Hey everyone, my fuel needle has been jumpy or just doesnt read accuratley at all.. it will read a half a tank then go down to empty and the light will come on, and sometimes be at half a tank with the light on..

I replaced the whole sending unit in the back of the car but it is still doing it.. do i have a faulty gauge?? Could it be a short in the wires?

The low light is activated by a contact closed in a separate circuit when the sending unit float descends to the bottom. This simply cannot happen if the fuel in the tank is above that level. I would doubt if your problem is related to the sending unit, more likely the wiring or at the readout end.

Steve

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'91 MB 190E 2.3
'08 RAV4 Ltd 3.5
'83 Lazy Daze m'home 5.7

Had the same problem with my 90 300SE.
Put up with it for 2 years. Dealer said it was the sender.
I replaced the sender. Still didn't work. Then I replaced the gauge. Worked for about 3 months. Thought it was the gauge so I sent it out for repair. $65.00 later it was found to be good.

I always thought it was a ground somewhere. I ran a new ground from the sender. Still didn't help. Finally I ran a new signal wire from the sender connector to the gauge cluster connector.
Problem Solved for 6 months now!!!!

Took about 2 hours to run the new wire and make it "factory" looking.


BTW, I have a new sender for a 126 car that has 0 miles on it.

Hope that helps,
Dan

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1969 RS/SS Camaro Conv. L-89 Alum. Head 396 375HP 4-spd

1987 GNX #419, 2002 RX300

FS: 1934 Ford Street Rod, Blown 383 $48,500 Firm

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one option is to wait it out. my 300e had this problem for about 2 weeks, then it just went away. that was about 2 months ago and it hasn't returned yet. Although I'm sure it will eventually.

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headrivenoise... listen.

Me too.
New sending unit, same deal.
Given the number of posts, must be a common problem.
I'm liking Dan's 'bypass' wiring idea, just to see if there is a short in the wire somewhere.

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1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.