Fuel gauge not reading properly - Page 2 - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

SkitterSkotter · 10-22-2012, 07:47 PM

I just had this issue today. I think it happened because I kept trying to fill it after the pump automatically shut off. In order to resolve the issue I had to disconnect the negative terminal of the battery to reset the car. This did fix it, though it issue is quite concerning.

Surakusa · 10-22-2012, 08:43 PM

I had this issues as well... SkitterSkotter is right, if you pull the battery it is fixed. I believe I did the same thing he did by over filling. I was just in doubt because sometimes the gas pump stops for no darn reason when I know it is not full... Haha. Just try not to overfill... It can backup into the charcoal cannister in the Evap system and that won't be good. :P

Skye · 10-22-2012, 09:13 PM

If you've had a Subaru you know never top up the gas tank after the auto shut off.

SkitterSkotter · 10-22-2012, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surakusa

I had this issues as well... SkitterSkotter is right, if you pull the battery it is fixed. I believe I did the same thing he did by over filling. I was just in doubt because sometimes the gas pump stops for no darn reason when I know it is not full... Haha. Just try not to overfill... It can backup into the charcoal cannister in the Evap system and that won't be good. :P

Yeah you are totally right on that, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who had this issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skye

If you've had a Subaru you know never top up the gas tank after the auto shut off.

Thanks for the advice, I've never owned a Subaru before...noted!

TheRipler · 10-22-2012, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skye

If you've had a Subaru you know never top up the gas tank after the auto shut off.

Depends on the pump.

Fast pump, you can hit it a couple of times.
Slow pump, no.

Metro areas generally have slow pumps to reduce escaping vapors.

Scionshaun · 05-20-2013, 07:08 PM

Yup it's you disconnect the negative and reattach. Fixed!

Opie · 05-21-2013, 08:38 PM

The reason the gauge does this is the tank is more like two separate tanks, one on either side of the driveshaft connected by a transfer tube, like a bloated n. Each side of the tank has it's own sending unit and fuel pump (primary & secondary). The ECU takes the resistance from each sending unit and uses a predetermined formula to calculate the actual fuel level. Since the filler only goes to one side of the tank, especially if the pump is a fast pump you can potentially have more gas in one side of the tank than the other, and then you'll get a funky reading. As the gas settles, from driving or over time it should correct itself. Filling with more gas just confuses it more.

Hope this helps.

Clembo · 05-22-2013, 09:00 AM

Typical of most RWD cars (and most trucks) today. Tanks are mid-way under car (each side of driveshaft) to minimize the old 'Pinto' problem of the single rear-mounted tanks exploding when rear-ended.

My Mustang, MX-5 and now the FR-S often mis-read immediately after filling. After sitting a while, all is fine as everything comes back into equalibrium.

Nothing to worry about unless it never corrects itself.

Mikem53 · 05-22-2013, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FR-S Hot Lava

I did go to the dealer and they did not have an answer, they said that the electronic sensors act up sometimes.

I had this issue with my vette... Would get false reading or no reading on the gauge.. Was told to switch brands of gas.. Which I did... And the problem never reappeared.. Was told that some additives mess up the sensor reading.. Never had an issue after that even going back to the same brand..

BRZnut · 07-03-2013, 10:53 PM

I just had this tonight...wanted to top off for trip..gauge was between full and 1/4 down. Added 2 gallons and gauge did not move.

chate · 07-03-2013, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikem53

I had this issue with my vette... Would get false reading or no reading on the gauge.. Was told to switch brands of gas.. Which I did... And the problem never reappeared.. Was told that some additives mess up the sensor reading.. Never had an issue after that even going back to the same brand..

C5, yup mine also...scared the s*it out of me driving down the freeway and seeing gas drop to E and the *ding* sound warning me of low fuel...hope it doesnt happen as commonly to the FRS too :/

FR-S Hot Lava · 07-04-2013, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRZnut

I just had this tonight...wanted to top off for trip..gauge was between full and 1/4 down. Added 2 gallons and gauge did not move.

I have found that if I top off the car and the gauge is reading just above the 3/4 mark it will not move, but if the gauge is reading after the 3/4 mark then the gauge will move to full.

BRZnut · 07-07-2013, 11:02 PM

Just returned from the trip and gauge came down normally and at the following fill ups from nearly empty went up to full as it should

2superblus · 10-29-2014, 11:33 AM

Thanks for the help folks. My gauge maxed out at 3/4 full for the last two fills and so i reset the ECU and now it is reading spot on

10-22-2012, 07:47 PM	#15
SkitterSkotter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Drives: 2013 Scion FR-S (Hot Lava) Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 545 Thanks: 77 Thanked 349 Times in 137 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I just had this issue today. I think it happened because I kept trying to fill it after the pump automatically shut off. In order to resolve the issue I had to disconnect the negative terminal of the battery to reset the car. This did fix it, though it issue is quite concerning. __________________

05-22-2013, 09:00 AM	#22
Clembo 'Senior' Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: 13 FR-S,08 Mustang Bullitt,06 MX-5 Location: Southeastern CT Posts: 389 Thanks: 117 Thanked 213 Times in 122 Posts Mentioned: 16 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Typical of most RWD cars (and most trucks) today. Tanks are mid-way under car (each side of driveshaft) to minimize the old 'Pinto' problem of the single rear-mounted tanks exploding when rear-ended. My Mustang, MX-5 and now the FR-S often mis-read immediately after filling. After sitting a while, all is fine as everything comes back into equalibrium. Nothing to worry about unless it never corrects itself. __________________ "You'll never know if you don't try" - Shinroko Momose

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
oil pressure gauge	onemorelap	Engine, Exhaust, Transmission	69	03-04-2023 06:46 PM
Temperature Gauge a dummy gauge?	bambbrose	BRZ First-Gen (2012+) — General Topics	40	08-19-2012 05:29 PM
European fuel/coolant gauge face	arbnpx	Cosmetic Modification (Interior/Exterior/Lighting)	0	05-31-2012 01:23 AM
How To Properly Carve a Canyon	S2KtoFT86	Other Vehicles & General Automotive Discussions	64	05-21-2012 03:17 AM
... reading the reviews?	Buggy51	Off-Topic Lounge [WARNING: NO POLITICS]	6	04-26-2012 10:08 AM

10-22-2012, 08:43 PM	#16
Surakusa Mechanical Guru Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: 2013 Scion FR-S (Argento) M/T Location: USA Posts: 63 Thanks: 6 Thanked 27 Times in 14 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I had this issues as well... SkitterSkotter is right, if you pull the battery it is fixed. I believe I did the same thing he did by over filling. I was just in doubt because sometimes the gas pump stops for no darn reason when I know it is not full... Haha. Just try not to overfill... It can backup into the charcoal cannister in the Evap system and that won't be good. :P

10-22-2012, 09:13 PM	#17
Skye Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: TR2,CooperS,BRZ Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 72 Thanks: 63 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	If you've had a Subaru you know never top up the gas tank after the auto shut off.

05-20-2013, 07:08 PM	#20
Scionshaun Aloha! Join Date: May 2013 Drives: Whiteout Location: Oak Creek, Wisconsin & Alameda, California Posts: 136 Thanks: 34 Thanked 23 Times in 18 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Yup it's you disconnect the negative and reattach. Fixed!

07-03-2013, 10:53 PM	#24
BRZnut Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: BRZ DGM Limited Location: USA Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 5 Thanked 431 Times in 250 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I just had this tonight...wanted to top off for trip..gauge was between full and 1/4 down. Added 2 gallons and gauge did not move.

07-07-2013, 11:02 PM	#27
BRZnut Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: BRZ DGM Limited Location: USA Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 5 Thanked 431 Times in 250 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Just returned from the trip and gauge came down normally and at the following fill ups from nearly empty went up to full as it should

10-29-2014, 11:33 AM	#28
2superblus Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: 13 BRZ WRB Location: Wiscowsin Posts: 269 Thanks: 71 Thanked 132 Times in 78 Posts Mentioned: 6 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Thanks for the help folks. My gauge maxed out at 3/4 full for the last two fills and so i reset the ECU and now it is reading spot on

User Name		Remember Me?
Password