95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

CRAZY fuel gauge

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Old Mar 28, 2008 | 05:05 AM
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CRAZY fuel gauge

Hi all... ...wondering if anybody else has had or heard of the same problem. My fuel gauge has never been all that accuate... ...something that I have read is comon with the V6 4runner. Yesterday when picking up my truck from the body shop the fuel gauge was reading full when I knew there was only about 1/2 a tank. I went to a station and filled the tank and when I started the truck the gauge jumped to the top for about 2 seconds then dropped completely off (like when the truck is not on) and the fuel light started blinking. I have been reading all over the place about the gauges not being accurate but never witht he dropping off and light blinking. Would it be a short with the fuel level sending unit?

Thanks for any help!

Mike
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Old Mar 28, 2008 | 06:58 AM
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From: NC
do a search. there are lots of info about that
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Old Mar 28, 2008 | 09:06 AM
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I have looked all ove rthe place... ...nobody mentions the gauge wildly shooting to the top, then the bottom then the fuel light blinking. Have you seen this somewhere? I am at a loss... ...I ordered the fuel level sending unit... ...wont be here till next week. Hoping that that solves the problem... ...could it be a ground that is no good?
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Old Mar 30, 2008 | 09:42 PM
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What year is your Runner?
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Old Mar 30, 2008 | 10:00 PM
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From: I'm an Ohio boy!
Mine's messed up too. Not like yours, though.
My light NEVER comes on, the needle doesn't drop down
when I shut off the truck, and it takes like a full minute or more
to jump up to full after I fill it up
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Old Mar 31, 2008 | 04:08 AM
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Mine is a 99 V6 SR5
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Old Mar 31, 2008 | 06:50 AM
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From: Columbia, SC
Godfather;

If yours is like mine then it gets confused if you shut down and startup frequently. Each time you shut off the engine and restart within a few minutes, the gauge will show more fuel. If you do this a couple of times, it will show much more fuel. The reading will return to normal after some time has passed.

Your warning light is repeatable.
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Old Mar 31, 2008 | 07:34 AM
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Dot 3... ...my fuel gauge has never been accurate. Just like what seems to be a general problem with the 4runner the gauge drops fast off full and like you said it never shows the same level each time I turn the key on. This time (and ever since I filled up last) the needle has what looks like a seizure as it jumps the top of the range then it drops off right to the bottom and the fuel light starts to blink. Almost like it thinks I filled it too much it get's confused and says "screw this... ...I am just going to turn off" and that is what it does. I have been reading about changing the fuel level sending unti and I have that in the plan for friday but I am not sure if I should be changing the "no. 3 combination plate" behind the guages... ...not sure if that might be the problem.

Any ideas from guy's that might have done this repair already?
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Old Mar 31, 2008 | 07:41 AM
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From: 5th Gen San Diegan, California
Mine's not that extreme, but, it definetly is quirky!!

I think Toyota knows about this problem, but, I have never pursued to fix it. You may want to call your dealership and ask them if they will fix it ?
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Old Mar 31, 2008 | 09:07 AM
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what about the recalibration you can do on the 99+ clusters?
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Old Mar 31, 2008 | 09:46 AM
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I did the calibration... ...didn't help.
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