Fuel Gauge

[stugage2006]

My Skoda Fabia 09 plate all of a sudden started saying it had a full tank. I live in Ipswich and had managed to drive to and from Colchester, Stowmarket and Lowestoft with it still saying full tank. Thought that was just silly so I booked it in at the service centre. They took a look and said they would need me to run it low on fuel and take it back (easy for them to say with a fuel gauge that says always full this should be a giggle). They did some black magic that meant it was now showing the correct amount of fuel but they wanted to replace the sender unit. Took it back a week later with the fuel light on (first time in the history of me driving that I have had the light on) and they then did the work. I had to sit with the car as they worked on it they don’t give under 21's courtesy cars. They said it’s all fine now and took it home. Now two weeks later I filled in up and the screen said it was one bar from the top so not full. Yet I always fill it till the pump clicks. This was in Lowestoft and after a short drive it then went all the way up to full. However on the trip home it started dropping. I have done about 50 miles and 4 of the zones on the fuel gauge have disappeared. What would be causing this to happen? And has this happened to anyone else? I’m now driving around in a car unsure of how much fuel is really in the tank.

[GeneralPurpose]

Don't worry, easy to sort but you will need to take it back to your dealer. It could be an electrical problem with the dash unit or a mechanical problem with the tank fuel level device inside (not the sender as such although it may be a combined unit on the Skoda). Something as simple as a bad earth can cause erratic readings too. Your dealer will sort.

Edited 14 August, 2010 by Estate Man

[stugage2006]

Don't worry, easy to sort but you will need to take it back to your dealer. It could be an electrical problem with the dash unit or a mechanical problem with the tank fuel level device inside (not the sender as such although it may be a combined unit on the Skoda). Something as simple as a bad earth can cause erratic readings too. Your dealer will sort.

But this is the second time. They had replaced the Sender unit and told me it was all fine after testing. Not being funny but to have the same fault it a month is madness. Last time I took it in they asked me to use up all the fuel in the tank. This time they said they will just drain out what I have left in there. This on a car that’s only just a year old. Maybe this time they get it sorted and I can stop having to make trips across town to see the dealer.

[The Plumber]

But this is the second time. They had replaced the Sender unit and told me it was all fine after testing. Not being funny but to have the same fault it a month is madness. Last time I took it in they asked me to use up all the fuel in the tank. This time they said they will just drain out what I have left in there. This on a car that’s only just a year old. Maybe this time they get it sorted and I can stop having to make trips across town to see the dealer.

If they have just replaced the sender unit and the faults still there then obviously the fault most likely lies elsewhere, possible as suggested by Estate Man an intermittent dash unit fault (had this type of problem on and old BMW in the 90's) or the wiring harness shorting to earth. Dealers these days tend to follow a fault flow chart; if it's not on the computer then they get a bit lost unfortunately. Just have to persevere or try an alternative dealer.

TP

[GeneralPurpose]

But this is the second time. They had replaced the Sender unit and told me it was all fine after testing. Not being funny but to have the same fault it a month is madness. Last time I took it in they asked me to use up all the fuel in the tank. This time they said they will just drain out what I have left in there. This on a car that’s only just a year old. Maybe this time they get it sorted and I can stop having to make trips across town to see the dealer.

Annoying isn't it. Sadly there isn't always a magic quick fix. Electrical problems, as this almost certainly is can be hard to trace, and your technician has to follow a logical route looking for the obvious and then the not so obvious. I've had cars in the workshop with exactly the same problem, spent time doing my stuff and apparently fixed it, tested it, and passed it as ok, only to find the customer is back a few days later with the same problem. All techs have been there. Inconvenient though it is for the customer, it will be fixed. The second stab at it is often easier as the technician will know what he has replaced. Hopefully, it will be ok this next time and you won't ever have the problem again.

[stugage2006]

Well I just got it back from the service centre. Had to pay them £30 for fuel they needed to put in to test it again. Turns out when I had the Sender unit replaced the person who fitted it had not lined it up correctly and this was causing it to not work right. So that should be the last time I need to go in for this. Still a little annoying considering all the trips I have made to them. On a plus they washed my car for me which was good as I had driven it across a farm (don’t know if it was mud or something else up the sides, lol) with any luck that’s the end of the problem. Thanks for all your support and help guys.

[GeneralPurpose]

Glad you got it fixed ok.

[Hearny]

This has just happened to mine and its 3 months out of warranty :( . Looks like a trip to the dealers.