Bummer.

This has been debated on this forum before. The apologists for Volvo who believe everything is perfect by definition will belittle anyone who suggests an audible chime like pretty much every other car made this century. It's supposedly pointless and that tiny color change of the tiny estimated miles remaining is more than adequate. Yada yada. The fact that a pop-up message or audible warning would do absolutely no harm is lost...

Also, the fuel estimate in my car, for what it's worth, has gotten less and less accurate over time. I started driving yesterday with allegedly 40 miles left. Made it half-a-mile before it dropped to 20. So I made it a point to stop for gas 5 miles later. It topped off at 17 and change gallons.

 

Don't know if its an European thing, my previous Bmws dont have audible warning neither and frankly i prefer that way, but maybe an option would be nice.

Words of advice though, don't try to start the car when you know it has no gas, it might damage tue engine.

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I filled up ours after the wife for 72.5L last weekend (19.5 Gal is 73.8L). Good thing I didn't listen to her: "You can probably make it to my mom's and back still" advice.

 

Would be nice to have an optional low fuel chime, I don't think I'd use it myself but it couldn't hurt. I wonder if it would do any good to come up with a list of requests for future software updates. I'd really like the cruise control to be able to go down to 15mph, at my facility, the speed limit is 14.5mph. 15 would be nice. Don't mean to change the subject, but it would be nice if Volvo could look into software update requests from costumers.

 

Don't mean to change the subject, but it would be nice if Volvo could look into software update requests from costumers.

Volvo does have a thread on their official forums where users can provide product ideas and feedback concerning the new 90 series of vehicles. Listing your thoughts there or add on to existing threads could further help.

 

There was no warning message on the instrument cluster? Just a redlight section?!

Both my S60R shows fuel level low on the DIM and will flash a triangle, the S7 warns you not by noise but on the main instrument cluster it says fuel level low and directions to the nearest gas station.

I'd definitely say no message is a big flaw.

 

Correct, the 2016 XC90 has no warning message when fuel gets low, all the way to empty. The only indication of fuel level at all is the very small graphic at the bottom right that simulates a fuel gauge and estimates miles to empty in increments of 10. When it reaches 50 miles to empty the color changes. But this is an extremely subtle change which under no circumstances catches your eye -- the only way you would see it is if you were already proactively reading the fuel gauge. Which of course is generally excellent practice, but there is nothing to remind you. My Hondas, Toyotas and Lexuses had both a warning light and an audible alert.

I'm pretty good about proactively checking and have never run out of fuel, but I wouldn't mind the reminder.

 

Supported this request on the suggested forum and posted my 15 mph cruise control request. Thanks again.

 

When there was about 4 gallons in the tank, I tried the knob and it turned over, started, then went off. I did it again and it went off again. The third time, I gave a little push on the gas pedal and it stayed started. After a few seconds a red "Turtle" icon came on the dash stating "Reduced Engine Performance". After 10 seconds or so, the Turtle Icon went away and the car was running as usual.

Were you trying to start the car while you were filling it up with fuel? That is a big no-no. The fuel tank is a pressurized system.

 

Yes, I was, but will not do it again.

 

The lack of no audible chime -- at least if it happens only once -- the way BMW, MB, Audi, and just about every car maker on the planet do it, is just plain stupid. Even PILOTS have low fuel warning lights and sounds; no reason average drivers should not expect such a thing.

 

I'm curious about this. Admittedly this is our first European car, so maybe that's the difference, but we have owned 6 other vehicles (all various Japanese brands), and not one of them has an audible low fuel alert. Do American brand (Ford, Chevy, etc.) cars do this? While I can see why it might be useful, I can also say that in 25+ years of driving cars without an audible warning I haven't ever run out of fuel.

(We do have an electric car, the Kia Soul EV, that does give an audible and visual warning when you are below 25% charge on the battery.)

 

FYI, my Genny gives me a red light in dash, an audible warning and it activates the navigation screen and asks me to choose a gas station from the options, then gives me the directions. Thought it was overkill, but maybe they are on to something.

 

Hey good point. I remember when my wife and I rented an XC60 last summer in Europe, it too automatically popped up nearest gas stations on the satnav whenever we were running low on fuel. XC90 doesn't even do this?!

 

If you're a boater, then.... "Use the old rule of thumb; Use one-third of the fuel in your tank to get there, one-third to get back and save the last third as an emergency backup."

Yes, this isn't applicable to cars, but..... surely common sense says to keep an eye on the fuel level. However, I'm in agreement that Volvo should install some form of audible alert when the fuel level is dangerously low.... if for no other reason than SAFETY. A car that stutters and stops on a busy highway is a danger to all other cars.

 

Guys, this will sound rude -- I don't mean it to; rather, just to be blunt -- but why / how is this even a debate? Who can SERIOUSLY argue a valid, logical reason NOT to have a conspicuous caution light and sound when running low on fuel, or any other potential safety issue? You might as well argue that we shouldn't have warning lights for burnt out bulbs; applied parking brakes; or low washer fluid or coolant fluid on grounds that you should always check these things before and after driving. Or by that logic, TPMS for tire pressure.

Can we just formally officially all sign a petition to Volvo to release a software update to (a) produce a standard gas tank icon in the center of the gauge cluster that remains lit until fueled and (b) sounds a conspicuous warning chime when low fuel is first reached (< 50km / 31 mi as with BMW, for instance)?

We don't even have our car yet -- won't for about 5-6 more weeks -- and this is already seriously bothering me.

 

I, for one, welcome candor.

And I concur with you 100%.

Who can SERIOUSLY argue against a warning indicator?

I'd like to go further and suggest that a reliable miles to empty indicator also be more valid. 10 mile increments are kind of useless.

I've had my XC60 show almost 1/4 of a tank but also show 50 miles to E and below which is absolutely not true. If I can't trust basic indicators, what can I trust?

 

There is absolutely no reason not to have some sort of audible volume or a prominent message displayed on one of the screens that requires the driver to acknowledge. Adding all sorts of tech goodies into the car is not a substitute for basic safety features.

 

Maybe the Volvo On Call mobile App could be configured to sound an alarm/alert/TextMessage/Email, etc when fuel level gets below a certain value set by the user. The App knows the fuel level so surely a small change in the software could provide such an alert when fuel level falls to or below a threshold the user sets. Just an idea....

 

BTW, the XC90 starts giving you a pop-up warning message to schedule regular annual service 3 months/3,500 miles before it's supposed to happen -- every single time you drive (and even scheduling it doesn't cancel it -- until you actually go in for the service). Yet absolutely no message to warn fuel is low. For those that believe Volvo was trying to be minimalist with messaging, that's certainly not consistent with the rest of their in-car messaging.

 

:facepalm:

 

Add me to the list of those that would prefer something a bit more noticeable. I've never run out of fuel in any car but my wife has and it's not hard to forget to check. Something that pops up more noticeably would be helpful IMO.

 

Same here. The wife has never had a qualm driving down to low levels of fuel on her prior cars with more obvious fuel warnings (never run out either). So, I jumped in her XC90 the other day for an errand. The change in fuel symbol coloration which is the "alert" barely caught my eye at all...luckily it did, with 30 miles or so range, and I quickly stopped to refuel. Totally agree something better is needed, but I will certainly be alert from now on.

Ran out of fuel only once, as a 20-something totally aware of the red light on the fuel gauge, but thinking "just a couple miles to that gas station". When the needle just touched the tic mark with the big E, the engine quit. Once was enough for me.

 

interesting to me that so many of you let your cars get so low on fuel.... I check my fuel gauge almost anytime I drive. That said the volvo should have a noticeable indicator, but maybe you guys should check fuel levels more often?

 

i agree with you..i think it may be generational..not sure..during the gas crisis in the 70s I obsessed about running out of gas...and they used to "check" during rationing...so I learned to watch it...

 

I would love a chime option myself. As it is though, I just always fill when it hits half a tank or below and so me and my wife have never even come close to a run out of fuel situation. I feel like my baby is thirsty way down there


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This is absurd. I come from a (hobbyist's) background in aviation: since I was 3 years old, dad had me on Microsoft Flight Sim 1.0, we've owned every single version (except the final one), and I've been on X-Plane since version 6 I believe. My thrilling moment in aviation sims was finally learning how to fly from SFO to LAX in a fly-by-wire model-accurate version of an A320, using all onboard flight (and navigation) computers. (That was awesome, btw.) I write about aviation on Quora, I read about aviation, I track flights over our home, I'm quite possibly the world's most frustrated (non-)pilot.

Suffice to say, I take a very aviation-inspired approach to EVERYTHING: I'm multiple-redundant about everything I check, every time I drive, and treat driving with the same care and caution with which I learned (from sims) to treat aircraft (in sims).

I can assure you, I check fuel levels (but, admittedly, NOT other fluid levels or mechanical bits as they simply aren't (as much) an issue in modern cars, and to the extent that they DO become an issue, WARNING LIGHTS AND SOUNDS!!) every single time I get in the car, but -- to the point of the parenthetical note earlier -- I STILL WANT A CONSPICUOUS AUDIBLE/VISIBLE WARNING FOR FUEL JUST THE WAY WE DO FOR EVERY OTHER DAMNED THING ON THE CAR. W. T. F?!

Ok this REALLY IS my last note on this topic. This is mind-meltingly idiotic to debate such a thing. More warnings are better than less. Plain and simple. Volvo? The program? Get with it. The ball? Yeah, you dropped it with this utterly irrational omission.

(NOTE: we're STILL 5 weeks away from getting our car.... and I'm this annoyed.)

 

More warnings are better than less. Plain and simple. Volvo? The program? Get with it. The ball? Yeah, you dropped it with this utterly irrational omission.

I disagree and I think Volvo got it right.

See? Everyone is different.

 

PS. To avoid any ambiguity due to a text-based forum, and not risk offending anybody, I'm not as pissed as I sound, obviously. I'm more frustratingly amused than anything else.

 

Oh, no... that light is the equivalent of the plane saying it is completely out of fuel. The fuel pump being starved dry. No bueno.

I agree, it would be good to have a more visible alert (I'm not a fan of audible alerts). At the very least a message that requires acknowledgement. My V50's light comes on at X gallons left, then a DIM message comes up when it gets even lower.

 

Totally understood. I think a "more (cautious) warning" setting is very useful.
If you toggle this setting, you got loud alarm whenever fuel is low, you got more jumpy empty-to-E numbers, and so on.
If you are tired of those thing, mute this setting and the car is all yours, instrument cluster disappears in front of your eyes immediately.

 

Way too much fighting for my taste. This is my suggested workaround for Volvo. Allow to personalize warnings. I personally like the Warning from my Beemer. I do not want to get into a situation where the fuel pump is sucking dirt from the gas tank. Way too harmful that can cost quite a penny.

 

So the gas gauge, amber (warning) light, and miles to tank aren’t enough? I was taught the first thing you do when you get in the car is check how much gas you have. (Always know your resources – anywhere in life) I would find a sound intrusive. I drove a cab, for years, that didn’t have a working gas gauge and I NEVER ran out of gas.
Curiously, I think this might be a generational issue, how old are you, kjax? -bw

 

So the gas gauge, amber (warning) light, and miles to tank aren't enough? I was taught the first thing you do when you get in the car is check how much gas you have. (Always know your resources - anywhere in life) I would find a sound intrusive. I drove a cab, for years, that didn't have a working gas gauge and I NEVER ran out of gas.
Curiously, I think this might be a generational issue, how old are you, kjax? -bw

Reading comprehension? You has it?

 

Visual warning yes, audible warning, hell no.

The XC 90 has enough audible warnings.Even the turn indicator sound is way to loud.