So the gas guage on my 01 has stopped working. The car runs fine, so the fuel pump is working, but the guage reads totally empty and I get all the associated warning messages.

Any ideas what might be wrong?

Thanks! -J

 

Have you tried fuel system cleaners? Does the gas gauge go all the way to full and then to empty again upon startup like all the other gauges? If so you may want to try changing to shell gasolines since they have cleaning additives. Hopefully it will work after a tank or two.

 

Others have had success with Chevron's Techron additive (or just use Chevron gas). I add a can every time I change oil.

 

I have a 2003 and the gauge was erratic - the dealer is fixing it under warranty - it needs a fuel module and the cost out of warranty would be approx $1000!

 

Well, it started working again, so I'm gonna use the time honored method of keeping my fingers crossed...

what is the fuel module anyway?

Thanks! -J

 

The dealer told me that my '03 actually has two fuel tanks - they had to drop the left one and replace that fuel pump which was shorting and causing the gauge to be erratic - anyway it was fixed under warranty @ 7,400 miles- I still can't believe that if I had to pay it would have been about $1000 bucks!

 

The problem will probably pop up again. I had a problem in my C5 where the fuel gauge would dump to empty at 1/2 tank. The dealer had to replace a bad sending unit in one of the tanks (a common problem for early C5's).

 

Many people have had good luck with switching to either Shell, BP, or Chevron gas (I think there is a 4th one, but I'm can't remember off the top of my head). As stated earlier they all have cleaning additives that will help clean the sending unit so it can give an accurate reading to the car.

 

So using a fuel additive will actually fix a sending unit??? My 97 just acted up on me tonight. I filled it up after buying it last weekend, I was at just under 3/4 of a tank when I parked then while driving it shot to 0 and stayed there for the rest of the ride home.

 

Ultimately I think you will find that changing fuel and using fuel additives will do little. C5s seem to have fuel sending unit problems and many/most of them experience erratic behavior and temporary bouts of non-working guages. Generally electrical problems like this gradually get worse.

I'm rather lucky. I've had several occasions where my guage is clearly acting up: it sometimes goes from 3/4 to 1/4 tank indicated in the course of five miles, but it has never stopped working. Just in case I carry a gallon container of gas (in a plastic container with an aluminum anti-flash mesh inside it) in the trunk, just in case).