Gas gauge inaccurate

[RustyOval]

My gas gauge on my 09 seems to be about 1/4 of a tank off according to filling at a station and reading only 3/4 full. I cannot squeeze anymore gas in the tank. Any ideas? I do most work myself. Thanks

 

[Dennis_H]

I'm having the same issue with my 2010. Started about a month ago. Thought it just wasn't able to fill, but it looks like it is all the way up the neck. Not sure how much is left when it reads near empty though. It is very inconvenient not knowing how much is really left.

Thought maybe it was charcoal filter, but even filling very slow, or trying the next day, it doesn't take more. So I'm fairly sure the tank really is to the top and reading 3/4 and miles left calc is based on that 3/4 reading.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

The fuel sender is available as a separate unit or part of the fuel pump assembly. It is available on Rock Auto for $29.79 for the short wheelbase and $34.79 for the long wheelbase model. I looked up the 2010 model year.

The only bad thing is you have to drop the tank to replace it. It is not serviceable. Depending on the age of your truck and and miles, you might as well spend the big bucks and replace the fuel pump assembly which includes the sending unit and saver yourself from having to drop the tank again later on for the pump.

 

[RustyOval]

Thank you. How confident are you that this is the root cause?

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Thank you. How confident are you that this is the root cause?

What can happen when the gauge stops registering, is the float can fail and it no longer floats at the same level as designed, the pivot point binds and prevents the float from freely moving which is rare because it usually submerged in gas, or electronics in the sending unit go bad and don't sent the proper signal to the gauge.

It is very rare that the gauge in the dash actually goes bad. Here is an article that explains what to check:
https://www.bluespringsfordparts.com/blog/ford-gas-gauge-help

 

[David1]

I believe there is a TSB for it giving symptoms and fixes

 

[Dennis_H]

Mine was the sending unit... Replaced fuel pump/sending unit assembly. Not cheap, but it is accurate now.

 

[dmm5157]

The fuel sender is available as a separate unit or part of the fuel pump assembly. It is available on Rock Auto for $29.79 for the short wheelbase and $34.79 for the long wheelbase model. I looked up the 2010 model year.

The only bad thing is you have to drop the tank to replace it. It is not serviceable. Depending on the age of your truck and and miles, you might as well spend the big bucks and replace the fuel pump assembly which includes the sending unit and saver yourself from having to drop the tank again later on for the pump.

Brilliant! I ran into this same issue, bought a generic fuel pump unit from Advance Auto Parts because that was only one available in the area. Truck stopped running and I had 1 day to get fixed before I headed out of town for a week and had to get truck running again. Lesson learned: Stick with OEM for stuff like this.

 

[Plati]

My 2003 Expy gas guage has hung up numerous times over the years. I never repaired anything, just waited it out and it fixed itself. I just watched the trip odometer and and kept gas in the tank. A mechanic told me Sulphur is known to build up on the float mechanism and I believe everything I'm told. If it didn't fix itself in a few tanks I would have done repair.

 

[sjwelds]

and I believe everything I'm told.

Me too, especially if I read it on the Internet.

 

[Adieu]

My gas gauge on my 09 seems to be about 1/4 of a tank off according to filling at a station and reading only 3/4 full. I cannot squeeze anymore gas in the tank. Any ideas? I do most work myself. Thanks

Needle is mechanical and can easily be knocked out of alignment.


I'd ignore it, speedo and temp gauges are the ones that matter, no point reopening the flimsy POS Siemens cluster unit to readjust something like gas fill or tachometer long as you know how far off from reality it actually shows

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Needle is mechanical and can easily be knocked out of alignment.


I'd ignore it, speedo and temp gauges are the ones that matter, no point reopening the flimsy POS Siemens cluster unit to readjust something like gas fill or tachometer long as you know how far off from reality it actually shows

I never subscribed to that attitude. That's how vehicles become junk. Ignore this, don't bother fixing that, that is needed don't worry about it, and before you know it, you are driving a piece of crap that is falling apart. If it's worth having it's worth taking care of it or it's time to unload it and get something else.

I just like having all of my stuff work.

 

[East-TN]

I never subscribed to that attitude. That's how vehicles become junk. Ignore this, don't bother fixing that, that is needed don't worry about it, and before you know it, you are driving a piece of crap that is falling apart. If it's worth having it's worth taking care of it or it's time to unload it and get something else.

I just like having all of my stuff work.

+1...I definitely subscribe to the ‘fix it’ mindset. Maybe it’s my OCD, but if something is broke it bothers me.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

+1...I definitely subscribe to the ‘fix it’ mindset. Maybe it’s my OCD, but if something is broke it bothers me.

Yeah, I don't like when stuff breaks. I fix it. When I traded my 05 aside for a little wear and tear from being 12 years old everything worked the like it was the day it rolled off the assembly line.

 

[Adieu]

I never subscribed to that attitude. That's how vehicles become junk. Ignore this, don't bother fixing that, that is needed don't worry about it, and before you know it, you are driving a piece of crap that is falling apart. If it's worth having it's worth taking care of it or it's time to unload it and get something else.

I just like having all of my stuff work.

Trying to realign one damn needle tends to throw two others out of whack... or break some clips and the odometer display button

Ask me how i know

 

[Plati]

Trying to realign one damn needle tends to throw two others out of whack... or break some clips and the odometer display button

Ask me how i know

Tell me about it. I was trying to diagnose the lean codes last week and broke a wire causing the engine to die then ran the battery down trying to diagnose why the vehicle would die then damaged the piggyback connection of the wire trying to fix the vehicle dying problem. Its all better now, I just had to be patient and work through it. One problem became 4 in a few minutes of work. Some days its just better not to get out of bed. That's why I have a kegorater in my bedroom and a tv mounted on the ceiling directly above my bed.

 

[East-TN]

Tell me about it. I was trying to diagnose the lean codes last week and broke a wire causing the engine to die then ran the battery down trying to diagnose why the vehicle would die then damaged the piggyback connection of the wire trying to fix the vehicle dying problem. Its all better now, I just had to be patient and work through it. One problem became 4 in a few minutes of work. Some days its just better not to get out of bed. That's why I have a kegorater in my bedroom and a tv mounted on the ceiling directly above my bed.

Please don't tell us you live in the basement of your parent's house!

 

[Bedrck47]

Tell me about it. I was trying to diagnose the lean codes last week and broke a wire causing the engine to die then ran the battery down trying to diagnose why the vehicle would die then damaged the piggyback connection of the wire trying to fix the vehicle dying problem. Its all better now, I just had to be patient and work through it. One problem became 4 in a few minutes of work. Some days its just better not to get out of bed. That's why I have a kegorater in my bedroom and a tv mounted on the ceiling directly above my bed.

From the sound of things and your luck Just be careful the TV doesn't fall off the ceiling

 

[Plati]

Please don't tell us you live in the basement of your parent's house!

No, they are in their 90's.
I make them live in the basement.
Not much they can do about it.

Just kidding again.
Sorry if I joke too much
(the auto repair stuff was true)

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Trying to realign one damn needle tends to throw two others out of whack... or break some clips and the odometer display button

Ask me how i know

The gauge itself is rarely the problem, 99% of the time it's the sending unit that causes the problem so you never really have to touch the cluster and they are generally sealed for that reason. The new ones are LCD so there are no needles to adjust.