Fuel Gauge Quit Working!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Spanaway WA
Fuel Gauge Quit Working!!
So, I fueled up today and took my son to have dinner with my wife, who is working swing shifts. About 35 miles into my fill-up, I stop at a store to check out some stuff. When I come back out and fire up the beast, all the gauges pump, but the fuel gauge went back to "E" and my "Check Gauges" light came on. What the? Any ideas? Do the gauges all run on separate fuses (it's dark out, so I haven't checked anything electrical yet).
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
This is one of the most frequently reported problems.
IT can have 3 causes with separate fixes.
1. Cause -a fouled sending unit... sulphur compounds in gasoline with ineffective detergent package coat and foul the sending unit
Fix step 1 - treat with a strong Fuel system cleaner ( Chevron Techron, Valvoline Synpower , Valvoline high mileage, Chemtool B-12 etc) IT may take 2-3 tankfuls.
step 2- switch to a top tier fuel www.toptiergas.com
I use Shell V-Power exclusively
2. Cause - faulty electical supply due to a corroded ground.
Fix do a search find the post with location and photos of the offending ground , clean the ground connection.
3. Cause- faulty sending unit.
Fix - replace the sending unit
Try the fuel system cleaner first and switch gas at the same time. That fixes the problem about 90% of the time
IT can have 3 causes with separate fixes.
1. Cause -a fouled sending unit... sulphur compounds in gasoline with ineffective detergent package coat and foul the sending unit
Fix step 1 - treat with a strong Fuel system cleaner ( Chevron Techron, Valvoline Synpower , Valvoline high mileage, Chemtool B-12 etc) IT may take 2-3 tankfuls.
step 2- switch to a top tier fuel www.toptiergas.com
I use Shell V-Power exclusively
2. Cause - faulty electical supply due to a corroded ground.
Fix do a search find the post with location and photos of the offending ground , clean the ground connection.
3. Cause- faulty sending unit.
Fix - replace the sending unit
Try the fuel system cleaner first and switch gas at the same time. That fixes the problem about 90% of the time
Last edited by rws.1; May 6, 2006 at 08:31 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Originally Posted by rws.1
This is one of the most frequently reported problems.
IT can have 3 causes with separate fixes.
1. Cause -a fouled sending unit... sulphur compounds in gasoline with ineffective detergent package coat and foul the sending unit
Fix step 1 - treat with a strong Fuel system cleaner ( Chevron Techron, Valvoline Synpower , Valvoline high mileage, Chemtool B-12 etc) IT may take 2-3 tankfuls.
step 2- switch to a top tier fuel www.toptiergas.com
I use Shell V-Power exclusively
2. Cause - faulty electical supply due to a corroded ground.
Fix do a search find the post with location and photos of the offending ground , clean the ground connection.
3. Cause- faulty sending unit.
Fix - replace the sending unit
Try the fuel system cleaner first and switch gas at the same time. That fixes the problem about 90% of the time
IT can have 3 causes with separate fixes.
1. Cause -a fouled sending unit... sulphur compounds in gasoline with ineffective detergent package coat and foul the sending unit
Fix step 1 - treat with a strong Fuel system cleaner ( Chevron Techron, Valvoline Synpower , Valvoline high mileage, Chemtool B-12 etc) IT may take 2-3 tankfuls.
step 2- switch to a top tier fuel www.toptiergas.com
I use Shell V-Power exclusively
2. Cause - faulty electical supply due to a corroded ground.
Fix do a search find the post with location and photos of the offending ground , clean the ground connection.
3. Cause- faulty sending unit.
Fix - replace the sending unit
Try the fuel system cleaner first and switch gas at the same time. That fixes the problem about 90% of the time
What he said. 
5th Gear
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Fuel guage
When it first happened to my 05, I asked the dealer. The dealer suggested that I check the alignment and seal
of the gas cap. If not tightened securely, some ambient air may have leaked into the system, causing
the sensor to think no (or little gas). What I did was to remove the cap completely, then tighten
and see what happened. Sure enough, next time I started the car, the gas guage was at E, but then
slowly started to climb to the right, until it finally reached F.
I've found that this problem usually indicates something with too much air getting into the
fuel line at gas cap. Loosen then tighten seems to be the charm (at least for me).
of the gas cap. If not tightened securely, some ambient air may have leaked into the system, causing
the sensor to think no (or little gas). What I did was to remove the cap completely, then tighten
and see what happened. Sure enough, next time I started the car, the gas guage was at E, but then
slowly started to climb to the right, until it finally reached F.
I've found that this problem usually indicates something with too much air getting into the
fuel line at gas cap. Loosen then tighten seems to be the charm (at least for me).
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: Southeast PA
"Service Fuel System"
I just had this happen to my '05 yesterday. The gas gauge went to empty and a message appeared... "service fuel system". The gas gauge fluctuates and everytime it goes to empty this message appears.
Later... the check engine light came on as well. Is this the same issue as everyone else or something different?
Later... the check engine light came on as well. Is this the same issue as everyone else or something different?
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 74
Likes: 1
Your right tank fuel level sender is probably dirty. It’s common problem. Techron helps clean it. The way most cars work the sender is submerged in gasoline almost all the time. Your Corvette has two gas tanks. The way the Corvette fuel system is plumbed the right sender is only submerged in gasoline until the fuel level goes below ½ tank. Then the right tank is empty and the sender is in gas fumes only. If you are mechanically inclined, the sender is not too hard to clean. If you clean it you will see the problem. The resister will have some build up on it causing some of the windings to short out and cause an incorrect output. Do a search on fuel sender and there should be a procedure on how to get to it. A pencil eraser and some contact cleaner work well to clean it. If you use techron make sure you have at least ¾ of a tank of gas or you won’t get any techron into the right tank. My experience is that techron works somewhat but cleaning really works.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Spanaway WA
The only light that came on for me was the "Check Gauges" light. Not my Check Engine light. Sounds like you have a different problem.
Thanks to all for the replies. I bought some Techron and will try it first. Weird thing I already use Chevron gas with the Techron in it.
Maybe I'll just start running Nitro!!
Thanks to all for the replies. I bought some Techron and will try it first. Weird thing I already use Chevron gas with the Techron in it.
Maybe I'll just start running Nitro!!
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: Southeast PA
I tried the gas cap first... re-tightened. Started it up and the gas gauge went back to normal. After a couple drives... shutting off the engine and re-starting, the check engine light went out as well.
I also posted under C6 and found that my issue may be related to a "fuel card". I guess some other '05 owners had the same issue.
For now, mine seems to be back to normal.
Good Luck "cooluhl"!
I also posted under C6 and found that my issue may be related to a "fuel card". I guess some other '05 owners had the same issue.
For now, mine seems to be back to normal.
Good Luck "cooluhl"!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,217
Likes: 1
From: End of the Ike IL
Cruise-In V Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
I tried the Techron and it worked for 6 months, but when the same symptoms you describe occurred to me, I ended up with the fuel sender and O2 sensors being replaced by GMPP just last month. Thank you Dennis Fichtner for the extended warranty 
Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: Granada Hills CA
I can't believe that GM still hasn't solved this problem in C5s! One of the sending units was replace in my 2000 under warranty when it had less than 7M miles on the car. Since then I've had the fuel gauge go to empty twice with more than 1/4 tank. Both times I used a fuel system cleaner and have used Chevron fuels since with no problem.
Drive on!
Drive on!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,817
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Same thing happened to me the other day. Gauge was working fine when I stopped to fill up with a little less than a quarter tank. Station had just switched from Exxon to Valero and I filled the tank to the top. When I started the car the gauge went to E and stayed there for about 15 minutes and then went to full. After that it started working correctly again until yesterday. At just below a half tank the gauge dove to E and stayed there.
As for switching to a toptiergas there aren't any of those brands within several hundred miles of me and I have no idea where to get the additives mentioned in one of the posts above. Was at Advanced Auto today and did not see any of those listed.
Bill
As for switching to a toptiergas there aren't any of those brands within several hundred miles of me and I have no idea where to get the additives mentioned in one of the posts above. Was at Advanced Auto today and did not see any of those listed.
Bill
