cracker_1

I have had problems with our fuel gauge since we bought the 1999 4rnr. My local toyota guru suggested that someone may have tried siphoning gas out and bent the sending unit. He is not sure if the sending unit is located near the gas inlet or not on our 99. Anyway, the needle does not drop below 1/4 tank on the gauge, so I have run out of gas twice now, so it is time to fix it. Is there an access thru the floor for the sending unit on our 1999 4runner??? If not, how do I access the sending unit to check it out, other than dropping the tank?? TIA,


Dave "CRACKER" Pool

Unhappy99

Yet another victim of Toyotas defective fuel gauge and sending unit.

Do a search here for TSB EL-010, or try this link

p.s. You need to get a better Toyota Guru if he hasn't heard of this defect.

cracker_1

So am I correct in assuming that I will have to drop the tank? There is not an access to the sending unit thru the interior?

p.s. You need to get a better Toyota Guru if he hasn't heard of this defect.
As for my local Toyota go to guy, he has not worked on any with the problem, only older ones. He has very capable built 84-5 4Runner that is awesome!

94x4

There may be an access located under the passenger side rear seat, under the carpet, under a circular plastic plate held in place with three (3) screws.

cracker_1

I will check it out today, thanks for the info!

Unhappy99

Nope on the sending unit access panel. Older 4Runners had them, new (improved -yeah, right) ones do not. You will disconnect electrical from underneath the drivers side rear seat, and drop the tank to get to sending unit.

Read the TSB, different VINs need different parts. A sending unit/tube pickup assembly might not be all you need. A good chance you will need Circuit Board #3 of the instrument cluster.

You will also need TSB EL-010-99 Calibration after replacing sending unit and/or Circuit Board

94x4

No prob, cracker, that's what we're here for.

rimpainter.com

This will give you a good idea as to what we are talking about. The whole tank had to come out, and even then I did not replace mine because it isn't that bad. I just did the Fuel Pump upgrade and was done with it.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...ght=walbro+190

BruceTS

Yep another victim of the TSB....... I've had my tank out several times now on unrelated problems, but I was able to cure the jumpy guage level by cleaning the area on the sending unit where the wiper arm contacts. to adjust the fuel level, you simply bend the arm as needed, but the complete fuel pump/sending unit has to come out and the only way is by dropping the tank..........

Ironmike4x4

How can you NOT drop the tank on any vehicle other than a truck without a bed and access the fuel sending unit? I've dealt with several fuel pump problems where I work and always have to drop the tank. If I'm lucky I get a roll back and can access it there easily.

MTL_4runner

Ditto to what was already said here...classic TSB for the fuel tank sender.
Christian gave you the best link on YT for fixing it.

Unhappy99

1st gen 4Runners have panel under the rear passenger seat which, once removed, allows access to the top of the fuel tank, where you can remove & replace the pump and sending unit.

Very convenient not to drop the tank. Modern 4Runners have a panel which is only big enough to feed electrical through. So instead of taking 30 minutes to open the tank, it takes 3 hours.

94x4

He said that he wanted to "access" it to "check it out", not remove it.

Oh and by the way, it's actually firstbase shaped, not circular so much, but it still has three (3) screws!

Ironmike4x4

Ok thanks for clearing that up for me unhappy.

BruceTS

The only way to acess the sending unit, to check it out, is by removing the entire fuel pump assembly, there is no way of getting around it.

cracker_1

Well, I removed the tank and sending unit. According to my trusty Ohm meter, the sending unit is working properly. After re-installing the seending unit, I re-checked the gauge. Still only reads to .5-.25 of a tank. It does not go all of the way to empty and the fuel light does not come on. I am going to try the re-calibration procedure to see if makes any difference. If not, then looks like I will order a new #3 circuit board and sending unit(?). Do I still need to order a sending unit??

94x4

If you checked it out with a meter and it tested "good" yet your gauge still reads".5-/25 of a tank...", then I'd have to say that the float arm has been bent by a failed attemp to syphon gas from your tank, or, your gauge itself is experiencing some issue that needs to be looked into.

cracker_1

I don't think that is the problem, as I had the gauge go to empty once and the fuel light come on. But this only happended once since we have owned the 4runner. Plus, with the baffles in the tank, I don't think the sending unit can be hit by a "hoser".

Godzilla

post up when you do the recalibration.. on mine 1/4 tank means empty. it is very consistent and doesnt jump around like others. i was wondering if doing the recalibration would help,,but i dont want to make it worse!

cracker_1

I already did the re-calibration without any visible effects to the gauge. The tank still read half full, with approx. 5 gals. in the tank. When it gets towards empty again, I will pull the tank again and re-check the float arm to verify that it is not hitting anything inside.