What are the symptoms of a faulty fuel level sensor?
2 Answers
The symptoms of a faulty fuel level sensor are: 1. The fuel gauge will not display the fuel level or will display inaccurately, making it inconvenient for the driver to know the amount of fuel in the gas tank; 2. This can lead to the car running out of fuel midway and being unable to drive. The car fuel level sensor, also known as the fuel tank float, is commonly referred to as the fuel gauge sensor. Normally, the car fuel level sensor is integrated with the fuel pump. The float stays on the surface of the fuel due to buoyancy, and the position of the float indicates the liquid level. By knowing the liquid level height and the shape of the fuel tank, the volume of fuel in the tank can be determined. In reality, the float in the fuel tank is a sliding variable resistor. The movement of the float changes the resistance in the circuit, which is then reflected by the fuel gauge pointer on the dashboard.
I've been driving for almost ten years and have experienced a faulty fuel level sender. The symptoms are quite obvious: the fuel gauge needle gets stuck at full or empty, sometimes jumping and shaking violently while driving, which can be quite unsettling. The low fuel light comes on for no reason—even right after filling up—and falsely warns you about running out of gas. It almost left me stranded a few times. Upon inspection, it’s likely due to aging and dirt clogging, affecting the sender's ability to accurately detect fuel levels. Once, on the highway, my fuel gauge showed half a tank but suddenly dropped to empty, scaring me into pulling over at the nearest service area. The mechanic found the sender was corroded. If left unfixed, the risk of breaking down increases, not to mention wasting money on unnecessary refueling. I recommend getting it checked and replaced at a professional shop.
