Fuel Guage acting up??

[leadsled]

I have a 2000 Limited.

Recently, the fuel guage has begun to read incorrectly. After a fill up, it reads about 1/8 tank less than full. It is as though the sending unit is not going all of the way to the top.

Anyone else experience this?

I'm thinking about hunting down the electrical connections on the tank and cleaning them, but didn't want to do that if someone else has a fix for this.

leadsled

[DevinSixtySeven]

good luck with the electrical connection on top of the tank, it's a pain to get to and off. i squished myself between the driveshaft and the tank and spotted the connector, then had to duck back and feel around for it. the wire side fits inside the tank portion which sticks out from the tank (it's plastic), and has a small clamp like the ones that hold the spark plug wiring harnesses in place. the clamp faces toward the passenger side of the truck. i couldnt get the darn thing off, not to say that a carefully wielded set of pliers couldn't, but that's risking a lot...

besides, it may just be the level sensor...which means dropping the fuel tank. easy, but tedious, if the many connections in the manual are any indication.

i have only experienced a flaky fuel gauge once, and only once, on my 2000...the problem hasnt returned yet...my suspicion is the level gauge not the electronics...dunno exactly the tundra level gauge type, but it is not a bob like the old gauges, if the manual is any indicator.

-sean

[DaveS]

A funny dealer semi-horror story accompanies my reply...

My fuel gauge read about an 1/8 tank low from the first day I got it...after about 2 months, I finally took it in and had the dealer take a look at it. I thought it might be the fuel sending unit, but they diagnosed the problem as a faulty gauge.

I really didn't look forward to the techs tearing the dash out of my 2 month old truck to fix a minor problem and I expressed some reservations (to the service writer, not the tech), but after they repeatedly assured me that they were always careful, I reluctantly agreed.

I should have known...I got the truck back after the "repair" and it looked like someone had gone at the dash with a screwdriver! It was pried up in several places and gouged in several others. I immediately got the service manager and we went to inspect the damage. The tech who performed the work was called over and I asked how he got the dash off. I said, "It looks like you tried to pry the thing off with a screwdriver." To which he said, "I might have...s**t happens, man!" Then he walked off... My jaw almost hit the floor and I was turning to ask the service manager what kind of operation they ran when I noticed they were standing there in shock and slack-jawed as well. Needless to say, my entire dash was replaced, I got a few free tanks of gas out of it, and the tech no longer works there...

But my gauge works...