My fuel gage has been going to empty after I fill it up for the past year now. Its sporatic occuring maybe 5 times, each time I chose to ignore it just thinking it was just a glitch. Well a few weeks ago the gage started going back and fourth so I figured Id bite the bullet and take it in. Well I get a call from the dealership telling me its the fuel pump going bad and they must drop the tranny/diff/fuel tank all in all about $2000. I about had a conniption until I asked the service writer about my extended warranty, she said "oh yeah I forgot about that". Well needless to say they are covering it and with 5000 miles left on the warranty.

So if this happens to anyone please take it to the dealership because $2000 is a big price to pay for a fuel pump.

 

If You have an Corvette this might be the problem: http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...sage+Displayed

// Nicklas

 

There is also a simple ECM update that fixes most of these problems. Mine started messing up one month before my warranty expired and the ECM update fixed the problem.


I'll try to find the bulletin that explains it in detail.

 

Here is a link to the fix. Erratic Fuel Gauge Operation DTC P2066 or P2636

 

Brett the link you presented applies to 07-08 vettes I have an 05, regardless it might be the same fix

 

I probably quoted the wrong bulletin since mine is a 2005 also. I didn't remember all of the extra steps involved in the bulletin that I posted a link to. In the one for the 2005 it was just a simple ECM update with the Tech 2. However, at least it might help someone in the future.

 

Update fixed my 05 so far.

 

This is what my dealer did on my 05 6/05 and I have not had the problem since.

 

GM had the same problem on the C5's. Nice to see that the general has gotten off the pot and fixed the problem.

 

Get the dealer to explain how a faulty fuel pump makes the level gage read erratically. If he meant the level transducer/sender that is one thing, if he really meant the pump, he is just wrong.

 

I have 2 C5's as well... I just assumed this was the standard fouled sender problem that is so prevalent in the C5's
thanks for my learning of the day

 

This was hashed and rehashed for months back in 2004/2005 during early production cycles of the C6 and many including myself experienced the problem. Long story short, in the majority (not all) of cases involving the 2005 models, a large percentage of the problems stemed from a defective sender card (coating issues, etc). From the onset, dealers were trying everything to fix the glitch with the fuel gage and most attempts fell short of actually isolating/correcting the false/erratic reading(s)and at the end of the day - many of these attempts on the part of dealerships were nothing short of trial and error resulting in many owners eperiencing needless expense (in some cases-depending on warranty), downtime not to mention having their cars torn apart and put back together, replacing anything the dealer service department (and even GM in the early stages) guessed could be the source of the nuisance before ever actually isolating the problem. It sounds like in your case, the dealership may be going to the extreme ~ hope I'm wrong. Oh yeah, in my case, I opted not to take my car to the dealer after reading all of the horror stories and instead decided I'd try something a little less invasive first, to see if would correct the problem. Oddly enough, in my case, it turned out the problem was easily corrected by changing gasoline. Believe it or not, it appears the additive/lack thereof in some gasoline was enough to cause my sender card (and I believe in many others) to react - creating the erratic fuel gage problem. Its been 4-years since I changed my gasoline and since then no more problems --- except on 1 ocassion last year. Went on a trip to the black-hills and was in a jam...had to go with some low-tier fuel and no sh#t the gage begain to dance within minutes of adding the fuel. Got down the road - added preferrred fuel and again, no problem since. I truly believe in the majority of cases, the problem was finally (in some cases after many visits) isolated to the sending card - and the majority of work that had been done by many dealers before they figured this out/read their service bulletins, was needless/over-kill. Good luck with your repairs and hopefully they'll get it right, fix your problem and you'll be back on the road in no time.

 

Thanks for the replies guys, Im going to call the dealership tomorrow and ask to speak with the tech before they rip into the car.

 

I had the fuel issue alot had with my 06 and read the forum info. Took it in and insisted they do the reflash and to absolutely positively not pull my tank. They even brought out the mech to talk to me and I stood my ground. 20000mi later never another whimper from the fuel system.

 

Mine goes toward "empty" on a regular basis too. I tried troubleshooting the system to find the malfunction but could only find this junk coming off of the rear end...........



sorry.......

 

Thanks for the info.

 

No fuel gage issues so far with my 2007. However, I had these issues on my 2001 C5 and here are some possible solutions:
- use top tier gas. Chevron is as good as it gets in Northern CA. Unocal is good too and usually 4-5 cents cheaper per gallon (Phillips 66 or CONOCO in other regions).
- Every 5 fillups or so mix in a bottle of Techron. I think there are two kinds; a fuel additive and a fuel injector cleaner. I've used both and both work for me.
- Don't let the car sit for more than a couple of days with a near empty tank. The fumes in the tank seem to be more damaging than the fuel itself. If on a trip its o.k. to run it to 1/4-tank or so before filling up. Just be sure that you fill up right before you get home so it doesn't sit around with an empty tank.
- Supposedly the sulfer content of a particular gas is what damages the fuel gage sender. Now I know that you can't tell by the brand of gas and it seems to change by region. For awhile Shell had a problem in the South East with sulfer in their gas (2003-2004?). I guess it depends on what the tanker has when it pulls up to the refinery.

Hope some of this helps.

 

My 2001 did it and it couldnt be fixed with 3 such attempts. gas made no difference and then when my 2005 showed the exact same symptoms of going to empty when the fuel level was filled over 1/2 a tank, I simply never fill it past that level or, in the event of a road trip, I deal with it. It doesnt just go empty and stay there on the gauge. It jumps between the real level and empty so I don't care. When I keep it under 1/2 all the time, it never does it.

They cant fix it so why bother taking a chance on them messing up something else.

One last note. On my 2001, I wouldnt take it back when it still did it on the 3rd attempt at a fix, I went with a new sending unit with an after market pump sourced from racetronics. I did the install myself. It still did it. Updated software, new card x 3, and a new pump and still no change. They still cant come to an agreement about the cause after all these years and if they knew one they would have fixed it. They are guessing and dont have a clue

 

Had this problem with my C5 when I didn't use Chevron or now Texaco with Techron. If I used off brand gas, after several tanks the gauge would go nutty. A bottle of Techron and a Chevron fill up would cure it.