Fuel gauge not going up . . . . .

P

paulgs1000

Lifer
 Newcastle upon Tyne
After a great hoon this afternoon was on the orange light and filled up at Tescos.

Driving away I saw that the fuel gauge had not risen from less than a quarter full?

Had the lady in the kiosk do a pump check and it was delivering fuel so I tried to put more fuel in the tank and it WAS full! :o

Anyone have this problem before? Is it the sender? Is there a fuse? Why is it reading just over a quarter full now - float stuck?

How difficult is it to change the sender (with a full tank of fuel :cry: )?
 
You may find it is going up the more you drive for a while, seen it on other BMWs but not heard about this one on a Z.
 
This happened to me a couple of weeks ago, I left the petrol station and then realised that it didn't fill up. I put £50 in and the nozzle stopped so I presumed it was filled. They did a pump test and everything was fine, on my way home the gauge was filling up very slowly maybe about an hour to get to full. Ever since then it's been working fine.
 
HinesBeans said:
This happened to me a couple of weeks ago, I left the petrol station and then realised that it didn't fill up. I put £50 in and the nozzle stopped so I presumed it was filled. They did a pump test and everything was fine, on my way home the gauge was filling up very slowly maybe about an hour to get to full. Ever since then it's been working fine.
Click to expand...

Just checked mine about a half hour later and no change . . . .we shall see.
 
paulgs1000 said:
HinesBeans said:
This happened to me a couple of weeks ago, I left the petrol station and then realised that it didn't fill up. I put £50 in and the nozzle stopped so I presumed it was filled. They did a pump test and everything was fine, on my way home the gauge was filling up very slowly maybe about an hour to get to full. Ever since then it's been working fine.
Click to expand...

Just checked mine about a half hour later and no change . . . .we shall see.
Click to expand...

The more you drive it, it should go up .. If she's just sat about it won't go up.
 
Agreed on that one. The one I had would only move by the shake of the car and would take about 50 miles to get to full.
 
HinesBeans said:
The more you drive it, it should go up .. If she's just sat about it won't go up.
Click to expand...

pvr said:
Agreed on that one. The one I had would only move by the shake of the car and would take about 50 miles to get to full.
Click to expand...

Interesting - I'll see how it responds, thanks.
 
Something needs to get you in an M, that is two of the three musketeers whose cars are limping so read the signs :evil:
 
Bad news Paul, I think it is to do with one of the two tank level sensors having a build up of stuff on the sensors. From what I have read it normally happens if you use cheap petrol :o but rarely if you use good fuel with adatives added like Shell.

Came across this article which I have just copied from another site hope it helps. Others hopefully might also have an input.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BU52-EUR-02-2008-E85-BMW-Z4_30si&diagId=16_0541

That squarish looking thingy on the top of part number 1 is the float. The car's CPU takes a look at both levels and determines what your fuel level is at, the reason why it fills to mid-way and doesn't move for a few days as the tank drains from use is because the sensor failed in the bank of the tank that drains first. As the lever arm moves up and down, a small piece of magnet moves past a gold plated sensor, if the sensor is gunked up then it doesn't show a reading.
 
Swiftly said:
Bad news Paul, I think it is to do with the tank level sensors being a build up of stuff on the sensors. From what I have read it normally happens if you use cheap petrol :o but rarely if you use good fuel with adatives added like Shell.

Came across this article which I have just copied from another site hope it helps. Others hopefully might also have an input.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BU52-EUR-02-2008-E85-BMW-Z4_30si&diagId=16_0541

That squarish looking thingy on the top of part number 1 is the float. The car's CPU takes a look at both levels and determines what your fuel level is at, the reason why it fills to mid-way and doesn't move for a few days as the tank drains from use is because the sensor failed in the bank of the tank that drains first. As the lever arm moves up and down, a small piece of magnet moves past a gold plated sensor, if the sensor is gunked up then it doesn't show a reading.
Click to expand...

Why's it all bad news? I had this problem a couple of weeks ago.. And ever since that day everything's fine.
 
HinesBeans said:
Swiftly said:
Bad news Paul, I think it is to do with the tank level sensors being a build up of stuff on the sensors. From what I have read it normally happens if you use cheap petrol :o but rarely if you use good fuel with adatives added like Shell.

Came across this article which I have just copied from another site hope it helps. Others hopefully might also have an input.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BU52-EUR-02-2008-E85-BMW-Z4_30si&diagId=16_0541

That squarish looking thingy on the top of part number 1 is the float. The car's CPU takes a look at both levels and determines what your fuel level is at, the reason why it fills to mid-way and doesn't move for a few days as the tank drains from use is because the sensor failed in the bank of the tank that drains first. As the lever arm moves up and down, a small piece of magnet moves past a gold plated sensor, if the sensor is gunked up then it doesn't show a reading.
Click to expand...

Why's it all bad news? I had this problem a couple of weeks ago.. And ever since that day everything's fine.
Click to expand...

Its not all bad news, since as refueling must have dislodged or cleaned the small amount of build up from the sensor. I was only posting a possible cause with a detailed explanation of how the sensors work.
 
Thanks for that Nick - it's useful to see what we're talking about. If it's cheap petrol I wonder if a fuel additive/cleaner would help?

Driving and therefore sloshing the fuel about, might clean the sensor so I'll see if it corrects itself but what do you think about the fuel cleaner additive idea?
 
pvr said:
Something needs to get you in an M, that is two of the three musketeers whose cars are limping so read the signs :evil:
Click to expand...

:rofl: am getting there just one job at a time haha
 
I had this once in my old company 1 series... Stayed like that for over a week and a refill (which inly needed half a tank as i lost track of miles!) as booked it in to BMW to look at it and the day before the appt it just fixed itself!

Interesting on my 1er the digital fual range and mpg still worked.. Just the analog fuel needle stayed on the first line.

For £5 throw some redex in on a refuel... See if it helps... Maybe with some V power...

User redex a couple of times on my Z... No negative (or improvements) noticed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Fuel gauge not going past 3/4 full
Replies
2
Views
349
colb
colb
S
Fuel gauge failure due to Fuel tank venting value
Replies
0
Views
143
Shakespeares
S
IAmOrion
Fuel Gauge Voltages
Replies
0
Views
97
IAmOrion
IAmOrion
B
Coupe Si Fuel Gauge issue ('06)
Replies
3
Views
257
Mr Tidy
Mr Tidy
H
Fuel gauge
Replies
0
Views
230
HinesBeans
H
Back
Top Bottom