). If it's a 22-gallon tank, that means the low fuel light comes on with 8.5 gallons left... and that can't possibly be right. My window sticker does say that the truck has a 22-gallon fuel tank under "Standard Equipment", so I assumed all of the newer models are supposed to have the bigger tank, but mine really does act like it's only 16 gallons. I'm guessing that either the sticker is wrong or my fuel guage is.

I have the overhead trip computer, and when I gassed up this morning the "Distance to Empty" read 43 miles. At the mileage I was getting (17.5 MPG), that's about 2.5 gallons. That seems to support the 16-gallon theory (13.5 + 2.5 = 16), except that would be 16 gallons with no reserve, which also doesn't make sense (unless the DTE includes the reserve).

[&o]Guess I'll have to go talk to someone over at the dealership. If it does turn out to be a 16-gallon tank I'm going to be pretty pissed. That would mean the range (at my average mileage of 15.5 MPG) is less than 250 miles, and that's just not acceptible. Plus, the window sticker or other information should have stated it was 16 gallons.

Flyboy08, thanks for your reply as well. I probably could run it empty to find out what the reserve is, but it's important to me that the guage be accurate. Even if I did calculate how big the reserve is, remembering what my odometer read when the guage went to empty -- so I know how much further before it really is empty -- would be kinda dangerous, given my memory sometimes.

 

I don't know if this helps but mine comes on with 5 gallons left. I have the 24 gallon tank and one of the first "tests" I did was fill up right when the light goes on. On average I was putting 19 gallons in therefore about 5 gallons resevere. So to recap at 10 MPG I better be within 50 miles of the nearest pump when the light comes on or I'm screwed!

 

I currently have a 2002 Dakota sport Quad Cab 4X4 4.7L , which is supposed to have the 24 gallon tank as standard equipment. When my low fuel light goes on the truck only takes about 20 to 21 gallons. Which makes sense on there being only 3 to 4 gallons left in the tank. My first Dakota a long time ago was a 96 Reg Cab 4x4 3.9L and that had the optional 22 gallon tank installed. I had to take it back to the dealer as the fuel sender / gauge was the wrong one for that size tank. They changed it and all was ok. I would have the dealer check it...

Mark

 

I have a 2004 Dakota SXT 4X4 3.7magnum engine. I was having the same problem with mine. I went to the dealership and they found it was the fuel sending unit in the tank. After they replaced it I could put 16 to 16.5 gals when it was a 1/8 tank. I get 290 miles to a tank full where before it only was getting about 234 miles on a tank. The 04 4X4 does have a 22 gal tank. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the reply! I'm pretty sure mine is having a similar problem, I just haven't had the chance to get it back to the dealer yet. I did confirm the tank size this past weekend (when I was under the truck installing a hitch) -- the tank has "22 GAL" stamped on the back.