Fuel gauge/computer issue...

Evo · Post by **Evo** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:21 pm

I have a 2001 Vectra SRI 150 with 42000 on the clock.

Friday coming home from work I noticed something very strange my fuel gauge was on empty, now that may not sound very strange at all as we all know that we have to fill our cars up from time to time :roll: . The thing was I knew that I had at least half a tank of fuel left. So thought I'd check on the computer to see what Range of fuel had, well when I checked I had about 170 miles left, thought thats strange.

Next time I went to move the car on Saturday morning, it was still saying that I had 170 miles of fuel left however the petrol light was on and the gauge was showing empty. So thought I'd better drive to the petrol station just to be on the safe side. Anyway on the drive to the petrol station (about 5 miles) according to the computer I used 130 miles of fuel, literally I was using a mile of fuel every second according to the computer however my instant use was never dropped below 30 MPG.

Anyway filled up the car with fuel to the top, about

Post by **Ben** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:11 pm

It's a vectra .. it's off ebay .. you're driving it ...

Post by **Ben** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:11 pm

And it sounds expensive

Evo · Post by **Evo** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:13 pm

This motor wasn't off ebay, this was an Autotrader job...

Bladerider · Post by **Bladerider** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:23 pm

Does it smell of fuel ???

Evo · Post by **Evo** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:50 pm

No thats the thing I stopped on they bypass to have a look cause at the rate I appeared to be losing it you'd see it pissing out all over the place, but no nothing..

Fast Eddy · Post by **Fast Eddy** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 5:51 pm

Is it just using too much fuel ie a fault in the engine/management. The trip may not pick that up so thinks it can go further. Keep a can of fuel in the car and see if it does run out when the guage goes to empty.
Eddy

Bladerider · Post by **Bladerider** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 11:38 pm

Possibly the sender from the tank is "sticking" half way down - so its assuming a full tank would give you 300miles, but by half full it think s its empty and suddenly has to recalculate to make allowance for what it thinks is mega high usage.

As Eddy says, take a can of fuel with you and note the miles when the light comes on, then keep driving. If it conks out after 30-50miles then you know its working correctly and your consumption has gone through the roof, if you get another 150miles+ with the light on you know the senders gone tits in the tank.

J.

LR6GSR · Post by **LR6GSR** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 12:40 pm

Just take it to some one who can check your fault codes.
Could be so many things best to check asap

Liam