Fuel Consumption Data Issue

Fuel consumption may not be recorded, may show as zero, or may appear different from externally reported fuel usage.

Before considering this a report calculation issue, verify the vehicle travel, fuel sensor data, ignition/power status, refill and drain events, and fuel calibration. Fuel consumption is calculated from the fuel levels and detected fuel events received from the device.

The platform calculates consumption using:

Consumption = Start Fuel Level − End Fuel Level + Refill − Drain

For example:

579 − 84 + 1600 − 0 = 2095 L

Therefore, a difference between fuel issued to a vehicle and the consumption shown in the platform does not automatically indicate an issue with the report calculation.

Example Questions

• Why is fuel consumption showing as 0?
• Why is fuel consumption not being recorded?
• Why is a vehicle travelling but no fuel consumption is showing?
• Why is the fuel consumption different from the fuel issued to the vehicle?
• Why is the fuel consumption report showing less or more consumption than expected?
• Why are fuel readings changing unexpectedly?
• Why are refill or drain quantities different from the expected values?
• How can I verify whether the fuel consumption calculation is correct?
• Could fuel calibration affect the consumption report?

Symptoms / How to Identify

• Vehicle has travelled, but fuel consumption shows as 0.
• Fuel consumption is different from the externally recorded/issued fuel quantity.
• Starting or ending fuel levels appear incorrect.
• Fuel level does not change even though the vehicle is travelling.
• Refill or drain events are missing or appear incorrect.
• Fuel data is not received consistently when the vehicle is stopped or powered OFF.
• Ignition data is unstable.
• Fuel consumption figures may differ when the report is checked for different periods.

Information Required Before Troubleshooting

Collect the following information:

• Vehicle/Object name.
• Device/IMEI details.
• Date and time/period of the discrepancy.
• Fuel Consumption Report.
• Fuel Fill/Drain Report.
• Trip Activity Report.
• Fuel graph.
• Raw fuel data from the device.
• Raw ignition/power data.
• Fuel calibration table and configuration.
• Start and end fuel levels.
• Reported refill quantity.
• Reported drain quantity.
• Externally recorded/issued fuel quantity, if applicable.

Troubleshooting Steps

1. Verify Vehicle Travel

Check the Trip Activity Report for the selected period.

• Confirm that the vehicle actually travelled.
• If the vehicle did not travel, fuel consumption may not be generated.
• If the vehicle travelled but consumption is missing, continue with the next checks.

2. Check Fuel Sensor Data

Review the fuel graph and raw device data.

Verify:

• Whether fuel values are being received.
• Whether fuel values change when the vehicle is travelling.
• Whether the sensor is continuously sending the same fuel value.

If the fuel sensor sends a constant value while the vehicle is travelling, check the fuel sensor and hardware connection.

3. Check Ignition and Power Data

Verify whether the device is sending stable ignition and power information.

Irregular data when the vehicle is stopped or powered OFF can affect fuel event detection and consumption calculations.

Also check whether the Consider Power Port setting is affecting the fuel calculation.

4. Verify Fuel Calibration

Review the fuel sensor calibration and confirm that the calibration values match the actual data received from the device.

An incorrect calibration table can result in incorrect fuel-level readings and consequently incorrect consumption calculations.

5. Verify Refill and Drain Events

Check the Fuel Fill/Drain Report and compare the events with the fuel graph.

Verify:

• Start fuel level.
• End fuel level.
• Total refill.
• Total drain.
• Timing of refill/drain events.
• Whether event quantities match the raw device data.

6. Verify the Fuel Consumption Calculation

Use the platform's calculation:

Consumption = Start Fuel Level − End Fuel Level + Refill − Drain

For example:

Start Fuel = 579 L
End Fuel = 84 L
Refill = 1600 L
Drain = 0 L
Consumption = 579 − 84 + 1600 − 0 = 2095 L

Compare the calculated value with the consumption displayed in the report.

7. Compare With Externally Issued Fuel

If the client provides a fuel-issued quantity, compare it with the platform calculation only after validating the platform's fuel readings and events.

For example, if the client reports that a certain quantity of fuel was issued but the platform calculates a different consumption:

1. Verify the start fuel level.
2. Verify the end fuel level.
3. Verify all refill events.
4. Verify all drain events.
5. Compare refill quantities with raw device data.
6. Verify the calibration table.

If all platform data and raw readings are correct, the difference may be related to the externally recorded fuel quantity or calibration accuracy, rather than the report calculation.

8. Review Moving Fuel Drain Configuration

If fuel is being drained while the vehicle is moving, verify that Detect Drain in Motion is enabled.

Also ensure the required:

• Distance-based Fuel Consumption
• Duration-based Fuel Consumption

settings are configured under the Profile tab.

9. Review Data Filtration

Check the Data Filtration Level based on the quality of the received fuel data.

If required, adjust the filtration level and regenerate the report to verify the results.

Possible Cause

• Vehicle did not travel during the selected period.
• Fuel sensor is sending constant or incorrect values.
• Fuel sensor/hardware issue.
• Unstable ignition data.
• Device data is not received consistently when ignition/power is OFF.
• Incorrect fuel calibration table.
• Fill event was not detected.
• Drain event was not detected.
• Fuel drain while moving was not detected because Detect Drain in Motion was not enabled.
• Power-related configuration affected fuel event detection.
• Fuel fluctuations affected event detection.
• Externally recorded/issued fuel quantity does not match the actual fuel data received from the device.

Resolution / Action

The resolution depends on the condition identified:

If the vehicle did not travel:
No consumption should be expected for that period.

If the fuel sensor sends constant values:
Verify the fuel sensor, wiring, and hardware configuration.

If ignition/power data is unstable:
Verify the ignition and power connections and review the applicable fuel calibration settings.

If refill/drain events are missing:
Review the Fill Difference, Drain Difference, Consecutive Fill/Drain Duration, and other applicable fuel calibration parameters.

If drain occurs while moving:
Enable Detect Drain in Motion and ensure the required distance-based and duration-based fuel consumption settings are configured.

If fuel calibration is incorrect:
Correct the calibration table based on the actual sensor/raw data received from the device.

If reported fuel issued does not match platform consumption:
Validate the complete calculation using:

Start Fuel − End Fuel + Refill − Drain

Then verify each refill/drain event against the raw device data.

If the platform's fuel readings, refill/drain events, and calculation are consistent with the raw device data, the discrepancy should not automatically be considered a platform report calculation issue. The externally recorded fuel issuance and/or calibration accuracy should be verified separately.

After making the required changes, regenerate the Fuel Consumption Report and compare it with the Fuel Graph, Fuel Fill/Drain Report, Trip Activity, and raw device data.