Incorrect fuel gauge reading???

[md13ffhguy]

I think I'm losing my mind. I last filled up on Feb 26, and I reset Trip 1 at every fill-up. It tells me that I've gone 417 miles since then, which seems about right. I'm driving home today and flipping through the screens, I see my Dist to E is 499 miles - IMPOSSIBLE! At that point I was very confused (and still am). I checked the fuel gauge and sure enough, it's showing midway between 3/4 and F. I'm thinking about what I've done over the past several days, and stopping at a gas station isn't something I can recall doing! My wife thinks I stopped and forgot about it, but that isn't the case - unless I'm losing my mind.

 

I even just went through my recent credit card history, and there's no indication I purchased gas since Feb 26.

 

I just went out to the garage to see if there was any change (was hoping it corrected itself), and now I'm even more confused, because the DTE is now 551... As a matter of fact, since I drove about 70 miles today, this DTE makes it seem like I filled up last night or this morning. I certainly did not!

 

Could my fuel gauge have gone haywire??

[md13ffhguy]

Something is screwed up. Went out again and put the key in and "started" the car. The fuel gauge showed half a tank! pulled the key out and tried again and it read 5/8 with a 374 DTE. Once more and it read almost 3/4 and 465 DTE. Anybody else had this??

[corncobs]

Sounds like somebody was really kind and gave you a free tank of gas. ;)

 

Just like this one

 

http://youtu.be/VDv39sCpsos

 

I have no idea what they are talking about but it's pretty funny.

 

But seriously that is really odd and I have not seen anything like that.

Edited March 10, 2015 by corncobs

[md13ffhguy]

I actually was thinking someone took my car and filled it without my knowledge, but who does that???? :)

 

BTW, just checked again and it's just under half a tank and 316 mi to E... Fourth different reading since actually driving anywhere. I can't wait to see what it reads in the morning.

[SteveB_TX]

:lurk: :lurk:

[machoman1337]

I've had instances where I turn off the car, and the next time I turn it on the fuel gauge is little higher than before.

 

Then again this car claims that I used up half a tank when in reality I used less than 20 out of 51 litres.

[md13ffhguy]

Great news! (Not really...) I started this morning with less than half a tank (246 mi to E) and arrived at work with a nearly FULL tank (571 mi to E)! This hybrid is so amazing, it even generates gas while I drive! ;)

 

So, not really as excited as I might sound... Who's the Ford rep on here who can assist me?

[hybridbear]

That's quite odd!! Sounds like some part has failed...hopefully the dealer will be able to figure it out quickly.

[FordService]

Great news! (Not really...) I started this morning with less than half a tank (246 mi to E) and arrived at work with a nearly FULL tank (571 mi to E)! This hybrid is so amazing, it even generates gas while I drive! ;)

 

So, not really as excited as I might sound... Who's the Ford rep on here who can assist me?

-Waves hello!-

 

I recommend heading to your dealer to get this mystery solved. Once you have an appointment set up, send me a PM with your VIN, mileage, best daytime phone, full name, and dealer name/location. I'll loop in your customer service manager on this. :)

 

Meagan

[acdii]

Your fuel gauge computer is WHACKED! The gauge you look at is not directly connected to the float in the tank, its a summarization of different factors, the float level, the MPG calculations, fuel flow, etc. It is then a readout of what it interprets as the fuel you have available and DTE you can go on it, and not really the actual level of fuel in the tank.

 

Dealer should be able to figure it out.

[md13ffhguy]

-Waves hello!-

 

I recommend heading to your dealer to get this mystery solved. Once you have an appointment set up, send me a PM with your VIN, mileage, best daytime phone, full name, and dealer name/location. I'll loop in your customer service manager on this. :)

 

Meagan

Hi Meagan! PM sent - Thanks a bunch!

[md13ffhguy]

Ride home was interesting, as it actually read FULL at one point, with 620 mi to E! Upon arriving home, it was at 593. My best guess, based on the trip odometer (which still seems to be displaying accurate info), is that I should be at about 80 mi to E right now, meaning the Low Fuel light should be about to come on.

 

While this problem seems to be somewhat benign for someone like me who's been closely monitoring fuel usage, it could be disastrous for someone like my wife, who simply relies on the gauge. She often drives some long distances, and I'd be quite irritated if she were to run out of gas far from home with her gauge seeming to show she has plenty.

[DeeCee]

Is the low fuel light independent of the fuel quantity computer? I sure hope so.

[md13ffhguy]

Is the low fuel light independent of the fuel quantity computer? I sure hope so.

I'm not sure I'll find out, as I plan to fuel up this morning, but I doubt it. At this point, I only have a good guess as to how much gas is in the tank, so I have to be conservative.

[acdii]

It comes on based on DTE and float position(Calculated). What the OP could be having is a faulty float sensor, that can cause all kinds of whackydoodles.

[hybridbear]

Ride home was interesting, as it actually read FULL at one point, with 620 mi to E! Upon arriving home, it was at 593. My best guess, based on the trip odometer (which still seems to be displaying accurate info), is that I should be at about 80 mi to E right now, meaning the Low Fuel light should be about to come on.

 

While this problem seems to be somewhat benign for someone like me who's been closely monitoring fuel usage, it could be disastrous for someone like my wife, who simply relies on the gauge. She often drives some long distances, and I'd be quite irritated if she were to run out of gas far from home with her gauge seeming to show she has plenty.

The same thing would happen to my wife. Good thing she usually drives the Focus Electric which starts out with a "full tank" daily.

 

We used to have a Saab 9-5 which had the opposite problem. The car would read empty on the fuel gauge when it actually had fuel. Apparently Saab used a type of plastic that was destroyed by the ethanol in the fuel over time. Thus on our decade old car the fuel float would periodically fail.

[FordService]

Hi Meagan! PM sent - Thanks a bunch!

Got it! No problem. :D

 

Meagan

[md13ffhguy]

Got it! No problem. :D

 

Meagan

Second pm sent this morning. You didn't answer my question and my service appointment is early Monday morning. Thanks!

[md13ffhguy]

Visited dealer service center this morning and spent a little over 1.5 hours there while they reprogrammed something. It was covered under warranty, and they offered to mail the paperwork, so unfortunately, I don't know exactly what they did. Problem is, nothing seems to have changed. Upon arriving to work, the gauge displays significantly more fuel than when I left the dealer... Was 475 MTE (3/4) and now shows 553 MTE (>7/8). Trip 1 shows I've already traveled 200 miles on the current tank, so neither number seems accurate.

[hybridbear]

Visited dealer service center this morning and spent a little over 1.5 hours there while they reprogrammed something. It was covered under warranty, and they offered to mail the paperwork, so unfortunately, I don't know exactly what they did. Problem is, nothing seems to have changed. Upon arriving to work, the gauge displays significantly more fuel than when I left the dealer... Was 475 MTE (3/4) and now shows 553 MTE (>7/8). Trip 1 shows I've already traveled 200 miles on the current tank, so neither number seems accurate.

Have you checked ET Mode to see what your car reports for FLPM? Check out this post for the details about this ET Mode screen.

 

I would try driving with ET Mode up and watch the FLPM and the fuel gauge. Assuming they move together it seems likely that you have a bad fuel-level sensor.

[md13ffhguy]

After the reprogramming yesterday, I completed 5 trips ranging from about 6 to 40 miles. Each time I had the same result - my fuel level seemed to increase as I drove, hovering from about 3/4 to nearly full.

 

Today, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find that things *seem* to have normalized somewhat. I started the car this morning with the gauge almost exactly at 1/2, and was anticipating it increasing from there... Much to my delight, there was no such occurrence, and everything seemed as normal. I did check the percentages in ET mode, and I ended up going from around 49% to about 44% today. Miles to E, plus distance traveled on my current tank came out to 577, which also seems about right. Another few days like this, and I'll consider this problem to have been resolved.

Edited March 17, 2015 by md13ffhguy

[Texasota]

Hope it is fixed but I am betting the goofy behavior will return.

[md13ffhguy]

Hope it is fixed but I am betting the goofy behavior will return.

Not sure if it's logical to think this or not, but perhaps the algorithm needs some time to "normalize." If that's not the explanation, then you're probably right...

 

You're already right about something else - goofy behavior! A hidden camera on me when I first started noticing this problem would probably have produced some amusing footage. :)

[GrySql]

Any time a major module is replaced or a software update is done there is a brief period when driving habits and car functions have to be re-learned.

Hopefully, in this case that is what is happening. It takes several driving cycles for this re-learning to become the status quo, so you should know if things are okay soon.

[md13ffhguy]

Any time a major module is replaced or a software update is done there is a brief period when driving habits and car functions have to be re-learned.

Hopefully, in this case that is what is happening. It takes several driving cycles for this re-learning to become the status quo, so you should know if things are okay soon.

Well, that's what I was hoping, but it looks like Tex wins this round...

 

Going into work this morning, everything still seemed back to normal. Fuel level displayed under 1/2 and slowly dropping. A short midday trip between work locations and it was still OK. Then, when I went to leave work, the goofiness returned...

 

I first noticed the gauge was above half. I shut the car off and restarted and entered ET mode. As I drove home, I watched the FLPM increase from 64% to 79%, with the gauge showing a corresponding level just over 3/4 full. At this point I'm thinking it should be around 30% or so...

 

Meagan, please advise!

Edited March 18, 2015 by md13ffhguy