Fuel Guage not working

[nezza]

Hi all,

Just had an embarassing situation - I ran out of fuel!!

The computer said I had 50 miles left and the warning light did not come on...

RAC turned up, did some tests and said it was a fuel problem. I have now put some in but the needle is showing empty and the computer is showing lines.

Is there a fuse that could have gone or is it something else?

Thanks,
Neil.

 

[G_F]

Fuel Sender maybe. Under the back seat, under a black cover.

That was the fault with my mates Lag, not sure if the Clio suffers from the same problem, if it is, its the first ive heard of it.

 

[nezza]

No one else had same problem then? I thought that it would not run if sender was knackered...

 

[edde]

Don't trust the trip its not that accurate the fuel tank sensor not very relible.

Does the car start now?

 

[nezza]

Yes, car is running fine - has £3 of fuel in but needle hasn't moved and all petrol info on computer just lines - I am going to put £25 in this afternoon and see if that sorts it - RAC guy said it may sort it out by filling as it will move a stuck sensor?

 

[demon_dald]

i cant say ive ever put less than a fiver in mine......it might get it unstuck or it might still be fcuked, if it doesnt change do a resistance check on the sender thats probably the easiest way or telling whether its forked or not.....when my low fuel light comes on ive still got over a tenner of fuel left lol

 

[nezza]

just put £25 of Tesco super 99 RON and the needle has gone up to half way... Computer is reading mileage left e.t.c. Could it have freed whatever and fixed? I won't be able to trust the bloody thing now though!!

 

[edde]

just put £25 of Tesco super 99 RON and the needle has gone up to half way... Computer is reading mileage left e.t.c. Could it have freed whatever and fixed? I won't be able to trust the bloody thing now though!!

The sensor needs to have more than 5 liters to be usable and the trip to work.
So filling with £3 didn't fill the tank enough for the sensors signal to be used.

 

[nezza]

So any ideas why it failed in the first place?? I'm a bit worried now that it may happen again... Will keep my eye on it but even though the needle was in the red, the red light never came on and the computer said I had 50 miles left!! Does the red light react to the amount in the fuel ramaining or from the red area on the needle??

 

[edde]

So any ideas why it failed in the first place?? I'm a bit worried now that it may happen again... Will keep my eye on it but even though the needle was in the red, the red light never came on and the computer said I had 50 miles left!! Does the red light react to the amount in the fuel ramaining or from the red area on the needle??

The tank level sensors isn't that accurate anyway. The tolerances on it are quite large the milage left uses this as a guide to working out range but since its so inaccurate its not much use.

Check that your red low fule light does actually work first off might be a duff LED. but since the trip was saying miles left that migh be the issue. You weren't going up a hill or somehting were you as the fuel will slosh to the back of the tank in that case.

 

[nezza]

Not up a hill no... It was on a flat road - definetly ran the tank dry... Needle was in the red, red light was not on and display said there was 50 miles left... Usually red light comes on at 35 miles left and then display turns to dashes which is when I usually fill up... Funnily enough, I thought it was doing well on petrol managed to get 275 miles out of £30 - would only usually get max of 250 miles...