Few things are as frustrating and worrisome as running out of fuel. Most people will do their best to make sure that they always have some fuel in the tank. However, if there is an issue with the fuel gauge, it can become impossible to know just how much fuel you have left. The fuel gauge is one of the most important parts of your vehicle, and you need to pay close attention to it.
It’s important to remember that the fuel gauge may not always be entirely accurate, as the readings can vary for a number of different reasons. If you notice that there is a stark difference in what the gauge says and how much fuel you actually have, it is time to take it to a mechanic. If the tank only reads that it is empty, or that it is full, or the gauge fluctuates when it shouldn’t it could indicate a problem.
What Is the Fuel Gauge Sender?
This is a device located in the fuel tank. It’s attached to a metal rod that measures electrical flow, and is what measures how much fuel you have left in the tank. If this device is not working properly, then it means that the readout you have on the fuel gauge in the dash will be incorrect.
Common symptoms of a failing fuel gauge sender that you can watch for:
- The gauge isn’t always accurate. As your fuel gauge sender starts to fail it may start to deliver inaccurate readings to the fuel gauge. This may only happen once in a while to begin with, so you may not even notice it.
- The gauge is stuck on full. If you know that you have used gas and that there is no way the fuel gauge should read “full”, yet it is, this could signal a problem with the fuel gauge sender.
- The gauge is stuck on empty. Much like the above mentioned symptom, if you just filled up with gas yet the fuel gauge is stuck on empty, clearly there is a problem and it needs to be professionally diagnosed. This could happen as the problem progresses, and the fuel gauge sender fails more and more.