2001 trans am fuel gauge doesn't work
06-13-2008, 03:34 PM
#1
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2001 trans am fuel gauge doesn't work well i've been doing research, but now i am stumped again. my fuel gauge stopped working properly after last time i filled up. It was stuck on full for the longest time. then it started to go down... but it would never move as gas was consumed... just at engine startup. it would start at 3/4 tank and slowly moving.
now... it occasionally glitches/ shakes and is always saying something different. i thought it would be the fuel sending unit... but i took it to a dealership and had a diagnostic test done. they said the fuel tank part of it was fine, but it was actually the instrument cluster that was faulting and making the fuel gauge act up. all my other gauges seem to work fine.
The quotes they gave me were insanely overpriced. if someone could give me advice on what i should do to get this gauge working, please chime in.
should i believe that the cluster is actually bad? is there any fuses or anything i should check for the fuel gauge?
now... it occasionally glitches/ shakes and is always saying something different. i thought it would be the fuel sending unit... but i took it to a dealership and had a diagnostic test done. they said the fuel tank part of it was fine, but it was actually the instrument cluster that was faulting and making the fuel gauge act up. all my other gauges seem to work fine.
The quotes they gave me were insanely overpriced. if someone could give me advice on what i should do to get this gauge working, please chime in.
should i believe that the cluster is actually bad? is there any fuses or anything i should check for the fuel gauge?
06-13-2008, 05:18 PM
#3
I have the same problem with my 99 t/a. From what i've found is that it was common with the 99's to have some poorly soldered connections on the circuit board, i haven't heard anything about the 01's though.
One way to check if it's your cluster (which is what i do all the time to see if i have any gas), is to tap on the cluster lense with your knuckle. I have to give mine a pretty good wack sometimes. If it fluctuates when you try that, then you need a cluster. Until you fix whatever the problem is, remember to zero your mileage when you fill up so you'll have a n idea of how much gas you have left. I get between 275-325 miles a tank.
Good luck!
Oh and btw, i picked up a used cluster from an 02 on ebay for $55.
One way to check if it's your cluster (which is what i do all the time to see if i have any gas), is to tap on the cluster lense with your knuckle. I have to give mine a pretty good wack sometimes. If it fluctuates when you try that, then you need a cluster. Until you fix whatever the problem is, remember to zero your mileage when you fill up so you'll have a n idea of how much gas you have left. I get between 275-325 miles a tank.
Good luck!
Oh and btw, i picked up a used cluster from an 02 on ebay for $55.
06-13-2008, 09:32 PM
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thanks for the help guys. I don't have any tuning software. Yea, i have been using my odomoter as a way to estimate gas useage. i am about to take a 1200 mile drive though, so i wanted to have an accurate gas gauge for the long trip. i wish i got between 275-325.
Thanks for the tip sneaky, i will try that out.
Thanks for the tip sneaky, i will try that out.
