Gas Gauge Issue

[Broken Truck]

Hi all.

Before I begin I would like to say thanks to all who have posted info here that I have read.

I have a gas gauge that reads erradically. For the last year it wasn't reading anything except full or empty or staight down sometimes. Well, the fuel pump went and I replaced the sending unit along with the pump.

The gas gauge now reads BUT it shakes like crazy and jumps around a bit. I'm thinking it is time to replace the gauge.

Can they be replaced independently of the cluster or do I need a new cluster? Is this hard to do? ANy other ideas to try first?

Thank you!

Tom

[Poncherello]

That problem is usually the result of a bad sending unit rather than a faulty guage itself.

[Broken Truck]

Ponch..... I agree except that I put in a new sending gauge and the unit began working again - just not perfectly.

Also - and this is what a former GM mechanic told me when I said my gauge was pointing straight down - he said that sounded more like a gauge problem. And that was happening before I replaced the sending unit. WIth the new sending unit it no longer points down, but it does the shaking thing I mentioned.

[Poncherello]

I missed the pointing straight down part. I had to replace both sending units in my 04 corvette twice before the problem was cured. I know sending units can be an issue with GM.

[grimm]

The OBS Tahoes and Yukons are known for their pretty inaccurate gauges. For instance, you could have a quarter tank of gas, but when you accelerate, you could easily jump to what appears to be a half tank. Or when you brake the needle can drop down to empty. In order to really know how much gas you have, you just have to get used to it. If you are completely still on a level surface, you can usually get an accurate reading. The owner's manual will even say this is normal.

Anyways, my point is, are you sure you actually have a faulty gauge or is does it just move around a lot because of the motion of your truck? If the needle dances around all over the place when you are completely still and level, then you might have a gauge problem.

[Broken Truck]

grim....the shaking is constant....it isn;t much but enough to make the needle look blurry.

I have noticed with the new unit that it is sensitive to breaking and acceleration which I can live with (but the old one never did that)

[grimm]

Okay, if that's the case, it sounds like the gauge could be faulty. Should be a relatively cheap fix. Had a messed up gauge in my first car. Local shop fixed it for 30 bucks.

[rv8tor]

I have a 2005 Tahoe with an irratic gauge like that. The only way I know exactly how much fuel I have left is to monitor the "fuel Used" in the info cluster. It is a fairly accurate (+/- a gallon) measure of fuel burned.

A local dealership mentioned something about this sending unit, but wanted $$$ to fix it. I passed for now, but I do want to fix this. Is this something I can do myself or do I need a shop for this??

rv8tor

[Broken Truck]

Sending unit is in the tank. I did mine. It sucks to do but is possible.

You're hoehoe is newere than mine so I can't so your trick. I had to reset the odometer with each tank full and then watch my mileage.

I;m going to try replacing the guage but that won;t happen for a few weeks.

[TheBigler]

I just had this same problem fixed in my tahoe. it was a bad module that works with the fuel pump that was causing it for me you might want to get that looked at

[wicked2000]

I just had this same problem fixed in my tahoe. it was a bad module that works with the fuel pump that was causing it for me you might want to get that looked at

Were is this module located? I have the same problem

[Broken Truck]

Were is this module located? I have the same problem

The module/sending unit he speaks of is located in the fuel tank.

I just replaced my sending unit because the fuel pump went. I had been living without a gas guage for a year.

But my NEW problem might be the gauge itself as the problems I had didn;t seem to be all typical of just the sending unit.

I haven't had time to fix it but when I do I will update.

FYI....a shop wanted over a grand to replace the sending unit. The parts alone (granted I also did the fuel pump) cost me about $400. And as for the project itself, well. It was a b###h!

[Big Hoss]

My fuel gauge does the same thing I just replaced my fuel pump and it was going from full to empty and when it was near half it jumped up to full again. I have got it down to where I know if I keep it under 60 at all times (not hard to do where I live) that I can get about 440 miles on 1 tank of gas. So I go by my mileage and not the gauge but since about the 4th day after having it replaced it has been pretty accurate.

[99Tahoe]

Broken Truck- I have this problem in my tahoe and cant seem to get it fixed. I was told it was the sender unit in the fuel pump but dont have the tools or time to do it myself, nor the cash to get fixed. While looking online, i found some forums that told me to use fuel cleaner and when i did, my shaking stopped for a while and then returned. And if it is not that, I saw on a thread here where someone simply replace the fuel gauge with one from a junkyard and it worked accurately again

[blreed42778]

I have a similar issue. My gauge is accurate however, it vibrates like crazy so it makes it look blurry. It doesnt bounce around and point irradically, it just simply vibrates. Mostly a nuisance.

Man, I've got a lot of crap wrong with this thing... its nothing major, just irritating crap.

[95escahoe]

Same issue with mine my gas guage is all over the place isn't a big deal to me, I just park it on level ground and u put the key in the postion before u start and the guages go on and I go by that and watch how many miles I go and figure out what's in the tank that way.