Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) fuel gauge sending unit

[Tractorat]

I got an '02 quad, 4x4, auto, sb, about 6 months ago. I never let the fuel get this low, but a couple of weeks ago I let it get down to where the gas guage said 1/8 tank. . Then the low fuel light came on. Imagine my surprise when I filled it up and could only put 23 gal in a 34 gal tank. The dealer first told me that it would give me a lot of time to find a gas station. (ha)l



Well, I took it in and had them check it out. They said there was a problem and would fix it. But when I picked it up, he said he was very prood about how they had recalibrated the sending unit. Well, they recalibrated it in the wrong direction. (The guage now says that I have 3/4 tank and it takes 23 gal of diesel)



So, I took the truck back to the dealer again. This time they said they had to order a new sending unit. Now it seems that the diesel fuel sending units are on national back order ( the dealer thinks there must be a problem with the units in most of the new trucks)



Has anyone else run into this ?

 

[RBSOB]

Sending unit

I figured out early on [1600 mile trip/6 day old truck] that my low fuel light comes on with approx. 8 gals. left and hits "E" with 2 gals. I just rember that fact and plan accordingly. I'd rather not have the dealer "fool" with it Good Luck with the new truck, Jim G.

 

[Dr.Kayak]

I ran my "Distance to Empty" on the overhead computer down to 6 miles to empty. Got 32. 5 gal. in it. That's close enough for me.

 

[Ethdee]

Mine's the same way - when I get down to 1/8 tank, I have 10 gallons left. At that point, the computer says I have about 60 miles to empty, so that's not doing too well, either. But I don't think I want the dealer working on mine unless it's necessary, either.



Still, you've given me something to think about, thanks!

 

[bboxall]

You will find that the sending unit in the tank has a 40k-60k mile life and that it it. The original sending unit in my '95 model lasted 47,000 miles. The original in my '01 lasted 42,000 miles. The '01 now has 85,000 on it and the sending unit is going flakey again. The DTE display on the computer uses the fuel gauge for its information. The average MPG and distance traveled will yield a fairly accurate amount of fuel consumed. I purchased a new sending unit yesterday (just like the last one I put in the '01 truck) for $50, Mopar part number 04897669AB.

Don't buy the entire fuel tank module, that is EXPENSIVE and you don't need it.