Had a strange fuel gauge problem | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Had a strange fuel gauge problem

E.B. Cornburner

Explorer Addict
Joined
April 20, 2007
Messages
1,135
Reaction score
7
City, State
Oshkosh, WI
Year, Model & Trim Level
2004 Eddie Bauer
I say "had" because it seems to have fixed itself. Yesterday, when I filled up, I did so the way I usually do...Cram it full all the way up to the neck. I know you're not supposed to, but I do anyways. Anyways, when I went to start it back up, the fuel gauge didn't move! It was stuck between 1/8 and empty, just where it was before I shut it off to fill it.

I did the instrument panel self-test, and all the gauge needles swept properly, so I know it wasn't the gauge itself. I concluded then that the float on the sending unit must have gotten stuck or something.

Drove it around yesterday for a bit, and as I drove, it slowly crawled up to full. This took about 70 miles before it finally got up to the full mark.

Today, it's still working fine, and as I drive more, it's starting to come back down off the full mark, and it does seem proportionate to the amount of fuel I'm using, so I'm guessing it's working correctly now.

I just never had one act this way before...I've had floats stick, but usually when they "un-stick", either on their own, or by hitting the bottom of the tank with a rubber mallet, they jump right up to the full mark. Never had one that just crawled up to where it belonged.

Any thoughts?
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Keep the driver's door closed when fueling.
 






Keep the driver's door closed when fueling.

I did. And I must ask this dumb question...What difference would that make?
 






My '03 EB with the driver's door open while fueling exhibits the exact same problem you described.

Search the forums first; fuel gauge.
 






Ah ha! The search engine is indeed your friend!

Thanks for suggesting I do a search. I really should have anyways, but thanks!
 






Mine has done that too, twice.
 






There is a TSB on the problem also. It seems that with cheaper gas there is a sulfur buildup on the contacts for the float so it doesn't read correct. Either change the pickup to the newer version or just when it does happen or every so often use some good fuel system cleaner like the Chevron Techron in the bottle. Or don't buy really cheap gas at the no name places. They cut costs by using less fuel system cleaners
 






I'm not convinced that's the problem. Mine has been repeatable since day one; leave the driver's door open, wait for the gauge to update.

I think the theory of the anti-slosh sensor is more likely.
 






I'm not sure what the previous owner ran thru it for fuel, but since I've had it, it's only had a diet of E-85 ethanol fuel. That should have cleaned any crud off anything in the fuel system as far as I see it.
 






After 4 years and 9 months my '03 gauge finally did the same thing even with the learned driver's habit of closing all doors and removing the keys from the ignition when fueling. Even the message center and computer didn't recognize the re-fuel until 40 miles down the Interstate.

I guess the sensor is either becoming gunked-up after 63,000 miles, or it's just the way it is!
 






Just a thought - might be a smart system updating with the new high/lowest point reached on the fuel sender/gauge. ie: drive for a bit and the gauge or send unit learns the new min or max?
 






Chevron

Use Chevron and after the first tank, this will stop. If you can't find a Chevron, get Techron. It will stop this problem.
 






Back
Top