Still an issue on 2012 models?
Are there any 2012 QX56 owners who can shed some light?
My wife and I are in the market for a new QX56 and right now could end up purchasing either a 2011 or 2012 model. This inaccurate fuel gauge is such an infuriating "feature" that I would gladly choose the 2012 if I knew the defect has been corrected.
For what it's worth, Infiniti certainly seems to have designed the gauge this way on purpose, which is just dumbfounding. I have a 2011 M37 which exhibits the same annoying feature--it drops from say, 40 miles remaining to **** remaining after driving a couple of miles. Even after driving 40 miles beyond the so called 40 miles remaining point, I still have 3 gallons remaining, which in my car translates to 60-75 miles more range. I could drive to and from work 2 or 3 more days before actually NEEDING gas!
I have learned over the last year I've owned the car to basically use the odometer as the gauge. By cautiously expanding the envelope, I now know I have over 1 gallon remaining even when the needle on the gauge is one full needle width BELOW the red. I.e., there's a needle's worth of black visible below the red and I've still got plenty of gas!
If the QX56 leaves 6 gallons unused, the effective range is just too low for me to consider buying the vehicle. My wife is never going to feel comfortable driving after the *** lights up, but I can guarantee she will complain mightily about having to buy gas constantly.
I think this fuel gauge issue is just another in a litany of simply amazing oversights by Nissan's engineers. My M37 was shipped with transmission and engine control software that was clearly in early beta form. The car would buck and almost die every time it was started from a full stop and made wild, high revving downshifts at random times. It was not a defect on my car--just poor software that took them almost a year to rectify.