Chevy Malibu Fuel Guage went down below dent

[cass2]

The Fuel dent on my Chevy mailbu went down below the dent when it was in service for getting the manifold replaced. It went past the dent which holds it and it was below, the sevice center plainly refused that they did not have anything do with that. It was fine when I dropped it there, they did not even touch my dash.

I noticed in other forums that this has happened to others also with Chevy malibu. Please let me know if there is a solution to this problem. I need to get the guage above the dent and make it go above the Empty mark. Now it lies down vertically pointing towards the ground. When I start the car it tries to go up but the dent won't let it go up. I am not sure how it got past the dent and came down.

Any help is appreciated.

PS: Never buy a malibu or any other Chevy car, its a maintenance nightmare. With my 98 malibu (40000 miles only) after the warranty period, I have replaced alternator and battery twice, replaced all tires, fixed coolant problems, replaced manifold. The A/C switch will go off automatically... and countless other problems...

that happens whenever you disconnect the battery in my car??? Don't have a clue why? But to fix it (of course the dealer wanted to charge me for it..NO WAY!) I used a paperclip and a LOT of patience!!! Just gently pull up on the needle until it slips back over the "dent".. (turn the car to "on" so that it's pushing up while you're gently pulling). Be careful though, I lost one paperclip inside and after I fixed the needle I had to spend another ten mins getting the paperclip!!

[dkguy]

I'm having the same problem with the fuel gauge pointer. Has anyone come up with the solution to this yet? Thanks.

all the dealer is going to do is actually remove your dashboard and get inside and manually put the needle back over the dent. So, you can either pay someone else to do it for you, or you can do it yourself like I described above. It took me a good half hour between fixing the needle and getting out the first paperclip that I dropped inside. Imagine how much money I saved!!!

[cjb24]

Have the same problem. I take out the cluster and tilt it til it goes back to right spot. That works until the the clips that hold the the fake wood trim in break. Hopefully I won't the car by then.

[denito]

I had the same problem. The needle flipped around. I took a small wire about 6 inches long and pushed it through the hole around the reset handle for the trip odometer then pushed the needle back up and around.

It worked nicely and was a quick easy fix.

denito

[mustang13]

Originally Posted by dmorse1978

that happens whenever you disconnect the battery in my car??? Don't have a clue why? But to fix it (of course the dealer wanted to charge me for it..NO WAY!) I used a paperclip and a LOT of patience!!! Just gently pull up on the needle until it slips back over the "dent".. (turn the car to "on" so that it's pushing up while you're gently pulling). Be careful though, I lost one paperclip inside and after I fixed the needle I had to spend another ten mins getting the paperclip!!

I understand to use the paper clip but I don't understand how to get into the dash to do that. Can you please give detailed instructions on how to fix it.
We replaced the battery and a surge of power went in and the fuel gauge flipped all the way around.
Any help you can give would be great.
Thank you,
mustang13

I used a paperclip and a LOT of patience!!! Just push the paper clip inside the dash through the hole that the odometer reset button comes out of. Then grab on to the needle with the bent end of the paper clip and gently pull up on the needle until it slips back over the "dent".. (turn the car to "on" so that it's pushing up while you're gently pulling). Be careful though, I lost one paperclip inside and after I fixed the needle I had to spend another ten mins getting the first paperclip back out!!

Or you could always figure out how to take the entire dash board off yourself. But I used a paperclip in less the 30 minutes the first time. Now I can do it in like 5 minutes. I've had to do it like 10 times..every time I disconnect my freaking battery!

[Speedy_1234]

ok ok first take off the long plastic cover form the dash to the side airbag then bring down the stretting wheel down remove the top part (just Pull) then you disconet the harzads switch also the dim light switch then remove all the sreaws around the dash meter then push up a little then pull down going out at the same time then with fingers push back the clips on the dash meter and there you got it open

[Speedy_1234]

forgot i did on my 98 I don't know it if the same for 99-2004

[garync1]

As for my 98 I removed the front trim cover.it prys off across the front part of the dash and remove the screws around the area to access the front instrument cluster screws pulled off and raise the neddles up over the stops.. This is a common problem on all chevys so WHAT EVER YOU DO.!!! Take the neg batt cable off first and them the poss.Then when you are finished with the job or replacement of the battery put the poss on first then the neg.Do this with all cars as well... A surge is what makes the guages jump out. They dont go all the way around like you might think. I tested this problem because it made me mad one time 3 times in one day and it was a matter of how you are really supposed to disconnect a battery.. Also do the same thing when jumping off another car or the same thing will happen with jumpercables.. pos on first then neg. neg off first then poss. Thats when jumping a car.. some may argue this but when you have opened the instrument panel a bunch of times you learn!!

[sswpriz]

This has happened to me a few times too. I found out that I can pull the clear plastic cluster panel cover off in about 5 minutes with the right tools and just take the needle off and put it back on for the quickest fix. Make sure you have a full tank of gas so it gets positioned correctly !! I tried the paperclip thing and all I managed to do was to pull the needle off the stem !!!