Fuel Gauge Problem - Vauxhall Vectra

[Craig Pickles]

Hi,

I have just got a 1996 vauxhall vectra 1.6 GLS and am happy with it ( Ihad also posted a question earlier regarding the lcd panel). However, today we did a 150 mile trip and the drive was excellent, the car seems very sound, except I had a problem with the Fuel Guage.

My Fuel Guage says it can hold max 60 litres. I filled the car up to the point where the petrol pump wouldnt fill. And the fuel guage showed full.

After driving there (75 miles) the guage was on about 28 litres, less than half full. I got a bit worried because either the car was very inneficient (I was expecting around 10 miles per litre, 45 mpg) or was leaking petrol or the fuiel guage was wrong. Either way I might not have been able to get back, so I filled her up again. However, the pump would only allow me to put 9 Litres in before stopping and the fuel guage showed full which basically added 30 litres to the fuel guage. This points to a fault fuel guage?

Has anybody else had a problem like this? Is it easy to fix? How much is the likely cost for a garage to do it?

Thanks in advance for any help

Craig

 

[mikeFNB]

yep sadly a very typical problem
most vauxhalls of than era suffer the same.
useless level readings, just poor reader design sadly.
nothing can be done about it.
mike

 

[Gary Millar]

yep sadly a very typical problem
most vauxhalls of than era suffer the same.
useless level readings, just poor reader design sadly.
nothing can be done about it.
mike

My old carlton estate had the same sort of problem. The spare wheel well is actually recessed into where the fuel tank sits, and effectivelly removes one half of the capacity the top half of the tank should be able to hold ( hope you understand). The effect of this was that for the first half tank of fuel it only went 100 miles and the second half 300 miles. Scary the first time you see it happen but you get use to it.

 

[Craig Pickles]

My old carlton estate had the same sort of problem. The spare wheel well is actually recessed into where the fuel tank sits, and effectivelly removes one half of the capacity the top half of the tank should be able to hold ( hope you understand). The effect of this was that for the first half tank of fuel it only went 100 miles and the second half 300 miles. Scary the first time you see it happen but you get use to it.

Thanks for everybodys reply

This is only my second car since I passed my test (First was an astra estate which seemed spot on regarding the fuel gauge) so I thought there was major problem. Seems not. Now I guess I just have to trust it and get used to it.

I mainly travel with the family (Three kids in the back) So I think I will carry a petrol container in the back just in case for a few weeks to get me to the nearest petrol station in case it catches me unaware

So thanks again for everbodys help I'm sure I'll need your help quite a bit over the course of owning this car

Thanks

Craig

 

[Martin (archive)]

Now I guess I just have to trust
it and get used to it.

I have the same non-linear fuel-gauge issue with our 96 veccy. What I always do, though (and have with previous cars) is reset trip mileage everytime I fill up. Providing you always fill right up, this provides a very reliable gauge. And you quickly get to know the tank-range.

 

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On Sat, 03 Sep 2005 21:54:57 +0100, Craig Pickles <Craig Pickles> said... |Hi, | |I have just got a 1996 vauxhall vectra 1.6 GLS and am happy with it ( |Ihad also posted a question earlier regarding the lcd panel). |However, today we did a 150 mile trip and the drive was excellent, the |car seems very sound, except I had a problem with the Fuel Guage. | |My Fuel Guage says it can hold max 60 litres. I filled the car up to |the point where the petrol pump wouldnt fill. And the fuel guage |showed full. | |After driving there (75 miles) the guage was on about 28 litres, less |than half full. I got a bit worried because either the car was very |inneficient (I was expecting around 10 miles per litre, 45 mpg) or was |leaking petrol or the fuiel guage was wrong. Either way I might not |have been able to get back, so I filled her up again. However, the |pump would only allow me to put 9 Litres in before stopping and the |fuel guage showed full which basically added 30 litres to the fuel |guage. This points to a fault fuel guage? | |Has anybody else had a problem like this? Is it easy to fix? How much |is the likely cost for a garage to do it? | |Thanks in advance for any help | |Craig | I have a 1.8 Veccy with an unreliable fuel gauge, too. If I start the car with the front uphill, the gauge is as low as 0, and the fuel reserve light goes on, and STAYS low. Simply reversing the car with the front downhill and shutting down the engine for an instant - thus resetting the dashboard - the fuel gauge usually resets to a much correct indication, usually more than half tank. The tank is very large and flat, so the level difference between full and empty is really small, hence the tolerance of the reading is big. Don't worry, it's a minor problem. You're not gonna end without fuel all in a sudden. If you thing that the gauge is reporting a wrong level, stop the car in a flat and straight road, and restart. Anyway, if you're feeling the car running awkward, sluggish or underperforming... look at the handbrake! Just joking, you can't blow away more than half a tank of fuel for 70 miles, even with a blown-up engine.