Fuel gauge light and level indicator problems

ANSWER : Hello. If your fuel gauge is behaving erratically, it may be possible that your vehicle’s fuel sending unit is faulty. The fuel sending unit is the component in the fuel tank that the fuel pump is mounted to. It uses an arm, float, and variable resistor to read the vehicle’s fuel level. Over time, this component can wear out and begin to give off inaccurate signals.

It may also be possible that the gauge inside of the instrument cluster is bad, and needs to be replaced. I would recommend looking at the fuel level sender first, as it is more likely that this has failed, as opposed to the gauge. If you need some help having this checked, a certified technician from YourMechanic, can come to your home or office to pinpoint the cause of the fuel indicator light.

ANSWER : The switch you are referring to is vended with the required electrical and fuel schematic (I just looked in the box) that answers your installation question. If you want an advance view, here is a link as well. Yes, you need a return line and just refer to the aforementioned link. If you are retrofitting back to OEM, I strongly encourage you to buy the original Factory Service Manual (FSM). There are lots of details attending this system and obviously it is difficult to recount it all here. The FSM will make your life much easier and you can then make sure your installation is perfect. Alternatively, YourMechanic can dispatch a certified mechanic and perform the whole retrofit and check out if you desire. Just request and schedule a generic service such as fuel pump service and the mechanic will come to your location and estimate the parts and labor required. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. The vehicle does utilize a lot of the same sensors for these systems. Are there any other codes that are coming up when this code appears? If so you will want to take these into consideration when processing the repair and making a diagnosis. The module may be bad, and replacing it should fix the problem. The lights should turn off once the main computer recognizes the new module and the sensors sync up. If you believe the sensors need to be cleaned you may do so. Do as minimal as possible to make sure you are not damaging the sensor or disrupting the wiring inside. A bad connection would make the lights stay on. With so many lights that are effected by the module being illuminated, the module is likely bad or does not have a connection. Check the connection first and then resort to replacing the unit. For more help with these electrical tests, contact our service department.

ANSWER : Hi there. In many cases, when you have electrical problems like you’re describing, it’s caused by multiple electrical component failure. It’s likely that a few electrical relays are not working; especially if you have systems that utilize the same components (such as your brake light and tail lights). I would recommend having a professional mobile mechanic come to your location to complete an electrical problems inspection first, so they can pinpoint what is damaged and recommend the right repairs.

ANSWER : Hi there. From the description you have provided, all of your vehicle’s electrical problems began with the "upgrades". Unfortunately this could be a can of worms to repair. Assuming, you had a qualified technician install the vehicle’s radio and lighting upgrades and all was fine after the installations. This would lead me to believe your vehicle has several problems. The first place to look would be fuse(s) for the inoperative components. Next, to look for shorts to power the components staying on. If you can find the problem yourself, I recommend having your vehicle’s electrical problems diagnosed and repaired by a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic.

ANSWER : Hello – the P0460 code is not a failure of the fuel gauge, but rather a discrepancy between how much fuel the Powertrain Control Module thinks is in the tank, and the fuel gauge reading. This problem occurs most often when the vehicle is fueled up with the key in the "Run" position – whether the engine is running or not. Try fueling up (full tank) with the key turned Off. You may need to clear the code after doing this to get rid of the Check Engine light, or it may clear on its own after a couple of drive cycles. For assistance, I recommend a Check Engine inspection performed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, and give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.

ANSWER : Hi. If the Battery Light is on, this an indication that either the battery is bad, the alternator is not charging properly, or both of them are bad. Low battery voltage will cause the car to do abnormal things like have no headlights. There are other things that can cause headlights to not work as well, for example, a blown fuse, broken headlight relay, or, the most common cause, blown headlight bulbs.

I suggest you have a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your location to determine why the Battery Light is on and suggest the necessary repairs.

ANSWER : If a faulty component is still in place, the fault codes will return almost immediately after clearing them. ABS, ESP, and traction control systems all rely on input from wheel speed sensors to determine as the name implies, the speed of each wheel. When a wheel, or wheels are spinning faster than others due to wheel slip or the vehicle is sliding, the ABS and ESP systems can reduce throttle input as well as apply braking to an individual wheel or all of them if needed. With a wheel speed sensor fault code stored, these systems cannot determine the rate that all 4 wheels are spinning and sets a fault. That is why the abs/esp light is on. The system should be scanned by a certified technician and the wheel speed sensor replaced if found to be the cause. The warning lights will stay on and these systems will not function as designed until the fault is corrected. These lights do not come on to indicate a need for routine service. Rather they only come on when a component in the system is at fault.