Fuel Tank Gauge Not Working

Inside the gas tank is a float which is connected to a rod and is connected to an electrical resistor.

Fuel tank gauge not working.

This system is the fuel tank sending unit. Gauge reads full at all times. As with any electrical troubleshooting it is best to check the fuse and all wiring connections are clean tight and free of corrosion. And while that may seem like a relatively minor inconvenience running out of gas has several long term consequences for your vehicle including increased fuel pump wear and fuel pump overheating.

If the gauge does not move then it needs replacement. Let s diagnose the issue before you run out of gas. For a simplified overview of how the fuel gauge works think of the float arm in the tank of a toilet. Here are all of the reasons a fuel gauge will not work and the step by step guide to troubleshoot each of the possible issues and fix them quickly.

If the fuel gauge reads full at all times the probable causes are. These systems will need to be tested individually to fix the gauge. Touch the two wires together while looking at the fuel gauge. If your gas gauge is not working the inaccurate information it provides may cause you to run out of gas unexpectedly.

The resistance wire in the sender is broken. The fuel gauge itself the power to the gauge the fuel sender the ground to the system or the fuel sending wire. Turn the ignition to the on position and look at the fuel gauge. To do so connect the negative jumper cable to the vehicle s frame and the positive cable to the fuel gauge s grounding terminal.

S for the sender g or for the ground and i for the ignition. The most common gauge problems are either a bad ground at the tank or a sender problem. Check the grounding wire on the fuel gauge. As your gas tank is drained of fuel the float drops and an electrical current is sent to the gauge to tell the driver what s going on with the supply.

The fuel sending unit is made up of an arm float and a resistor that changes according the position of the float. Pull the wires far enough away from the fuel tank so that if they were to arc you would not ignite the fuel. Check the wiring diagram that comes with the kit and mark the back of the new fuel gauge with symbols for each post. Install the new gauge reconnect the wiring and turn on the power.

If the gauge moves then your problem is with the fuel level indicator in the fuel tank and it will need to be replaced. It s not necessarily the fuel gauge. The fuel gauge sender is a component that is found in the gas tank of most road going vehicles. Fuel gauge troubleshooting begins with isolating the problem either to the gauge sending unit fuse or wiring.

The sender is not grounded and or the tank is not grounded to the chassis. The fuel gauge should now show the correct fuel level in. That would be nice but it s a sign that something is wrong. The tricky thing is.

If the gauge is not working then the grounding wire needs to be replaced.