Fuel gauge failure and random codes
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '13
Fuel gauge failure and random codes
This morning on my way home from work i was siting at a light on a hill. The car was oriented with the nose up. I had just over 3/8's of a tank of fuel.
The light turns green and I go through the light and down the opposite side of the hill. as the cars horizantal positions shifts I hear an alarm and my fuel gauge is at zero and the "check gauges" light is on.
Scared ****less I ease the car home, was less than a mile away. I turned the car on and off and the issue was still present, fuel gauge at zero.
I checked the codes:
#1 and 2 battery faults
loss comms with BCM
P1431 Fuel Level Sensor 2 Circuit Performance
B2265 Horizontal Position Sensor Fault
U1160 Loss of Communications with LDCM
There were a few other codes but those were old.
Once I cleared the codes the issue resolved and they have not come back.
So any ideas? I dont want it to happen again if I can help it.
Battery going out? Loose connections? Bad grounds? Not an electrical issue all together?
BTW my battery always shows at 14v. Is that over-charging it? Could this be a clue to it being a bad battery?
Thanks for the help
William
The light turns green and I go through the light and down the opposite side of the hill. as the cars horizantal positions shifts I hear an alarm and my fuel gauge is at zero and the "check gauges" light is on.
Scared ****less I ease the car home, was less than a mile away. I turned the car on and off and the issue was still present, fuel gauge at zero.
I checked the codes:
#1 and 2 battery faults
loss comms with BCM
P1431 Fuel Level Sensor 2 Circuit Performance
B2265 Horizontal Position Sensor Fault
U1160 Loss of Communications with LDCM
There were a few other codes but those were old.
Once I cleared the codes the issue resolved and they have not come back.
So any ideas? I dont want it to happen again if I can help it.
Battery going out? Loose connections? Bad grounds? Not an electrical issue all together?
BTW my battery always shows at 14v. Is that over-charging it? Could this be a clue to it being a bad battery?
Thanks for the help
William
Last edited by NotAnExpert; Apr 15, 2013 at 10:34 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '13
Fuel gauge going to zero is a common problem on the C5. Dozens and dozens of posts about it and the resolution. Corrosion/oxidation on the fuel sensor boards in the tanks.
Get a large bottle (20 Oz) of Techron Plus (on sale at Auto Zone and O'Reilly, buy one and get one free) and add to a less than half full tank and then fill the tanks with fuel. Less than half tank is nessary when you add it so that the solution gets into the passenger side fuel tank when it starts getting filled once the drivers side is full.
Sometimes takes more than one treatment to clear the problem. Then add another bottle of Techron to the tanks again when ever you change oil as a preventative for the future.
Get a large bottle (20 Oz) of Techron Plus (on sale at Auto Zone and O'Reilly, buy one and get one free) and add to a less than half full tank and then fill the tanks with fuel. Less than half tank is nessary when you add it so that the solution gets into the passenger side fuel tank when it starts getting filled once the drivers side is full.
Sometimes takes more than one treatment to clear the problem. Then add another bottle of Techron to the tanks again when ever you change oil as a preventative for the future.
This issue happened in conjuction with loss of comms to the BCM and both battery faults. Is it likely that the fuel sensor issue would also cause these codes to be thrown as well?
Also what about the 14 volts normally displayed on the battery voltage gauge. I thought 13 was suppose to be the highest. Is that something to worry about?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '13
14 is actually LOW. Mine shows between 14.1 and 14.4 all the time.
Could be a battery issue. Take it to most any parts store and have it load tested.
A common indication of a bad battery is the DIC display reverting to default when you start the car. Example, I always have my gauges set to display engine temp. If when you start the car it reverts to mileage, the battery is going below a threshold level when the car is cranked and the defaults now are displayed. Same is true if you have a HUD and select specific display as normal and it reverts to defaults.
When you added the Lucas cleaner did you add it to a less than half full tank?
Could be a battery issue. Take it to most any parts store and have it load tested.
A common indication of a bad battery is the DIC display reverting to default when you start the car. Example, I always have my gauges set to display engine temp. If when you start the car it reverts to mileage, the battery is going below a threshold level when the car is cranked and the defaults now are displayed. Same is true if you have a HUD and select specific display as normal and it reverts to defaults.
When you added the Lucas cleaner did you add it to a less than half full tank?
