Targheeandme
New member
'97 4runner Fuel Gauge Fix
Had gas gauge issues with my 1997 4Runner, and finally figured it out. I've searched all the different Toyota sites and read about all the different issues. Mine read full just fine, but got to 3/4 and then would drop to half. Here's the long and short of it. Apparently when this vehicle was new, the dealer installed fog/driving lights. Last week driving home in the dark, I kicked on the driving light switch. There she goes again, gauge dropping, dropping. Then I switched the driving lights off. Gas gauge returned to where it should have been. I couldn't believe it! I had finally solved the mystery. I have dropped the tank & replaced the sender, and then replaced meter cluster, and neither solved the issue. The dealer went from the driving light switch to draw the 12V directly from the battery and, of course, then to the lights. I installed a Hella wiring harness. The switch gets it's 12V from the high beam lead, then goes to the relay, then the lights, etc. The harness and relay solved the issue. Hope this helps for some still dealing with the problem. Don't know why the gauge would be affected by the 12V coming directly to the switch from the battery, but it was my problem. Gauge holds steady now when the driving lights are switched on with the relay & harness.
Had gas gauge issues with my 1997 4Runner, and finally figured it out. I've searched all the different Toyota sites and read about all the different issues. Mine read full just fine, but got to 3/4 and then would drop to half. Here's the long and short of it. Apparently when this vehicle was new, the dealer installed fog/driving lights. Last week driving home in the dark, I kicked on the driving light switch. There she goes again, gauge dropping, dropping. Then I switched the driving lights off. Gas gauge returned to where it should have been. I couldn't believe it! I had finally solved the mystery. I have dropped the tank & replaced the sender, and then replaced meter cluster, and neither solved the issue. The dealer went from the driving light switch to draw the 12V directly from the battery and, of course, then to the lights. I installed a Hella wiring harness. The switch gets it's 12V from the high beam lead, then goes to the relay, then the lights, etc. The harness and relay solved the issue. Hope this helps for some still dealing with the problem. Don't know why the gauge would be affected by the 12V coming directly to the switch from the battery, but it was my problem. Gauge holds steady now when the driving lights are switched on with the relay & harness.
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