Ok, more details: Just picked up my 99' 4Runner today, gauge was showing full but previous owner said it was in reality close to empty. I filled it up and now gas gauge is showing completely empty and low fuel light is flashing.(slightly annoying)

Not the end of the world, love the truck but might this be a clear indication the sending unit is malfunctioning?

 

uh... yeah.

 

Cool, what's a ballpark price for a new sending unit and where's a good place to get these (online dealerships maybe?)

These involve dropping the tank right?

 

lol maybe he got the connector backwards, why change it, its just opposite right, when you have no gas, your full, when your empty your full

 

search for the tsb which affects the 99/00 fuel system. some may only need the sending unit, yet others may need the circuit board or both. cross refernce your VIN with those on the TSB to see what you require

 

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/larsdenne...Inaccurate.htm

http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showfl...=&fpart=2&vc=1

 

Honestly I thought the same thing, but the flashing low fuel light will drive you nuts when it's completely full. I've driven 70 miles and it's still flashing

 

lol check out what brian said, it will prolly help you

 

Great info, thanks!

 

I had the same problem....I drove it till it fixed itself. It seems to happen after I have been towing. Take a look at the links above, they should help you.

 

(not meaning to thread jack)But does any one elses gas guage fall really fast after about 1/2 tank? Because today i drove my daily commute of about 25 miles on an extremely steep mountain grade and when i left i had just a little above half, drove up the hill(at the top is was at half)made several stops. After about 10 more miles i stopped i got back in my truck(gauge read just below 1/2) and after i drove 7 miles it went from half to a about 1/5 below half. It does this everytime.. any one else seen this? Truck= 98 Taco 4x4 2.7 5spd, just for reference..

 

Not me, mine reads full ALL the time. Never moves off full. Wouldn't that be nice to never use a drop of gas...heh heh. I'm runnning on 35's and 4.56 gears, so I just fill up when I hit 175-185 miles on the trip meter.

 

If you decide to fix it, please take pics and post up a writeup on here.

 

not everyone gets 76.5 mppg, show off

 

Ha ha...wouldn't that be great!!

"Newest way to increase mpg's: buy a 3rd gen 4Runner that hasn't done the sending unit tsb and throw on some 35's. It will always read full and you just have to top off the tank after 200 miles."

I'm lucky to get 14mpg's. I'm glad I don't have to commute in it.

 

i can probably get you 15% off a brand new one at the dealership incase u decide to replace it.

 

my 2000 runner's gauge suffers from this too but not quite as bad as you make it sound

 

This happened with my old '87 my friend's '86 and my '94 I think it just part of the sending unit design... I can usually drive at least 40kms with the gauge on the peg before I run out... I always reset my trip meter after each fill up when it gets to about 520kms I need gas NOW though I can get about 540 to a tank on average...
Prost Aviator

 

Alright cool... just as long as i know im not the only one..lol It doesnt really bother me, i was just curious if it was in my head or not.

 

I checked prices on all the parts needed yesterday.

Printed circuit board, in dash $210.85
Fuel sender gauge assy. $ 92.72
Fuel suction tube assy. $110.68
Gasket fuel suction tube. $ 11.79

Total $426.04

And I thought while i had the tank out may as well replace the fuel pump, since it has 139000 miles on it. $329.11

Total for fuel gauge and fuel pump $755.15
Tax $66.00
Total $821.15


I'm just gonna fill it up after 200 clicks on the trip meter.

When the trip meter bites it, I'll go buy the odometer, when that bites it, I'll cram a broom stick down the fill spout.

Outrageous prices for simple electrical parts, some bent tubing, a gasket, and a fuel pump.

"Oh what a Feeling"