How Many Liters of Fuel Does One Bar on the Fuel Gauge Represent?
2 Answers
One bar on the car fuel gauge represents approximately 5 liters of fuel. Below is an introduction to how to read the fuel gauge and its working principle. How to Read the Car Fuel Gauge: Generally, there are two English letters on the fuel gauge: 'E' stands for empty, and 'F' stands for full. The fuel gauge contains two coils, located on the 'F' and 'E' sides respectively. The sensor is a variable resistor controlled by the float height. The change in resistance determines the strength of the magnetic field in the two coils, which in turn determines the direction of the pointer's deflection. Working Principle of the Fuel Gauge: There is a float ball in the car fuel tank, which drives a sliding resistor. As the fuel level in the tank changes, the potential at the measurement terminal also varies. The car instrument processes this signal and displays it, with the corresponding display value representing the remaining fuel in the tank.
I've been driving for over a decade, and the amount of fuel per gauge segment really varies. I remember my compact car had a roughly 50-liter tank divided into 10 segments, so each segment was about 5 liters. But when I drove a friend's SUV with a 70-plus-liter tank and the same number of segments, each segment was around 7 liters. The key is your car model—divide the tank capacity by the number of segments to get a rough estimate. For regular cars, each segment usually ranges between 3 to 8 liters. On steady roads, the estimate is more accurate, and on the highway, one segment can easily cover 70-80 kilometers. It's a good habit to refuel before the gauge hits empty—it's both convenient and safer.
