02 gas gauge problems

[Bigtrite]

My gas gauge has always worked great. Today my wife filled the tank and drove down the road. After about a mile the gauge dropped to empty and the low fuel light came on. When she got home it jumped back to full again. When I got home from work I started it and it was reading empty. I messed around pulling it on steep hills and it went part way up and stopped then dropped to empty again then up to full. It kinda does whatever it wants to at this point. I’m thinking it’s the fuel pump/ sending unit but I hate to buy one and drop the tank if you guys have another idea. Both pictures were while I was sitting still on a flat surface in drive. When it does go up to full it take a bit. It jumps a hair then stops. Then jumps a hair then stops and does that until it reaches full.

 

[OR VietVet]

The dash cluster stepper motors are a known problem on the NBS, 2000-2006 rigs.

Plenty of threads here about this problem. But, it could still be the fuel sender.

 

[Bigtrite]

The dash cluster stepper motors are a known problem on the NBS, 2000-2006 rigs.

Plenty of threads here about this problem. But, it could still be the fuel sender.

I considered the stepper motor. Iv replaced those on a few older GMs but this acts differently than all the other ones Iv seen that had a failed stepper motor. That’s why I figured it could be the sending unit.

 

[strutaeng]

Hook up a scanner that reads fuel level and monitor the voltage to see if it's fluctuating, to rule out stepper motor.

I've got an 04 suburban with the dual tank setup that's giving me the issue, except it's my aux. tank (also have a code for it.) I recently monitored the aux. tank fuel level voltage and it seems to fluctuate just idling, so I started to suspect the sender. I'm sending my cluster because it has a parasitic battery drain, but after that I'm going after the fuel level sender.

 

[SilverSport]

when I have had issues with the fuel gauge (the one's I had just stopped registering) I've been able to clean them up with a double dose of Chevron Techron Complete Fuel System Cleaner...

I've been able to "fix" stuck fuel gauges on a 2001 Corvette, 2006 Corolla and a 2007 F150 if the unit in the tank is your issue...

Good luck,

Bill

 

[Fless]

Hook up a scanner that reads fuel level and monitor the voltage to see if it's fluctuating, to rule out stepper motor.

I've got an 04 suburban with the dual tank setup that's giving me the issue, except it's my aux. tank (also have a code for it.) I recently monitored the aux. tank fuel level voltage and it seems to fluctuate just idling, so I started to suspect the sender. I'm sending my cluster because it has a parasitic battery drain, but after that I'm going after the fuel level sender.

^^ This. Use the scanner to see what the sender is reporting. And IIRC the '02 clusters should be using air core stepper motors, not the same as the '03-'06 stepper motors.