how does computer measure fuel consumption?

jerryfreak

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2004
Location
Nor Cal
TDI
02 Jetta GLS sedan @295K, 99 Jetta sedan 275k,. 2015 tdi sedan, 105k
obviously its somewhat directly relatd to fuel being metered to the injection unit since it tells me 100 mpg coasting downhill and 20 mpg under hard acceleration


but i cant help but notice it gives me higher mpg when tank is full

tank full i can average 55-60 mpg on flat highway with cruise
tank at half im struggling to average 50 mpg in same situation

does it measure mass? volume? temperature/density of the fuel a factor?
 

surfstar

Veteran Member
Joined
May 3, 2017
Location
SB, CA
TDI
2014 Golf & Passat - sold | 2016 GSW TSI
how does computer measure fuel consumption?

optimistically


Other than that, I'm not sure. On my 2016 gasser, it will show --- when coasting in gear, indicating no fuel is being injected.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
That's probably because no fuel is being injected when coasting in gear. The ecu estimates fuel consumption based on data from the sensors. It can be either optimistic or pessimistic depending on the data it is receiving. My '11 mfd was optimistic when stock and pessimistic once tuned.
 

jerryfreak

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2004
Location
Nor Cal
TDI
02 Jetta GLS sedan @295K, 99 Jetta sedan 275k,. 2015 tdi sedan, 105k
seems to be optimistic, i got 400 miles from tippy top to half fuel gauge, at 420 miles it was telling me i had 320 miles of range on the bottom half of the tank. i got about 200. cant seem to be able to squeak 700 mi out of a tank like my mk4
 

eutecticpt

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
Location
North Carolina
TDI
2004 Jetta
Our computer reported that my car got 60.8 mpg on our first tank, and the actual mileage based on the amount of fuel used was 53 mpg. Still great, but not over 60.
 

Angus1

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 4, 2010
Location
Freeland,Pa.
TDI
'15 GSW TDI 6MT
seems to be optimistic, i got 400 miles from tippy top to half fuel gauge, at 420 miles it was telling me i had 320 miles of range on the bottom half of the tank. i got about 200. cant seem to be able to squeak 700 mi out of a tank like my mk4
I'm in the same boat. The fuel capacity on my mk7 is less than my mk4. 48.8mpg is where I stand so far, and unable to hit 700mi. per tank.
 
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TurnOne

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Location
Cincinnati, OH
TDI
2015 Golf SEL TDI 6MT
My best tank was at 62k miles. 12.775 gallons - 747 miles @ 58.5 mpg.
I usually fill up around 600 miles.

I suspect it measures amount of fuel commanded vs. the speed. Definitely reads optimistically.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
Wow - I'm at ~25K miles (38K km), and struggle to get much more than 700km (420miles) on a tank; I haven't hit 800km even once yet, despite running ~60km with the low fuel warning light on at least a couple times.
 
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