2000 Suburban with fuel gauge misbehaving

[johnr2]

I just bought this Suburban (after my '97 burnt to the ground) and I'm having intermittant problems with the fuel gauge. Just after I fill the tank the gauge goes to 'E' and the low fuel light comes on. I drive for a while and the gauge comes back for 5 minutes or so and then again cuts out and goes to low fuel (light and gauge)! This appears to have happened for the last two fills. It appears also that after the tank gets to 3/4 full or so, everything works (for now anyhow)?! Anyone got any ideas.

PS I'm still dealing with the dealership I bought this at, so I'm hoping they find the problem and don't get me to pay for it....but I'd still like to see if anyone has ideas.

thanks

[GMMerlin]

Most likely a bad sending unit.

[johnr2]

Thanks for the idea.

I was thinking more about the problem and it appears that vehicle I purchased may have been going between dealers for a while. This makes me suspect that the gas tank would not have been fully filled for many months (maybe even a year according to one dealer). Since the problem only appears to occur when I fill the tank.

Could there be some relationship between the tank not being filled for a while and now having problems with the gauge only when it's filled?

The gauge works fine once it gets below full.

[maheath]

Did you ever resolve this problem? Because I just started seeing this last week. 2000 Suburban (new style) 89k miles.

From my experience with other models, I suspect the sending unit, but I'm open to other ideas.

[johnr2]

Originally Posted by maheath

Did you ever resolve this problem? Because I just started seeing this last week. 2000 Suburban (new style) 89k miles.

From my experience with other models, I suspect the sending unit, but I'm open to other ideas.

Never did resolve the issue. The KIA dealership that I bought the vehicle from last Feb'04 got me to use a fuel system cleaner product from Chev for three or four fills ... did nothing. In the end the dealership agreed that the only solution would be to replace the sending unit. Someone also recommended that when the sending unit is replaced, the fuel pump should also be replaced (a mechanic showed me one .... the fuel pump sits in the sending unit and both are dropped into the top of the fuel tank). I understand both units cost somewhere around $400 plus labour. The KIA dealership and I agreed that when things get worse, the dealership would replace the units at a very reduced cost.

Hope this helps,
John

[slacker_53]

I guarantee that the problem is the sender and I totally agree with replacing the pump at the same time. I've had four or five of these done in the last couple of years (not to the same vehicle!!) and the whole cost at the GM dealership was around $400 parts and labor.

-slacker

[Luckeedawg]

Just read about your fuel guage problems. Hope you have them straightened out by now. I have the same problem with my 2000 burb....except mine does not act up until it reaches less than half tank. It's great until then but when the needle drops below half, the guage suddenly drops to the left, the low fuel light comes on and the check engine soon light comes on. Also, my fuel pump has a high pitch whistle that has been there for about a year. I guess the $400 fuel pump is the only option.

[Joe Wathey]

I have noticed that alot of gm vehicals have that problem. It is the sending unit that is the problem. Have fixed quite a few of them. You can purchase a new gauge asymbly through your local gm dealer of purchase a new module assymbly through them or through a after market dealer. The gauge consists of a swiper and a board. The swiper has little fingures on it that ware off and don't make contact any more and the board gets a film on it from the fuel. Hope this helps any one having this problem.

[j cAT]

this is what to expect with this vehicle. my 2000 silverado has had this for 8yrs now. caused by fuel additives reacting with the fuel sender pick up reostat in the fuel tank pump assy. when the fuel pump fails this will be fixed.

using injector cleaner[techron] with some marvel MYSTERY OIL helps with this , but not a FIX............

thanks to GM !

[maheath]

A few years ago, Chevy had a recall, at least for the Suburban, that fixed this problem. Mine had over 100k miles and they fixed it for free. There was some sort of fire danger, so they were forced to fix it.