Fuel Gauge Issue?
12-31-2008, 07:46 PM
#1
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Fuel Gauge Issue?
For the past few weeks I've noticed a strange problem w/ my fuel gauge. I've been tracking my mileage and gallons of fuel that I've used. What is throwing me off is that I'll use between 5-7 gallons of fuel right at half a tank.
On a recent road trip (roughly 1600 miles) over Christmas I was able to confirm this. At one point the guage was reading a half a tank w/ only 5 gallons of fuel being used (this was the worse tank as well, at 11 mpg just on a side note), the typical was between 6-7 gallons being right at half a tank or just slightly under.
Tonight I did something I normally don't do and ran my fuel down to where the low fuel light comes on, which came on right before the F (thicker line on the gauge). Filled it up w/ about 13.5 gallons (so therocially I should have about 5 gallons of fuel left before running out, which I don't want to find out).
What could be causing the fuel gauge to be giving a faultly reading? Sending unit? Fuel pump? Is there away to test a little more actullay if the fuel gauge is give a off reading?
MAF Sensor, throttle body and pvc valve recently cleaned, spark plug and wires were changed before the trip, air filter is good. Running 265/75/16 with about 2" lift (ran a similar setup on my 96 4runner and got better milage/correct fuel reading even with a dented fuel tanhk), v6, 4x4, automatic.
Any help you all could give would be great.
On a recent road trip (roughly 1600 miles) over Christmas I was able to confirm this. At one point the guage was reading a half a tank w/ only 5 gallons of fuel being used (this was the worse tank as well, at 11 mpg just on a side note), the typical was between 6-7 gallons being right at half a tank or just slightly under.
Tonight I did something I normally don't do and ran my fuel down to where the low fuel light comes on, which came on right before the F (thicker line on the gauge). Filled it up w/ about 13.5 gallons (so therocially I should have about 5 gallons of fuel left before running out, which I don't want to find out).
What could be causing the fuel gauge to be giving a faultly reading? Sending unit? Fuel pump? Is there away to test a little more actullay if the fuel gauge is give a off reading?
MAF Sensor, throttle body and pvc valve recently cleaned, spark plug and wires were changed before the trip, air filter is good. Running 265/75/16 with about 2" lift (ran a similar setup on my 96 4runner and got better milage/correct fuel reading even with a dented fuel tanhk), v6, 4x4, automatic.
Any help you all could give would be great.
01-01-2009, 02:35 PM
#3
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copied from a post by Ringmaster...
"Heres a TSB I found on Alldata,
Electrical EL010-99 99 & 00 4Runner
Vehicle has to be sitting on a level surface with an inclination of +/- 0.5 degrees.
1.With the ignition switch in the Off position, press and hold the trip speedometer reset button.
2. Continue pressing the reset button while turning the ignition switch to the On position.
3. Within 5 seconds of turning the ignition switch On, release the trip switch, press trip switch 3 times and on the 3rd press, hold the switch for 5 seconds. The buzzer will sound for 1 second at 800HZ.
4. After the buzzer stops, release the trip switch.
5.Press the trip switch one more time and hold for 5 seconds. Once more the buzzer will sound for 1 second at 800HZ.
Worked like a charm on mine, hopefully it will work on yours too!"
it also worked on mine, i was so confused on how i was gettin 25mpg pulling a loaded trailer till i was stuck on the side of the road. gauge was reading over half a tank so i couldnt figure out why it wouldnt run. (a 4runner dont run on faith) i was out of gas. after a new fuel filter, that it needed anyways, a couple of shots of ether and a few knocks on the gas tank we realized it was empty. followed the steps above and the gauge reset properly. no problems since
"Heres a TSB I found on Alldata,
Electrical EL010-99 99 & 00 4Runner
Vehicle has to be sitting on a level surface with an inclination of +/- 0.5 degrees.
1.With the ignition switch in the Off position, press and hold the trip speedometer reset button.
2. Continue pressing the reset button while turning the ignition switch to the On position.
3. Within 5 seconds of turning the ignition switch On, release the trip switch, press trip switch 3 times and on the 3rd press, hold the switch for 5 seconds. The buzzer will sound for 1 second at 800HZ.
4. After the buzzer stops, release the trip switch.
5.Press the trip switch one more time and hold for 5 seconds. Once more the buzzer will sound for 1 second at 800HZ.
Worked like a charm on mine, hopefully it will work on yours too!"
it also worked on mine, i was so confused on how i was gettin 25mpg pulling a loaded trailer till i was stuck on the side of the road. gauge was reading over half a tank so i couldnt figure out why it wouldnt run. (a 4runner dont run on faith) i was out of gas. after a new fuel filter, that it needed anyways, a couple of shots of ether and a few knocks on the gas tank we realized it was empty. followed the steps above and the gauge reset properly. no problems since
Last edited by ETRNL; 01-01-2009 at 02:39 PM.
01-02-2009, 05:29 AM
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copied from a post by Ringmaster...
"Heres a TSB I found on Alldata,
Electrical EL010-99 99 & 00 4Runner
Vehicle has to be sitting on a level surface with an inclination of +/- 0.5 degrees.
1.With the ignition switch in the Off position, press and hold the trip speedometer reset button.
2. Continue pressing the reset button while turning the ignition switch to the On position.
3. Within 5 seconds of turning the ignition switch On, release the trip switch, press trip switch 3 times and on the 3rd press, hold the switch for 5 seconds. The buzzer will sound for 1 second at 800HZ.
4. After the buzzer stops, release the trip switch.
5.Press the trip switch one more time and hold for 5 seconds. Once more the buzzer will sound for 1 second at 800HZ.
Worked like a charm on mine, hopefully it will work on yours too!"
it also worked on mine, i was so confused on how i was gettin 25mpg pulling a loaded trailer till i was stuck on the side of the road. gauge was reading over half a tank so i couldnt figure out why it wouldnt run. (a 4runner dont run on faith) i was out of gas. after a new fuel filter, that it needed anyways, a couple of shots of ether and a few knocks on the gas tank we realized it was empty. followed the steps above and the gauge reset properly. no problems since
"Heres a TSB I found on Alldata,
Electrical EL010-99 99 & 00 4Runner
Vehicle has to be sitting on a level surface with an inclination of +/- 0.5 degrees.
1.With the ignition switch in the Off position, press and hold the trip speedometer reset button.
2. Continue pressing the reset button while turning the ignition switch to the On position.
3. Within 5 seconds of turning the ignition switch On, release the trip switch, press trip switch 3 times and on the 3rd press, hold the switch for 5 seconds. The buzzer will sound for 1 second at 800HZ.
4. After the buzzer stops, release the trip switch.
5.Press the trip switch one more time and hold for 5 seconds. Once more the buzzer will sound for 1 second at 800HZ.
Worked like a charm on mine, hopefully it will work on yours too!"
it also worked on mine, i was so confused on how i was gettin 25mpg pulling a loaded trailer till i was stuck on the side of the road. gauge was reading over half a tank so i couldnt figure out why it wouldnt run. (a 4runner dont run on faith) i was out of gas. after a new fuel filter, that it needed anyways, a couple of shots of ether and a few knocks on the gas tank we realized it was empty. followed the steps above and the gauge reset properly. no problems since
01-02-2009, 07:46 AM
#6
"T" ........
Funny , My 99 runner has the exact same issue. 10 miles of driving and it breaks off of full..........100 miles and you're almost 1/2 tank and 13.5 gallons goes in once you see the magic light.
Could I NOT have the guage /sending unit problem after all this time?
Kenny S>
Could someone please explain the reasoning behind the 99 runner fuel gauge and how those lines are set?
Funny , My 99 runner has the exact same issue. 10 miles of driving and it breaks off of full..........100 miles and you're almost 1/2 tank and 13.5 gallons goes in once you see the magic light.
Could I NOT have the guage /sending unit problem after all this time?
Kenny S>
Could someone please explain the reasoning behind the 99 runner fuel gauge and how those lines are set?
01-02-2009, 01:59 PM
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Sharrack
That sounds pretty close to how the guage works for most. Toyota leaves about 4 gallons in the tank when the light comes on so you have roughly 60 miles before you run out (common to have quite a bit left in many American cars, German cars are more dead on).
Mine reads each quarter line with these approximate numbers.
I get 50-60miles on the first quater tank, around 80 miles on the next quater (from 3/4 to 1/2), similar on next quarter (1/2 to 1/4), and about 40 miles to the lights come on (1/4 to empty). I used to drive another 40-50 miles before I filled up and still usually have 1.5-2 gallons in the tank. That was till I ran out of gas 1/4 mile from my house with the wife and kid. Overloading the 4runner had it sagging in the back and made the guage read different
Half tank is really a bit past the half mark in the guage (20-30 miles past in distance).
That sounds pretty close to how the guage works for most. Toyota leaves about 4 gallons in the tank when the light comes on so you have roughly 60 miles before you run out (common to have quite a bit left in many American cars, German cars are more dead on).
Mine reads each quarter line with these approximate numbers.
I get 50-60miles on the first quater tank, around 80 miles on the next quater (from 3/4 to 1/2), similar on next quarter (1/2 to 1/4), and about 40 miles to the lights come on (1/4 to empty). I used to drive another 40-50 miles before I filled up and still usually have 1.5-2 gallons in the tank. That was till I ran out of gas 1/4 mile from my house with the wife and kid. Overloading the 4runner had it sagging in the back and made the guage read different
Half tank is really a bit past the half mark in the guage (20-30 miles past in distance).
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01-11-2009, 07:55 PM
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Parts get installed by the dealership tomorrow, hopefully this will fix the problem.
The dealership was mid price between the shops I called to do the work.
The dealership was mid price between the shops I called to do the work.
01-11-2009, 08:29 PM
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Wormhole,
Understand one thing. The 2000 4Runner has a know fuel guage and tank problem. I ordered my 4Runner in April of 1999. It was the first one off the boat at Gulf States Toyota port in Houston. Shortly after getting it I found the same problem you are having. I took it back to the dealer and they replaced the 3rd board in the instrument panel (which by the way resets the odometer). The problem continued. They had no answer, but gave me the TSB which you have about setting it. I set it with little change. I would drive about 12 miles and my gauge would be below 3/4. I ended up calibrating mine myself by parking it on a hill and then doing the procedure you describe. It made my gauge a lot more accurate, but did not solve the problem at hand. My 4runner is supposed to hold 18.5 gallons. It does not! Though it is capable of it...or should be. I have run out of gas 3 times in my 4runner and I mean out! Two of the times, I coasted to the pump (man was I lucky). Both times it would only take 16.1 gallons not 18.5.
There is a later TSB that discusses the entire problem in depth. Part of the problem was the 3rd board, part was the sender (I think), and the other problem is the return line that makes the pump shut off is too long. I do not remember the full TSB, but it tells what needs to be done to fix it. I have argued long and hard with Toyota over this. My problem presented early and they had no answer. I did not find the TSB until my 4Runner was out of warranty, thus they would not fix it unless I paid them $400. I consider this a safety issue, because one time I ran out in sub freezing temperatures with my pregnant wife in the car. But good ol' Toyota...not a recall...a TSB....stupid don't you think! This problem only affected early 2000 4runners and some late '99's I believe.
My gauge did have one weird problem one time. I was pulling a trailer and getting real bad gas mileage due to the weight and the wind I was driving in. I pulled into a gas station to get a drink and the 4Runner stalled....the gauge read 1/2 tank. I turned the key off and back on, then it read empty....never figured that on out.
Anyway...just wanted to pass this on, as you may not have as much gas in that tank as you think when the light comes on. Your tank like many 2000 4runners may not allow you to fill it up completely. Hope this helps.
Understand one thing. The 2000 4Runner has a know fuel guage and tank problem. I ordered my 4Runner in April of 1999. It was the first one off the boat at Gulf States Toyota port in Houston. Shortly after getting it I found the same problem you are having. I took it back to the dealer and they replaced the 3rd board in the instrument panel (which by the way resets the odometer). The problem continued. They had no answer, but gave me the TSB which you have about setting it. I set it with little change. I would drive about 12 miles and my gauge would be below 3/4. I ended up calibrating mine myself by parking it on a hill and then doing the procedure you describe. It made my gauge a lot more accurate, but did not solve the problem at hand. My 4runner is supposed to hold 18.5 gallons. It does not! Though it is capable of it...or should be. I have run out of gas 3 times in my 4runner and I mean out! Two of the times, I coasted to the pump (man was I lucky). Both times it would only take 16.1 gallons not 18.5.
There is a later TSB that discusses the entire problem in depth. Part of the problem was the 3rd board, part was the sender (I think), and the other problem is the return line that makes the pump shut off is too long. I do not remember the full TSB, but it tells what needs to be done to fix it. I have argued long and hard with Toyota over this. My problem presented early and they had no answer. I did not find the TSB until my 4Runner was out of warranty, thus they would not fix it unless I paid them $400. I consider this a safety issue, because one time I ran out in sub freezing temperatures with my pregnant wife in the car. But good ol' Toyota...not a recall...a TSB....stupid don't you think! This problem only affected early 2000 4runners and some late '99's I believe.
My gauge did have one weird problem one time. I was pulling a trailer and getting real bad gas mileage due to the weight and the wind I was driving in. I pulled into a gas station to get a drink and the 4Runner stalled....the gauge read 1/2 tank. I turned the key off and back on, then it read empty....never figured that on out.
Anyway...just wanted to pass this on, as you may not have as much gas in that tank as you think when the light comes on. Your tank like many 2000 4runners may not allow you to fill it up completely. Hope this helps.
Last edited by nieuwendyk-25; 01-11-2009 at 08:34 PM.
01-12-2009, 03:24 AM
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nieuwendyk -
Thanks. I've been reading about this problem on multiple sites, including yotatech. It is surpising that Toyota never issued a recall for this problem. According to the TSB my 4runner doesn't fall under the TSB but from what I've readed its the same issues that others are having that are affected by this. I'm keeping my fingers that's it's not the board.
The fueling sending unit part number from the TSB has changed. FYI (I verified this the other day when I got the parts).
Thanks. I've been reading about this problem on multiple sites, including yotatech. It is surpising that Toyota never issued a recall for this problem. According to the TSB my 4runner doesn't fall under the TSB but from what I've readed its the same issues that others are having that are affected by this. I'm keeping my fingers that's it's not the board.
The fueling sending unit part number from the TSB has changed. FYI (I verified this the other day when I got the parts).
