Fuel Gauge problems? Look here

Dragonmaster · Post by **Dragonmaster** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:15 am

Found this in GM's monthly techline brochure

This information applies to 2001 S-10 and Sonoma Crew Cab Pickup models. Refer to bulletin 03-08-49-003 for details.

On these models, the fuel gauge may be erratic, inaccurate, or go from 1/4 to empty too quickly. The cause may be an improperly calibrated fuel gauge. The length of the float arm may also affect gauge operation.

The correction is to install a new fuel level sensor 25353298 and reprogram the PCM with a new calibration. Call TCSC at 1.800.***.**** (English) or 1.800.***.**** (French) for a VCI number to allow installation of the new calibration.

If you still have warranty on your 2001 and have fuel gauge problems look into this

barch97 · Post by **barch97** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:16 am

I wonder if this applies to the 2k2 as well. Mine sure seems to go from 1/4 to E a whole lot faster than from F to 3/4.

Dragonmaster · Post by **Dragonmaster** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:31 am

won't lose anything by taking it in and asking. They would probably update the software at least

Pat · Post by **Pat** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 5:16 pm

Mine has been doing that for a while and my wife always tells me about it. I thought that was just how they worked. Thanks I will be taking it in.

quickbiker · Post by **quickbiker** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 7:03 pm

Yea, mine has done it since new. I just figured it's something I gotta live with. When it hits a 1/4, I am looking for a gas station cause you can almost watch it go to E very fast. I found that out the first time I ran outa gas and had to walk. lol

But mine's is past warranty.

Conman · Post by **Conman** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 7:27 pm

mine does not drop like a rock so I think the 2002 were fixed already. But I bet the reprogram is only making the light turn on sooner. The low gas comes on like at over 3 gallons left!!!!

Since the take is 17.5, that's seems to come on way too soon. BTW, if you are on a hill and have the parking brake on, the low light does not turn on until you release the parking brake. My guess is that the re-program is just making the light turn on sooner.

Good Luck,

Con

Post by **HenryJ** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 7:39 pm

Conman wrote: Since the take is 17.5, that's seems to come on way too soon.

I assume you meant to say tank... If so our tanks are 19.5 gal.

24digger · Post by **24digger** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 7:57 pm

No, I believe Conman is right they are 17.5 gal tanks.

quickbiker · Post by **quickbiker** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:08 pm

Yea, there was an ammendment to my manual. The original spec says 19 gal, but the slip in ammendment specs it to 17 gal or 17.5 some'm.

Post by **HenryJ** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:17 pm

Ok, there is a little discrepancy-

I said "19.5 gal"

Stock info says: "18 gal"

2001 owners manual says: "19.0 US gal."

2001 Helms Manual lists it as : "19.0 US gal."

Guess we were both wrong

looks like 19 gal

But if we were playing with horseshoes or hand grenades I would have won!

EDIT: Chevrolet.com lists it at 18 gal.

The extra cab shows 18.5 in my manuals, and I think we got the extra .5 gal from the extended filler neck on the crew cab.

Who's closer now

Looks like all we need now is someone willing to run the tank dry, push it to a gas station and then fill it up. Any takers ?

snowsurfer · Post by **snowsurfer** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 11:14 pm

I recently got a new 2003 S10 Crew and noticed on the first 2-3 tank loads that it went from 1/4 to E in a few miles, it kind of supprised me!!!

Do you or anyone else have this on the later models?

AZS10Crew · Post by **AZS10Crew** » Mon Jul 21, 2003 8:10 am

My 03 does that too. I get about 10-20 miles out of the last 1/4 tank.

snowsurfer · Post by **snowsurfer** » Mon Jul 21, 2003 10:21 am

I work 8 miles away from my home and it went from 1/4 to warning light on my way home from work, kind of freaked me out since I just got the crew 6-7 weeks now

MooreMoney · Post by **MooreMoney** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 5:15 am

One day I parked my '03 and the gas guage needle was barely below 1/4 tank. I got back in it to go home from work and the low fuel light came on. So I don't think the problem has been corrected.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 5:28 am

HenryJ wrote:
Looks like all we need now is someone willing to run the tank dry, push it to a gas station and then fill it up. Any takers ?

I recall Hobie saying he ran his out of gas. Maybe he has records.

quickbiker · Post by **quickbiker** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 7:22 pm

Dag nabbit, just lookit da manual. Doesn't everyone have that little amendment that was thrown in? LOL

I did run mine dry one time. Took like 17 something gal to fill it up.

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 7:43 pm

quickbiker wrote:Doesn't everyone have that little amendment that was thrown in?

Not in mine.

I never have or will run mine dry. And I'm not too worried about the tank capacity since I usually fill-up at about 1/4 tank and it takes 29 gal to fill both tanks (16 gal. aux.)

Using those figures for cap. and if my gauge is extremely acurate (not likely

)

If it takes 13 gal. to fill from 1/4 tank that means that each 1/4 should be 4.33 gal which would equal a cap. of 17.33 gal.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 7:54 pm

MooreMoney wrote:One day I parked my '03 and the gas guage needle was barely below 1/4 tank. I got back in it to go home from work and the low fuel light came on. So I don't think the problem has been corrected.

Mine's done that. I started out with it just under a 1/4 tank, shut it off, started it back up to go get gas just down the street and the low fuel light came on just like yours. Then I stopped to get something on the way to the gas station. Shut it off again and when I restarted it, it was over a 1/4 tank. Yeah, that gauge is really wacked! Whenever I see it's down around the 1/4 mark, I just fill it up. Don't want to find out just where the "empty" really is!

snowsurfer · Post by **snowsurfer** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 10:10 pm

that's what I've been doing basically... As soon as it gets to1/4 tank I fill up, oh well, don't know if it's worth taking into the dealership.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Thu Jul 24, 2003 3:10 am

snowsurfer wrote:that's what I've been doing basically... As soon as it gets to1/4 tank I fill up, oh well, don't know if it's worth taking into the dealership.

I gave up on the dealer myself. I haven't been able to get them to fix anything else. And they keep sending me stuff in the mail wanting me to extend my warranty for some insane amount of money? Yeah, right! I've just been fixing most of the problems myself and learning to live with some of the others, like the flaky gas gauge.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Thu Jul 24, 2003 6:16 pm

Speaking of flaky gas guages, does anyone happen to know (or have a manual) what the tank capacity is on an '87 S10 blazer? I just filled mine up from what the guage showed as 1/2 a tank and it took over $20! I was actually looking under the truck to see if it was running out somewhere. Either this thing has a HUGE tank or that guage is way off. Just what I need, 3 cars with bad gas guages!

Mike H. · Post by **Mike H.** » Thu Jul 24, 2003 10:44 pm

GaryH wrote:Speaking of flaky gas guages, does anyone happen to know (or have a manual) what the tank capacity is on an '87 S10 blazer? I just filled mine up from what the guage showed as 1/2 a tank and it took over $20! I was actually looking under the truck to see if it was running out somewhere. Either this thing has a HUGE tank or that guage is way off. Just what I need, 3 cars with bad gas guages!

You just have to do the GM recalibration mentally. EVERY GM vehicle I have ever had (except '72 GMC Jimmy 4x4 with its 5" dial), has had this same gas gauge problem. The "1/2" mark really means 1/4 to 1/3 of a tank. The "1/4" mark really means 1/8 and don't get too far from a gas station. You can pretty much watch them move once they hit 1/4.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Fri Jul 25, 2003 3:12 am

Mike H. wrote:You just have to do the GM recalibration mentally. EVERY GM vehicle I have ever had (except '72 GMC Jimmy 4x4 with its 5" dial), has had this same gas gauge problem. The "1/2" mark really means 1/4 to 1/3 of a tank. The "1/4" mark really means 1/8 and don't get too far from a gas station. You can pretty much watch them move once they hit 1/4.

That would be about right. I looked around on the internet and apparently I have a 20 gallon tank. I'm typing this at 6am with no coffee so I'm not even going to try to do the math but I figure I put about 12 or 13 gallons in it and it was just under half on the gauge when I started. My Lumina only holds 13 gallons and I've never let my CrewCab get below a 1/4 so filling a 20 gallon tank seems big to me.

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