Gas gauge delay & inaccurate readings

[JWaldz]

Over the past few fillups I've noticed my gas gauge is taking longer and longer to actually show its full. Some times I'll get completely home (about 3-4 miles) with it still not showing full. It will get up to 3/4 full mark and very slowly climb up. If I recall correctly, in the past it usually just shot right on up to full. On some occasions, and I don't know if this falls under the same problem, the gauge will be at a spot I know is not right. So is my sending unit going out, do I blame the gauge itself, or what are my options here? How should I diagnose this? I think its safe to say I can partly blame it on offroad driving. Constant up and down hills seem to throw this thing off pretty easily. This isn't a huge priority b/c most the time it's working so I know I wot be left stranded. However, it is annoying as hell and would like to get it fixed at some point.

 

[cj80cruiser]

I think several others have the same issue including myself. Ive read both reasons you've listed as possibilities so ive kept both options open as possibilities but I tend to think its the sending unit not reading the float position. My needle moves and keeps a fairly accurate reading until I drop below a half tank. My thinking is if the guage was faulty it probably wouldn't read at all???

I should add that the needle doesn't jump around but it shows I'm at a quarter tank when I know I'm at half per fill up.

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

When I had my 98 before I totaled it the gas light would be on, weather full, half, 3/4 or 1/4. But the gas gauge always read correctly.

 

[4Running Daily]

When I had my 98 before I totaled it the gas light would be on, weather full, half, 3/4 or 1/4. But the gas gauge always read correctly.

Mine is exactly the opposite.

The gauge is completely wrong all the time, but the light always comes on at the proper time.

 

[JasetheDamager]

Mine is exactly the opposite.

The gauge is completely wrong all the time, but the light always comes on at the proper time.

I have this exact same problem. Must be an Evergreen Pearl thing!

But using an Ultra-Gauge and keeping track of my mileage has helped me avoid running out of gas. It's still annoying though.

 

[JWaldz]

It's so weird.. I just filled up and it shot right up to the full mark, no hesitating at all. I don't get this thing. Hell, it's more temperamental that some girls I've dated.

 

[Drcoffee]

Some gas suppliers use more sulphur than others which corrodes the sender contacts. Switch gas brands for a few tankfulls with BP or Mobil and I'd bet your gauge will start working better. Do a google search about Shell oil gas and fuel gauges. Back around 2000 it was such a problem that Shell had to reformulate it's gas.

 

[junr]

I have an issue with mine as well. I've seen the gauge show empty when I've had at least a half tank. When filling up, it will show full, then literally within the first 10 miles or so, it will show about 3/4 full.

This scared my wife the other week as she put gas in, got lost and it was showing on E. She started to panic as there were no gas stations around and she was in the back country of New Jersey.

junr

 

[JWaldz]

Some gas suppliers use more sulphur than others which corrodes the sender contacts. Switch gas brands for a few tankfulls with BP or Mobil and I'd bet your gauge will start working better. Do a google search about Shell oil gas and fuel gauges. Back around 2000 it was such a problem that Shell had to reformulate it's gas.

I've always used Kroger gas stations. I rarely use any other brand, but it's not alway the same Kroger location.

 

[JWaldz]

Ever since I mentioned this I've been watching it closely to see any irregular issues and of course, it's been acting right and like it should be. Dunno what the deal is?

 

[BiggJerry]

My fuel gauge goes to full when I fill it. And that's it. Anything after that and it has a Ming of it own. It goes up and down. Never to E. but I've ran out of fuel several times. I'm going to swap sending units at some point. And see if it helps the issue.

 

[Snowy21]

Knock on wood mine has always cooperated really well with one glaring exception.

Whenever I hookup a trailer the gauge doesn't even read close to right. And it doesn't have to be a real heavy trailer that squats the truck just seems to be that it won't drop fast enough when I'm getting 10-12 mpg. With my 19 foot MasterCraft that I get 12 or 14 mpg I run out at about 3/8ths a tank left and with my 16x7 trailer that I get 8-10 mpg I run out at about half a tank. :shrug:

 

[Desertyota]

I know this is an older thread, but im having the reading issue below half a tank as-well. Has anyone figured out a cause or a fix??

 

[A.Wilson013]

When I fill mine, it shows full. As I exit the gas station, hitting any bump causes my gauge to instantly bottom out, and the fuel light to flash. If I restart my 4Runner, it "fills" back up.

This happens for the first 75-100 miles of the tank.

After that it just kinda does what it wants. Sometimes more accurately than others.

 

[sportscarfan]

A lot of this is probably a fault at the fuel sender or in some cases, a flakey connection between the sender and the gauge.
I don't know what the cost of a new sender is, but I know they can be rebuilt - just had one done for my '86 CRX (for which there are no new/aftermarket parts). $152

With a good guestimate of actual fuel level, check the resistance at the connector -

 

[JWaldz]

I'm pretty sure my fuel sender is toast.. After every time I hit the trails it gives me worse and worse readings. Right now the gauge wont read below half tank. It shows full when I fill it up but once It gets to half a tank reading it stops. It's a good thing I know how many miles I get per tank!

 

[4Running Daily]

I'm pretty sure my fuel sender is toast.. After every time I hit the trails it gives me worse and worse readings. Right now the gauge wont read below half tank. It shows full when I fill it up but once It gets to half a tank reading it stops. It's a good thing I know how many miles I get per tank!

Mine does the exact same thing.

 

[Insomnia]

Thread revival

I feel bad to revive this thread as it's over 5 years old. But I am new so I guess there's not much I can do yet.

My 99 Limited is acting kinda wierd, I feel like I must be burning more gas than my ultragauge is saying. Right now the UG (MX 1.3) Is saying I have 9.5 gallons left but my gas needle is about 1/4 from empty. I was carrying around a 2 gallon gas can in case I ran dry and sure enough I did. Ultragauge said I still had 5.3 gallons but the truck sputtered and died. Had to coast into a parking lot and use the gas can to get to a fuel pump. I filled up at the pump and I got 16.5 gallons so I guess I really was dry.

I do have a CEL for knock sensor bank 2 but am 99.999 percent sure it's a harness since I have no evidence of a knock.

 

[96RedRunner]

It looks as your sending unit needs cleaning or float needs replacing or both, take a look at it.
Check out Jhelms 4gunner restore, refurb thread, page 6 post 88.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/193922-my-4gunner-restore-refurb-re-work-6.html.
It's a job but worth it, beats running out of gas or carrying a can.

 

[Insomnia]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!