Fuel Gauge Issue

Jme370 · 11-03-2009, 01:30 PM

I just started up my Z and the fuel indicator shows no lights (empty tank). My distance til empty was flashing at 270 mi and my check engine light is on.

After driving 5 miles, the range dropped to 170 and the warning light is still on. I checked the gas cap. It is on tight. I tried power cycling the car a few times, no dice.

Has anyone experienced this with their Z? I did fill up with Premium Citgo gas last night. Thanks.

ChrisSlicks · 11-03-2009, 02:20 PM

It sounds like the ECU isn't getting a reading from the sender unit anymore. It could be a bad connection in the wiring harness or the sender completely died (rare). I've had them get stuck before such that they show a 1/2 tank when it is actually empty but never seen one lose connection altogether.

Slynky · 11-03-2009, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jme370

I just started up my Z and the fuel indicator shows no lights (empty tank). My distance til empty was flashing at 270 mi and my check engine light is on.

After driving 5 miles, the range dropped to 170 and the warning light is still on. I checked the gas cap. It is on tight. I tried power cycling the car a few times, no dice.

Has anyone experienced this with their Z? I did fill up with Premium Citgo gas last night. Thanks.

Not to make fun of your plight but that might be your problem... "Chavez gas"...

Jme370 · 11-03-2009, 04:37 PM

LOL. My tech at Nissan said the sender unit is faulty or a bad connection. He's leaning towards it being a bad unit. Unfortunately, since this is a new car, even though the active code thru diagnostic is a common problem with other models they must spend hrs troubleshooting it for Nissan to warranty it. Also if it does require a new unit, Nissan most likely has not started making them yet as was the case with my seat heater that never worked from delivery. I am currently waiting on Nissan to make a spare seat to replace it.

This is starting to sound a lot like the reliability issues that caused me to get rid of my 350z.....

Jme370 · 11-04-2009, 04:11 PM

Nissan USA confirmed today that my car is the first 370 to have this problem reported. I am sure it won't be the last. Whoever it happens to next can thank me for letting Nissan spend many days working on it so it can be troubleshooted quickly in the future! haha

KaienZ34 · 11-04-2009, 10:31 PM

my fuel light issue is different, but here goes the last few fill ups the first led (when full first led) won't light up and some times the 2nd one either not a huge deal just b@#$%ing i guess but anyone else have this ??

Benibiker · 11-04-2009, 10:43 PM

I think that digital gas gauge looks out of place, they should have put a normal gas gauge. The Mini gas gauge is similar, looks like a flower with each light a flower petal... Really gay not very accurate at all.

g96818 · 11-04-2009, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaienZ34

my fuel light issue is different, but here goes the last few fill ups the first led (when full first led) won't light up and some times the 2nd one either not a huge deal just b@#$%ing i guess but anyone else have this ??

i got the exact same problem, it irritates me, cuz i think the tank isn't full, then after a min or two of driving, all the lights light up and shows a full gauge.

Red370 · 11-04-2009, 11:26 PM

nothing wrong with mine, but I tell ya, 3rd dot doesnt last more than 5 miles before it drops down to two, pisses me off.

Jme370 · 11-05-2009, 07:27 AM

The low gas light does come on very early. It is very misleading as you can still drive fort a while although I don't recommend it. As far as the first LED not lighting up until you start driving, that could possibly be the fuel injectors?? Not sure, but thats the first thing that came to mind?

My car is still in the shop, hope to hear something today on when I can return the Rogue and get my Z back!

ChrisSlicks · 11-05-2009, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jme370

The low gas light does come on very early. It is very misleading as you can still drive fort a while although I don't recommend it. As far as the first LED not lighting up until you start driving, that could possibly be the fuel injectors?? Not sure, but thats the first thing that came to mind?

My car is still in the shop, hope to hear something today on when I can return the Rogue and get my Z back!

I don't recommend hard driving below a 1/4 tank, or you may find yourself stranded.
Car died today

kannibul · 11-05-2009, 09:10 AM

Maybe we can hope for a new gas tank and fuel pickup sender and line...

wstar · 11-05-2009, 09:30 AM

I've run my gas down super-low a few times. I have backup transportation, and these are times when I know all my driving in this car will be within a few miles radius of my house, with lots of gas stations around. What I've noticed is that at the bottom end of the gauge it's either very inaccurate or very pessimistic, one of the two. Usually it becomes pessimistic after having been shut off. Like, I'll shut it off still showing 30 miles range, and then when I start the car up a couple of hours later, after a minute of warmup it's showing the "--- Miles", whereas if I had kept driving it would have kept counting down to at least 17-ish before it does that.

I know they're trying to prevent out of gas situations for idiots, but still, I'd much rather have an accurate fuel gauge.

ChrisSlicks · 11-05-2009, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wstar

I know they're trying to prevent out of gas situations for idiots, but still, I'd much rather have an accurate fuel gauge.

Or maybe they know that the car is unreliable on low fuel?

KillerBee370 · 11-05-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g96818

i got the exact same problem, it irritates me, cuz i think the tank isn't full, then after a min or two of driving, all the lights light up and shows a full gauge.

I too have this minor irritation.

11-03-2009, 01:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jme370 Base Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 81 Drives: 10 370z Roadster Rep Power: 15	Fuel Gauge Issue I just started up my Z and the fuel indicator shows no lights (empty tank). My distance til empty was flashing at 270 mi and my check engine light is on. After driving 5 miles, the range dropped to 170 and the warning light is still on. I checked the gas cap. It is on tight. I tried power cycling the car a few times, no dice. Has anyone experienced this with their Z? I did fill up with Premium Citgo gas last night. Thanks. __________________ 2010 370ZR Touring <PG/Blk 6 spd>Sport.Mats.Kicks. Sold.2009 370Z Touring<MB/Grey 6spd>Mats.Aero.Nav.

11-03-2009, 04:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
Jme370 Base Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 81 Drives: 10 370z Roadster Rep Power: 15	LOL. My tech at Nissan said the sender unit is faulty or a bad connection. He's leaning towards it being a bad unit. Unfortunately, since this is a new car, even though the active code thru diagnostic is a common problem with other models they must spend hrs troubleshooting it for Nissan to warranty it. Also if it does require a new unit, Nissan most likely has not started making them yet as was the case with my seat heater that never worked from delivery. I am currently waiting on Nissan to make a spare seat to replace it. This is starting to sound a lot like the reliability issues that caused me to get rid of my 350z..... __________________ 2010 370ZR Touring <PG/Blk 6 spd>Sport.Mats.Kicks. Sold.2009 370Z Touring<MB/Grey 6spd>Mats.Aero.Nav.

11-04-2009, 04:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jme370 Base Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 81 Drives: 10 370z Roadster Rep Power: 15	Nissan USA confirmed today that my car is the first 370 to have this problem reported. I am sure it won't be the last. Whoever it happens to next can thank me for letting Nissan spend many days working on it so it can be troubleshooted quickly in the future! haha __________________ 2010 370ZR Touring <PG/Blk 6 spd>Sport.Mats.Kicks. Sold.2009 370Z Touring<MB/Grey 6spd>Mats.Aero.Nav.

11-04-2009, 11:26 PM	#9 (permalink)
Red370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Kaiserslautern, Germany Posts: 4,391 Drives: your mom to church Rep Power: 295	nothing wrong with mine, but I tell ya, 3rd dot doesnt last more than 5 miles before it drops down to two, pisses me off. __________________ 2011 Mustang 5.0 \| 3.55's \| Lethal Performance off road H-Pipe \| Magnaflow Muffler Delete \| JLT CAI/Bama tuned 417whp/ 404 ft/lbs

11-05-2009, 07:27 AM	#10 (permalink)
Jme370 Base Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 81 Drives: 10 370z Roadster Rep Power: 15	The low gas light does come on very early. It is very misleading as you can still drive fort a while although I don't recommend it. As far as the first LED not lighting up until you start driving, that could possibly be the fuel injectors?? Not sure, but thats the first thing that came to mind? My car is still in the shop, hope to hear something today on when I can return the Rogue and get my Z back! __________________ 2010 370ZR Touring <PG/Blk 6 spd>Sport.Mats.Kicks. Sold.2009 370Z Touring<MB/Grey 6spd>Mats.Aero.Nav.

11-03-2009, 02:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
ChrisSlicks A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North East Posts: 6,203 Drives: 09 370Z Sport M6 Rep Power: 653	It sounds like the ECU isn't getting a reading from the sender unit anymore. It could be a bad connection in the wiring harness or the sender completely died (rare). I've had them get stuck before such that they show a 1/2 tank when it is actually empty but never seen one lose connection altogether.

11-04-2009, 10:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
KaienZ34 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: LA. not L.a. Posts: 21,652 Drives: Z34 Tour/Sport Rep Power: 177	my fuel light issue is different, but here goes the last few fill ups the first led (when full first led) won't light up and some times the 2nd one either not a huge deal just b@#$%ing i guess but anyone else have this ??

11-05-2009, 09:10 AM	#12 (permalink)
kannibul A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Jenks, OK Posts: 2,281 Drives: 370z Touring/Sport Rep Power: 266	Maybe we can hope for a new gas tank and fuel pickup sender and line...

11-05-2009, 09:30 AM	#13 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3594	I've run my gas down super-low a few times. I have backup transportation, and these are times when I know all my driving in this car will be within a few miles radius of my house, with lots of gas stations around. What I've noticed is that at the bottom end of the gauge it's either very inaccurate or very pessimistic, one of the two. Usually it becomes pessimistic after having been shut off. Like, I'll shut it off still showing 30 miles range, and then when I start the car up a couple of hours later, after a minute of warmup it's showing the "--- Miles", whereas if I had kept driving it would have kept counting down to at least 17-ish before it does that. I know they're trying to prevent out of gas situations for idiots, but still, I'd much rather have an accurate fuel gauge. __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

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