» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | | 04-24-2009, 08:07 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 5 | Fuel Gauge Please help a girl in need. Recently my fuel gauge will drop down to zero but the engine seems to be working fine. Does this mean I need to change the O2 sensor....or something else? Thanks for your help! | | | 04-24-2009, 08:19 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: PA Posts: 1,906 | Are you having any other symptoms? __________________ | | | 04-24-2009, 08:31 PM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | A fuse or fuel sensor will cause that problem. A fuse will also cause other gauges not work. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 04-24-2009, 08:40 PM | #4 | Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 5 | No other symptoms except that right before the fuel gauge drops, I notice a little shiver in the engine. Then the gauge drops for a few seconds and then returns to where it was. | | | 04-24-2009, 08:44 PM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | How old is the battery? __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 04-24-2009, 08:45 PM | #6 | Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 5 | Battery is a few months old. | | | 04-24-2009, 08:49 PM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: PA Posts: 1,906 | Is your check engine light on? __________________ | | | 04-24-2009, 09:06 PM | #8 | Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 5 | no, the check engine light is not on. | | | 04-29-2009, 06:31 PM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: NJ Posts: 106 | Next time it drops to zero, try tapping on the gauge cluster near the fuel gauge and see if it responds to the tapping at all. | | | 04-30-2009, 08:40 PM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: state college, pa Posts: 3,431 | It sounds like an electrical short or some other gremlin. Take note of the circumstances surrounding each time the problem occurs. i.e. if it is raining, if it only happens when shifting, only when cruise is on, etc. Did you only recently start using the AC? __________________ I scream, you scream, we all scream for ZOMBIES. | | | 05-11-2009, 04:55 PM | #11 | Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 5 | yeah, I guess it has been in the last few weeks that I've been using the AC.......it still wasn't that hot. I will pay attention to what's going on when the problem occurs. It does seem to be an electrical issue. Thank you! | | | 06-29-2009, 02:04 AM | #12 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: atlanta Posts: 145 | I had the same issue. A loose electrical connection most likely. If I tap the cluster it returns to normal. | | | 06-29-2009, 04:29 AM | #13 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 102 | I have the same problem sometimes. For me it is usually when I am at stop light it will drop to empty for a few seconds than return. If you use the computer to check the range it either shows the range before it fell or the numbers go all over the place. Since I have only had the car for three months and have a few more important car projects I have not worried about it but I am sure it is some kind of an electrical problem. I will be interested to see what leads in this forum. Thank y'all. | | | 11-02-2009, 03:53 AM | #14 | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: WV Posts: 12 | Fuel gauge reading Mine has just started doing strange things with the fuel gauge. It will go to full then drop to empty. I tried A/C on off, lights on off windows, fan speed, radio, wipers. No connection to any other electical activity. I pulled and replaced the fuse to see it would help. Now the OBC will not reset. So I've unpugged the OBC. No help. I've checked the resistance on the fuel sensors. They each read about 180 ohms (unplugged) with about 1/2 tank. Does anyone know what they should read? The vehicle speed indication is fine (this shares a ground connection with the fuel sensors) . No other issues. I hope someone has figured this out. I'm stuck. My next move will be to drive around with a volt meter connected to the circuit. | | | 11-02-2009, 04:11 AM | #15 | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: WV Posts: 12 | It's fixed! After posting here, I continued to search other posts. I found the answer! It doesn't make any sense, but I had a blown brake light fuse (15A, #46) That fixed it. (It blew because my tail light assembly fell out!) | | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |