98 ultra fuel guage

[98buickguy]

I have a 1998 Ultra and the fuel guage is pointing to the 8 O'clock position on the opposite side of the peg on the E side. Does not move from this spot. All fuel calculations still work and display. Fuel low lite still comes on when it should. Peg looks too high for needle to have jumped over. Any suggestions as to where to start troubleshooting ??

[tman]

your fuel pump and sending unit may be bad. Your fuel guage if traveling backwards to reach the position you described. replacing those two parts oughta fix it.

[99ssconv]

sounds like you had a voltage spike, remove the cluster lens and see if you can remove the pin to let the gauge go back to normal, you can remove the needle but thessee are hard to reinstall at the right spot.

[98buickguy]

Thanks for the tip. I followed the maint book troubleshooting tree and can up empty handed. Considered moving the needle manually but wasn't too sure how it would effect accurracy. Will try to move the peg and will report back results. Figured if fuel sending unit was bad I would be getting a fault code. We will see.......... Thanks again

[98buickguy]

Finally decided to take action. Removed guage cluster and input plug, removed lens cover. Rotated needle back(counterclockwise) to its original postion on the correct side of the peg. Applied power and needle reset itself. WHO HOOOOO!. Needle reset itself and now reads correctly.

Thanks 99ssconv for the tip!!!!!

[avia6]

Originally Posted by 98buickguy

Finally decided to take action. Removed guage cluster and input plug, removed lens cover. Rotated needle back(counterclockwise) to its original postion on the correct side of the peg. Applied power and needle reset itself. WHO HOOOOO!. Needle reset itself and now reads correctly.

Thanks 99ssconv for the tip!!!!!

Just got the same problem on my 98 Ultra after my battery died.
I would appreciate very much if You could tell me how to remove a gauge cluster and a lens.

Thanks.

[99ssconv]

Remove the IP cluster trim plate. Place a protective cloth on the steering column in order to protect the column from scratches.



Remove the cluster fasteners (2).
Remove the instrument cluster (1).



Disconnect the electrical connector (1) from the cluster.
Compress the 4 instrument cluster lens retaining tabs (2).
Remove the instrument cluster lens.
Installation Procedure





Important
Remove any finger prints, dirt or contaminates on the instrument cluster lens surface before assembling.


Align the instrument cluster lens to the instrument cluster.
Carefully push inward in order to fasten the lens retaining tabs (2).
Install the instrument panel cluster.


Installation Procedure




Connect the instrument cluster electrical connector (1).



Install the instrument cluster (1).

Notice
Use the correct fastener in the correct location. Replacement fasteners must be the correct part number for that application. Fasteners requiring replacement or fasteners requiring the use of thread locking compound or sealant are identified in the service procedure. Do not use paints, lubricants, or corrosion inhibitors on fasteners or fastener joint surfaces unless specified. These coatings affect fastener torque and joint clamping force and may damage the fastener. Use the correct tightening sequence and specifications when installing fasteners in order to avoid damage to parts and systems.


Install the fasteners (2). Tighten
Tighten the fasteners to 1.5 N·m (14 lb in).

Install the IP cluster trim plate.

[avia6]

Thanks 99ssconv for Your reply.

I will give it a try.

[pimp98]

thanks guys my 98 ultra also had that problem because of a bad battery took the cluster out moved the needle couterclockwise and now works just fine thought i needed a new guage cluster thanks once again for the info

[harwant]

This post helped me too. Thanks to everyone who contributed. I cheated a bit though. Instead of removing the gauge cluster completely, I pulled it forward as much I could confortably. Crack opened the lens assembly close to the fuel guage (between the black plastic and the rear white plastic; both were held together by four mounting screws). Using a skinny screw driver, gently turned the needle back to zero.

For those, who need more info on how to open the instument cluster, this is what I had to do:

1. Carefully snapped out the shiny trim pieces on the dash (the one with headlight and passenger side climate control on it). Not sure if this was an absolute must, but did anyways.

2. Carefully snapped out a small plastic moulding/panel piece from the side of the dash (I had to open the driver door for that). A small plastic vent hose could come out with it. Removed s screw hiding under this panel, which was holding the instrument cluster trim/mould.

3. Carefully snaped out the cluster trim.

4. Removed 4 screwes holding the cluster. One of the screws was hiding under a air return duct.

I hope this will help newcomers, just like it helped me.

[edicted]

I have had this problem 4 times. It was under warranty when it happened. The shop ended up doing just what was described - removing the dash and moving it back my hand. After the 4th time the GM was sick of dealing with it so the had the car 2 days and went end to end.

They had already replaced the fuel pump and sending unit. Battery was good.

The found after all of their work that it was a bad ground somewhere in the rear causing a "static pin" of the gauge.

[tman]

Where is this bad ground you refer to?

[edicted]

I believe it was for the fuel pump/sending unit. "A bad ground was discovered in the rear" was how it was told to me.

[fallen4shell]

I work in an auto repair shop for a living and I see this fuel guage problem quite a bit in late model GM vehicles (this includes: buick, oldsmobile, pontiac, chevy, etc...). It seems to be a problem primarily in 98 and 99 year models. While I am unsure WHY it happens, I know exactly HOW and WHEN it happens so I thought I would give you guys the head's up. The needles in your guages are some kind of electromagnetically controlled and they all JUMP every time that the battery or main batter fuse is disconnected and then re-connected. So if you ever have a dead battery...you can pretty much count on having to deal with this problem again. To fix it, I usually superglue a peg just below the full mark on the fuel guage so that when it jumps it cannot go all the way around.

My boss called our local dealership about this and they admitted they had seen several cars with this problem but they didn't know what was causing it. IT WILL HAPPEN EVERY TIME YOU RECONNECT THE BATTERY! Anyway, I have yet to figure out a way to prevent it from happening to begin with. I tried such things as pulling fuses related to the instrument cluster before I re-connected the battery wich DID allow me to reconnect the battery with not trouble, but then as soon as I put the fuse back in the needle jumped all the way back around. Somebody at the GM factory just didn't think something through apparently.

I found the post interesting about the bad ground in the rear of the vehicle being the cause...I'll have to follow up on that. I would be interested in knowing if "edicted" has had the problem again since they "fixed" it that time.

[anant369]

I drilled a small hole in the lens and used a paper clip to rotate the needle. This worked better for me as the problem has happened more than once.