Inaccurate fuel gauge

[J Piroth]

For some reason, the fuel gauge on my '01 Job 2 4X4 XLT seems to have become more and more inaccurate lately. Just now, it was bottoming out and giving me the "Check Gauge" light, but when I filled it up, I was only able to put 15 gallons in. Then, I pulled out of the gas station and 1/2 a mile down the road the gauge was showing me at 3/4 of a tank. It crept back up to mid-way between the 3/4 and full marks by the time I got back to work, but it's kind of a pain not having a great idea of how much gas I'm actually carrying.



Any suggestions on how to fix this?

 

[David Griffith 2]

I deal with that very same issue on my '01. I was starting to think it was a the gas station. I usually fill up at QuickTrip and it only seemed to happen there. As if the gas was watered down or something. Then i was thinking maybe they're pumps go further into the fuel tank neck, causing the pump to shut off before it was actually full.. I'm interested in finding an answer to this one as well. :wacko:

 

[Denis Bourque]

I've had the same happen and the dealer said it was due to additives in today's fuel building up on the sending unit cause the gauge to miss read. He recomended fueling at a different station to solve this. It only happened twice and the gauge eventually made it back to the proper level, it was just slow to get there.



Denis

 

[jason vocaty]

i believe the fuel gauge moves very slow no matter where you get you gas from. My driveway is on a slight decline i get empty when parked there , light on, but once i drive a few blocks im back to a quarter tank

 

[Matthew Runals]

here is another question that always raised my eyebrows. the gas light comes on and while driving you put it in neutral (this is at low speeds of course) then put it back to drive and see the needle go up. why does this happen?

 

[J Piroth]

So, any chance using a fuel system cleaner would help/hurt the situation?

 

[Denis Bourque]

Piro,



I know GM has lots of issues with there sending units and I heard they have some sort of additive that will fix it on their vehicles....as long as it's not something that hurts, it might be worth a try.

 

[Brian Curry]

Wonder if it would be the fill vent tube. A small kink(blockage) might be holding a small amount of fuel when the first shut off happens, and during the top up the pressure in the tank pushes the fuel to the sensor,stopping the flow. Fooling one into thinking the tank is full

 

[David Griffith 2]

Update * I filled up at two other gas stations since this thread and no issue.. I think it's the particular gas station... Something isn't right..

 

[Gerry Blodgett]

2003 ST: Once the gas tank gets to about 1/4 to 1/3, the gauge starts to go crazy, when I go uphill, it bottoms out at around 0 but when I level out and start downhill, it shows around 1/4 again. Drives me nuts when I'm driving long stretches with no gas stations like Baja.