Fuel Gauge on the way out

whippet_zetec · 20-03-2005, 09:39 PM

8,900km on the clock and the zetec fuel gauge is on its way out...filled her up yesterday and the gague stuck to E for about 10km. When it did start to move it only went to half a tank (and I am sure 40L isnt half a tank in a Focus).......

will be back to Ford for a new sensor when I have the time, for now will run it on the odometer and travel on 9km/l just to be sure.

Timmeh · 22-03-2005, 06:53 PM

There is a Technical Servicing Bulletin out for this problem for the fuel sender card.

Happened in my Focus too, the problem details as the fuel gauge indicating empty after the fuel tank is topped up, and then taking a while to read the right fuel level afterwards, from what I can recall.

My fuel sender card was replaced during the vehicles 30 thousand service from memory, after advising them of the problem.

Tim

Suth · 22-03-2005, 10:22 PM

Timmeh, mine too at 33k. Common problem, warranty covered it.

whippet_zetec · 22-03-2005, 10:49 PM

yeah am not stressed about it at all, assumd it would be an easy fix, just have to be aware of the km's driven on each tank of fuel.

Suth · 22-03-2005, 10:56 PM

I thought that I was going mad...I could have sworn that the tank was full-some bastard must have syphoned from the tank, but the filler cap has a lock on it-WTF? I had put in five bucks of premium till it overflowed on my machine silver paint

whippet_zetec · 22-03-2005, 11:11 PM

lol.....well I knew I had filled it up because I'd just been at the servo so there wsas no chance the fuel tank was empty,

Cobra · 23-03-2005, 02:04 PM

Make sure when you take your car in, don't bring it on a FULL tank. It's much easier for the mechanic to replace the sender unit when the tank is not completly full as when it's full the tank must be drained and then refilled again. Try to take it in with half a tank or less, and if the mechanic knows the best way to remove the sender unit it shouldn't take more than half an hour or so.

whippet_zetec · 24-03-2005, 10:03 AM

good tip, pretty obvious one but I actually hadnt thought about it...

Cobra · 24-03-2005, 05:00 PM

I used to work at a Ford dealer, so I've replaced 100's of these units. 90% of customers would bring their car in on a completely full tank (probably to show us that it's not reading right on a full tank when we allready KNOW THAT). It just made it alot more time consuming with a full tank, because we would either have to drain the tank or siphon the fuel out and then refill it again.

Maybe other mechanics drop the tank out of the vehicle (like the TSB says) but I just unbolt it and let the tank hang down on one side and pull the fuel pump and sender out form there (hence fuel coming out if tank over half full). Theres no right or wrong way IMO as long as it's done, but doing it Fords way takes atleast an hour longer. No wonder Ford give us 2.5 hours to do it. But when you're inn a busy workshop, you seem to always have work booked in at over 100%, so you use any short cut you can.

chevaps · 12-09-2005, 06:51 PM

20 100 km and my fuel gauge is out too. Filled her up last nite with premium, didnt even pay attention to the gauge until today when i was on my way to the Ford dealer to get some dexronII for my power steering (coincidental i guess, a problem arises when im on my way to the dealer), i noticed it was hovering at half way. On the way there, it kept rising slowly, so i stoppped the car at a car park, and switched ignition on and off for a bit, still would budge. So continue on to Titan Ford, get there, fuel gauge still not reading full. So id test it one more time...... and surprise surprise, it popped to full immediately LOL (another coincidence i guess :P). But the dealer was aware of it and new how to rectify, so its booked in on Monday.

Tom

Timmeh · 12-09-2005, 07:49 PM

The fuel gauge issue is well known and a TSB has been out for it for years, so I guess they are still ironing out all the cars that had the bad fuel sender cards.

Mine started playing up on me during an observation rally, of all times, so I kept filling it up every 400kms and hoping for the best!

Tim

12-09-2005, 08:35 PM

mine did'nt go up at all the first day i picked the car up but after doing about 200klm it finally started to read near full , i though it was a very slow gauge , it's been good since but now ive read this thread next servive ill let them know.

Mick K. · 12-09-2005, 09:14 PM

Just had mine done last week (Aug 03 Zetec with 45K kms)

MK

fordel · 12-09-2005, 09:28 PM

Yeah had mine done ages ago... so far all good

Chris

zetec · 12-09-2005, 10:40 PM

Looks like we have a 100% strike rate. Mine went at 55,000km. Must be the quality of the Zetec that it lasted so long

fordel · 12-09-2005, 10:57 PM

Mine was about 20,000k or so.. was fun

Did it again after it was fixed too lol

Chris

turbo00007 · 13-11-2005, 11:48 PM

Wifes Focus has 10200ks and fuel guage is ed aswell
Looks like its another trip to Ford

warbo · 14-11-2005, 09:59 PM

Mine used to get stuck all the time, it was replaced under warranty, seemed ok for a while and then ran out of petrol one day with 1/4 tank showing on the guage......sent it back to the dealer they replace the sender again and it's been all good ever since.

Mick K. · 14-11-2005, 11:05 PM

I had my sender replaced about 5000 kms ago. Now I get the gauge reading empty and get the fuel light on when I still have close to a 1/4 tank. Today I drove about 40 freeway kms after the light came on and it would still only take 48.5 litres (tank is 55l).

Is this typical after getting a new sender put in, and it is easy / quick enough for ford dealer to sort this out?

MK

melbzetec · 21-03-2006, 10:51 PM

Does the TSB apply when the car is out of warranty?

Friends of the family with a Focus spoke to me tonight about their fuel guage doing all the classic things the Focus fuel guage does. Their friendly local dealer quoted them over $600 to fix!! I told them to go back and tell them there is a Technical Service Bulletin to cover it.

I'd assume that where it is a known design problem, it gets fixed irrespective of the warranty period. Am I right?

b2tf · 22-03-2006, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melbzetec

Does the TSB apply when the car is out of warranty?

Friends of the family with a Focus spoke to me tonight about their fuel guage doing all the classic things the Focus fuel guage does. Their friendly local dealer quoted them over $600 to fix!! I told them to go back and tell them there is a Technical Service Bulletin to cover it.

I'd assume that where it is a known design problem, it gets fixed irrespective of the warranty period. Am I right?

Yes the TSB does apply but you have to pay for the job to be done if it is out of warranty.

whippet_zetec · 22-03-2006, 02:09 PM

"holy dead thread revival Batman"..this one was started this time last year...hahaha..

melbzetec · 22-03-2006, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b2tf

Yes the TSB does apply but you have to pay for the job to be done if it is out of warranty.

I reckon that sucks! If they know it's a problem, it should be fixed

Timmeh · 24-03-2006, 03:56 PM

It's worth hitting up your local Ford dealer and asking, I believe. What's the worst they can say, no?

I have had a TSB done on a previous vehicle out of warranty before, I think the dealer has some say in if they will do it gratis or not.

Tim

FOCUSonTHIS · 24-03-2006, 05:29 PM

Mine is getting replaced on Wednesday and my focus lasted 76,000km before it packed it in