Gas tank not reading full on gauge with fillup....

[Anne]

Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone can tell me what could be some potential problems when a gas tank is not reading full on a fill up. I just recently had a new gas tank installed and have had nothing but problems with it and just wondering if I should change garages?? Maybe they don't have a clue. I would like to go in with some suggestions......

Thanks
Anne

'93 Camry V6

[dstlaurent]

The gauge have always do it ? Or is a recent fact ?


David

[amerikim]

Anne, could be sensor in tank needs to be reset.
On a full tank in my Gen3 v6, my needle gets to E around 260 miles. Run a full tank through and see if it resets itself.
Does the level lower as you drive or ??

[Anne]

The gauge lowers but very quickly....I don't get my regular milage.

Should the guys have reset the sensor when they put the tank in ??

Anne

[dstlaurent]

How reset sensor ??

[CrawlingEye]

I'm curious of the same thing, my sensor seems to move quite differently than most cars. It will have a delayed reaction to changes. Once I get a fill-up, until I drive about 1/4 mile, my gauge is still rising before it actually settles down. Just the same, when I'm driving, sometimes my gauge won't go down for a while but then all of a sudden dive 1/4 tank. It's not a huge deal since it's usually accurate with some slight delays, but if it's just a matter of resetting a sensor, I wouldn't mind doing it.

[mauibuilt59]

Maybe your needle is just a little off. I know on my car, the needle stays on the full mark til about 100 miles before it starts moving down. But then again, my gas light goes on when the needle reaches little over 1/8th tank.

[Hossy]

There isnt any sensor to reset. Probably installed incorrectly. Toyota fuel gauges are painfully slow to move, i guess its so that
it doesnt move up and down constantly as you turn.

[Stealth]

Yeah it's a little annoying but oh well. I mean you'll be looking at it and it'll read just under 1/4 of a tank and all of a sudden goto empty. Just wait till the gas light turns on, that's when you know you NEED to fill the tank.

[amerikim]

One thing that did work is when I put my gauges in.
I filled the tank and made sure I manually set the needle pointing on the F mark of the fuel gauge when I reinstalled my instruments. It has worked for over 6 months now.
I too use the warning light for fill ups.

[karazy]

They probably just bent the float arm on reinstallation. If you go back to the them with a full tank, they can remove the unit from under the back seat and adjust it until it reads correctly. It wouldn't take more than 15 minutes. You could do it yourself, but you shouldn't have to, because they messed it up.

[dna59]

My gas gauge seems to be inaccurate also, but I just use my gas light to know when to fill up.

[karazy]

You can't do that up here in Canada during the winter. It is recommended to keep at least 1/2 tank at all times, incase you have to spend a cold dark night in a snow bank.

[GaviN]

My gas gauge is like that also. If I fill my car up it will take at least 5 minutes for it to actually reach full. It also fluctuate's a lot and lately I've noticed that its no better on gas than my v6 Altima.. Now that gas hand shoots up lightning fast on full-ups

[CraigW]

The gauges are non-linear so the will move down slowly at first and then faster as it goes down.

They do take forever on fill up to reach F level and once at a lower level the gauge fluctuates while driving.

You could ask the garage to check it for you, I would.

CW