Fuel gauge drops to 3 then 0 miles at half full?

[deemas]

Peculiar problem. So my fuel gauge was working fine for years on 2016 XLT (2.3L). I had my torque converter replaced under the recall 6 months ago cause it failed and coincidentally (or not) now a day after I picked up the vehicle, my fuel gauge dropped to 0. Now every single time, it reads full on fill up, gets to about half normally and then drops suddenly to empty. From 50% goes to yellow notification "3 miles left", then 0 and will keep driving for a while. Undoubtedly, I already ran out of gas once with this issue trying to wing it, but after I got a gallon in from a roadside assistance dude and drove to the nearby gas station, I was only able to put in another 10 gallons?!? I'm fairly certain I ran out of gas. Car wouldn't start/had some intermittent stutter like it's trying to start. Tried a few times as well. Started up after I got a gallon in so definitely out of gas.

As for additional 10 gallons, I triple checked the gas station pump nozzle and rotated it to make sure it wasn't some nozzle auto-shut off fluke, but I expected I should be able to get at least 16 gallons in.

1. How's it possible to run out of gas and only be able to pump in 10+1 gallons? Gauge was showing full when I was done pumping, although I don't really trust this gauge anymore. See #2. And this whole capacity thing - I know it sounds ridiculous.
2. What could be causing my gauge dropping from 50% to empty and I wonder if it's related to this "weird" tank capacity?
3. From what I read, there is no access panel under the back seats so I'll need to remove exhaust/driveshaft and lower the tank to get to the fuel pump/sender? Am I correct?


Thanks for any kind of intelligent input. I'm stumped.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

first off, welcome to EF! hows the contacts on the float on the fuel pump? mine isnt that obscure/reading off, but used to read a bit off prior to new fuel pump...

 

[deemas]

first off, welcome to EF! hows the contacts on the float on the fuel pump? mine isnt that obscure/reading off, but used to read a bit off prior to new fuel pump...

Thank you. Any idea if I can get to these connectors without taking the tank off?

 

[peterk9]

Thank you. Any idea if I can get to these connectors without taking the tank off?

Welcome to the Forum.
since the pump is on top of the fuel tank you would have to cut a hold in the floor like one member did or I guess you'd have to lower the tank.

LPFP hanger assembly access for DW300c Fuel Pump install

So I was really dreading installing the fuel hanger that had installed the DW300c into. https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/threads/installation-of-deatschworks-dw300c-fuel-pump.486828/ Reason being...I was dreading dropping the fuel tank as we don't have top access from within the vehicle...

www.explorerforum.com

Peter

 

[deemas]

Welcome to the Forum.
since the pump is on top of the fuel tank you would have to cut a hold in the floor like one member did or I guess you'd have to lower the tank.

LPFP hanger assembly access for DW300c Fuel Pump install

So I was really dreading installing the fuel hanger that had installed the DW300c into. https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/threads/installation-of-deatschworks-dw300c-fuel-pump.486828/ Reason being...I was dreading dropping the fuel tank as we don't have top access from within the vehicle...

www.explorerforum.com

Peter

Hmm, pretty neat. I think i might do just that, except I'll rtv the metal cover on considering i'll probably (hopefully) never need to access fuel pump again. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jerkstore]

This is what my 2013 is doing right now. About half a tank of gas, then boom down to about empty. I ran out of gas yesterday thinking it was a bad sender. Then I filled it and it only took 11 gallons or so…. Did you figure out what was wrong?

 

[peterk9]

This is what my 2013 is doing right now. About half a tank of gas, then boom down to about empty. I ran out of gas yesterday thinking it was a bad sender. Then I filled it and it only took 11 gallons or so…. Did you figure out what was wrong?

Welcome to the Forum.
FYI, the member who started the thread was last seen here on May 7, 2022 so likely isn't following any longer.
Did you actually run out of gas or are you saying the gauge showed that you had run out? According to what you posted, you should have had approximately 7 gallons left in the tank. I suppose it could be the sending unit. If this was the first time it happened, maybe keep an eye on it to see if it might have been a one-time event.

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parts.levittownfordparts.com

Peter

 

[jerkstore]

Thanks for the response. I ran out of gas. I was on the side of a major highway, would not start. A tow truck guy gave me a gallon or so, started right up. Got to a gas station and it only took a bit over 10 gallons, that is all.

I am going to drive it a bit and then try and fill it with the handle pointed up as some other threads have suggested. Quite possibly I am not filling up the tank completely, although the indicator says it is full. I have a long trip this weekend, so I guess I will be filling every 150-200 miles just in case.

 

[Odrapnew]

Just a thought, maybe the transfer pump failed.
These have a saddle tank, effectively 2 separate tanks in one.
The transfer pump moves fuel from one side to the other.
You might be running one side dry while the other is still full.
That would explain running out of fuel but only filling 10 gallons.
I think each side has it's own level sender as well.

 

[peterk9]

Just a thought, maybe the transfer pump failed.
These have a saddle tank, effectively 2 separate tanks in one.
The transfer pump moves fuel from one side to the other.
You might be running one side dry while the other is still full.
That would explain running out of fuel but only filling 10 gallons.
I think each side has it's own level sender as well.

That could be it. I forgot about that. I don't think they changed the design until the 2020+ Explorers came out.

Original 2013-2019 Ford Fuel Tank DA8Z-9002-A | Levittown Ford Parts

2013-2019 Ford part # DA8Z-9002-A - Fuel Tank

parts.levittownfordparts.com

Peter

 

[jerkstore]

Just a thought, maybe the transfer pump failed.
These have a saddle tank, effectively 2 separate tanks in one.
The transfer pump moves fuel from one side to the other.
You might be running one side dry while the other is still full.
That would explain running out of fuel but only filling 10 gallons.
I think each side has it's own level sender as well.

This makes sense to me.

Thanks for the insight.

 

[javaleo]

It not a transfer pump. There should be one pump and a sender unit on both sides of the tank. There is a hose that runs from the pump to the other sides sending unit. The pump "sucks" from both sides at once. That tube may have failed someway. Connector Hose - Ford (da8z9324a)

The gauge may be from one of the two sending units going bad, or the IC not able to read both sending units. I had a similar problem on a 2006 Ford 500, (renamed Taurus in 2008). Replaced both sending units. But the problem was with the IC. Needed to be replaced.