Are you in the market for a new vehicle and considering rising gas prices during your shopping process?

A reporter from a national news publication would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by Wednesday, 3/25 for details.

Getting really bad gas mileage/Gas Gauge Fluctuate

celicachick86celicachick86 Member Posts: 3
edited March 2015 in Toyota
I have a 2002 Toyota Celica GT and I seem to be getting horrible gas mileage. I have replaced the Sending Unit.

Also, I have attached a collage of photos that I was able to capture on my cell phone of what its doing to help understand what could be the problem/issue. If you need further information to identify the problem, please ask.
Any help is much appreciated.

Thank you so much!


Tagged:

Comments

  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,876
    Are you referring to the different fuel levels displayed over some 26 miles? The fuel sloshes in the tank, so the instrument cluster buffers the signal so that the gage doesn't flash up and down all of the time. Besides, a fuel gage isn't a precision instrument that will operate in a totally linear fashion. The only way to really know your fuel mileage is to start with a full tank. (That does not mean top it off until it is visible in the filler, just stop when the pump clicks off.) Record your cars mileage. Then the next time you fill up, take the miles that you traveled and divide it my the gallons of fuel that it took to refill and you will have your number.
  • celicachick86celicachick86 Member Posts: 3
    Yes, the gas gauge keeps fluctuating. This only happens when it gets down to quarter of a tank and then goes really crazy. Gas gauge was nearly empty and then as I'm driving it went up 3 bars extra (it fooled me)!!! Told me i was out and I need gas but then as i was driving to the gas station, said never-mind lol ... So its very confusing.
  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,876
    Sometimes we see instrument clusters where the buffering of the input signal from the fuel level sender fails. The buffer runs when the engine is running using the tachometer signal as its command to turn on. Every time you shut the car off and then restart the gage starts off by displaying what the sender is commanding. If the car is parked at an angle that level could be incorrect so then over a few minutes the display will change to what ever the buffered level would be.
  • celicachick86celicachick86 Member Posts: 3
    Found the problem.. faulty fuel sending unit :open_mouth:
  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,876
    So the first one that was installed was defective?
  • AaryanAaryan Member Posts: 1
    I bought a 2009 Dodge Avenger sxt 2 months ago. I am having problem with the mileage that car is giving .The last time I full the tank around 50 dollar but I just drove 213 km .wgat should I do to fix it out? Thanks 
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy

By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our Visitor Agreement.