Fuel Gauge Recall for the US
 

Three types of Nissan vehicles are being recalled due to dodgy fuel gauges

Nissan recalls US vehicles

you reckon the 370z is next? our gauges suck...

mine seems pretty much dead on.

Looks like they are having opposite issue. In our Z, the last dot is not showing even when the tank is full.

I actually poured in a bottle of Techron stuff today. I'll do this with this fill up and next and then I'll post results. Thanks to Modshack for the idea. I probably wouldn't take it in since it's such a small issue and doesn't bother me at all. Also, after driving about 20-30 miles, my last dot actually lits up :).

I know in australia, dealers are fixing this issue under warranty. So, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a TSB for it in near future.

we must have dirty fuel... =/

My gauge takes forever to get to half, usually 300+ miles. It even affects how the computer calculates avg mpg. On a flat road over 150mi my mpg went from 27 to 24 at 80mph. kinda annoying.

What Techron stuff? and what is it suppose to do? :confused:

Techron Fuel Cleaner

I've always bought it by the case through the years, plus, I use Chevron fuel too. I believe the newer bottles even tout how it keeps fuel sending units working better.

Thank you Jim. :tiphat: That's the exact one I bought (up to 20 gallon though since our tank is 19 gallons).

i was hoping that our cars would be part of that recall for the fuel gauge. they seem to malfunction and give inaccurate readings pretty often based on reports on this forum :shakes head:

thing is though, our gauges tend to underestimate, not overestimate the amount of fuel, so there's no risk of running out of gas in the middle of nowhere or in the passing lane of a highway. so that rules out a recall. still hoping they'd at least do a tsb

My gauge just started acting up (9k mi). Now the last dot or two won't light up. Also, upon refueling, the estimated distance to empty takes forever to go up from the value just prior to filling up. This just AFTER running my first tank with Techron. Annoying.

No problems with my gauge...reads correctly and the last fuel "dot" always lights upon a full take.

oh no not again. i had my fuel pickup fixed on my 350. the car started having pickup issue ar 1/4 tanki instead of 1/8

The gas tanks were empty when the gas gauge was showing 1/4 left. I highly doubt anybody has had that issue with a Z

I get like 50-60 miles after the gauge is empty if I take it easy on the throttle. I know I shouldn't push it that far, but yeah.

Does anyone know how to troubleshoot the system? There are two fuel level gauges, the second listed as a sub level gauge. The main unit is under the passenger side shelf while the sub gauge is in the fuel tank on the driver side. Not sure which to go about fixing/replacing/adjusting. Also, do you think the 'last light doesn't illuminate' issue is just an adjustment to the floats rather than a gauge malfunction?

I may pull the shelves out and see what these fuel gauges look like myself. Seems easy enough.

I've had the last dot on the gas gauge not light up before after filling up, that's all. I tapped on it and it lit up. perhaps that's the issue - bad connection? It's not done it again since I gave it a tap.

I have to drive about 5-10km after filling up before that last dot shows up on my Z.

The only thing really is the fuel sending unit, I don't believe there is a trouble shoot for it. You may try to have the dealer reset your ecu. But the recall is due to people running out of gas and showing a 1/4 or more gas on the gauge.

My fuel gauge works perfectly.

The fuel level sensor is a simple float. Now I don't know that the sensor is the issue...but I can bend a float (like a toilet). But, I'm reluctant to do it since a misadjustment can cause bigger problems rather than fix'em. If it continues, I'll have to relegate the car to the dealer or just use a plumb line to judge my fuel tank level :).

No issues here.

Mine is dead on when the tank is full, the last led is luminated. And I make it a rule to never let the tank get down less than 1/4...so I could not tell if the lower end of the guage is having issues.

no fuel gauge problems here

Was "just tap it" in the '09 Service Manual?

^ More like hit it with your fist on the right side similiar to your grandpa's old T.V. That is the fix all.

I've noticed the same problem with my last dot not lighting up on my last two fill ups, and never came on after driving for a little while.. Ill try the "just tap it" method lol.

I also have the problem with the last light on the fuel guage now illuminating after a fill up. I've even topped the tank to where it overflowed a little. Also, if I fill my tank then take off for a long drive, the "distance to empty" doesn't change for a long time. However, once I stop, turn off the car, then restart, it registers correctly (lights and distance to empty).

I took it to the dealership and they've decided to change the fuel quantity sending unit in the gas tank. We'll see what happens. I'm not feeling very confident though...my dealership gave me the "RCA dog look" when I mentioned TSBs. They said, "I think you can look those up online." WTF?

This is exactly what just happened to me...my DTE was right...about 400 miles, but I had two lights out, then one came back on after several minutes, but the last one refused to light up. And I put a bottle of Techron in on this fill up.... I'm at about 5800 miles FWIW. Weird.

For everyone who uses the Chevron Techron gas treatment, how do you like it so far? Have you used any others? Is this pretty much the best one out now?

http://www.buythecase.net/uploads/pr...7115300132.jpg

I use the STP Gas treatment every fillup, then on the 4th I use the Complete Gas Treatment... It says every 6 months, but I do it more often just to be OCD lol.

http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/image/Cana...ge=image_na_EN

I also use The Outlaw Octane Booster, not for the awesome race quality gas it makes but for the other benefits of an octane booster...

It happened on my G35 back in 2008, gauge showed 1/4 tank but engine started spluttering and I realized I was out of fuel when the trip computer showed I had done almost 500 miles. They said the float arm was bent causing it to get stuck in that position.

How does a float arm get bent in the tank, unless your putting rocks in there?? Unless it was installed like that?

I noticed it was broken shortly after a long day of auto-x testing. I guess with a low fuel load that the arm is more free and could bend itself with its own weight given enough lateral loading.

You must of been pullin some serious lateral G's. LoL


Wonder what metal its made of, and if they should go with something a tad bit heavier to maintain strength?

FWIW, my gauge has slowly started working fine again. It was perfect until I used a bottle of Techron. Then suddenly on the next fillup, I had the last two lights out (closest to 'full'). With about 4-5 more tanks, first the second to last light came back on, and now they all light up again after a refill. I'm suspicious that the Techron applies a coating to the sensor that F's things up until it dissolves/wears off.

Interesting...I haven't filled up since I did the Techron thing, but I will definitely be thinking of this when I do. Thanx for the heads up! :tup:

I have been using Techron for years, but I usually wait until a long road trip when the car has a chance to run through the fuel treatment under full operating tempatures. I keep a few bottles in the garage and put one in before a trip.

I've always had issues with the last dot not lighting up but now I filled up and it's showing one for less than 3/4 of a tank :(

It's the fuel level sensor. I had the same problem with my X-Terra.

I know this thread is really old but I'm hoping to get some help with this issue. My '09 base 6MT has recently developed an issue like this where it will say that I've got about a 1/2 a tank but I will be out of gas on the side of the road. It's happened twice: first due to the problem just popping up out of nowhere and second due to not resetting my odometer/mileage counter after filling up. I'm thinking like everybody else said that the sending unit or the sensor to read the fuel tank is bad/broken. Any tips/suggestions so I don't have to pay the dealership +$500?

'10 AT here ran out of gas at 1/4 tank (dots) and 100 miles to empty went to 0 in 2 miles. Everything was squeaky clean when I replaced the fuel pump as a result. I now fuel up at 1 dot prior to 1/4 and definitely before 100 miles to empty and it usually takes 2-3 gallons.