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Fuel Gauge Faulty Reading

V

vDuB_SpLiTsCrEeN

PCGB Member
Member
Hey Hey,

I have owned my 996 just coming on to 12 months now and every time I have fuelled up I have filled it....Until yesterday.

I only had 20 quid on me, the light had been on for a few miles and the digital reading gave me 20 miles.
After leaving the petrol station the gauge and digital reading didnt alter? I was expecting to get 1/4 of a tank atleast!

I was only a mile or so from work so off I went. I left work and drove home via the petrol station again. This time a filled up and the gauge went to full and digital reading went to +330 miles. It only took the £45ish pounds I expected with putting in £20 earlier.

Anyone else had this problem and got any fixes? It is in for service soon so I can get them to look into it.

Many Thanks

David Newman
 
Not sure its curable. Mine is exactly the same. Is yours a C4? It's to do with the mechanical float in the tank only working when the tank is over 1/4 full because of the shape of the fuel tank, the rest is then down to computer guesswork with the guage giving a prediction of what's left based upon recent usage.

I have never managed to put more than 55 litres of fuel in mine (I always fill it) as I can't stand driving around with the low fuel light on and the computer reading zero miles to go - even though the tank is really 1/4 full...
 
Yeah its a 1999 C4 Cab TipS

Normally the light never even gets a chance to come on! I can live with it, like I said I always fill up anyway, this was just a one off. Never been one for sticking in a few quid here n a few more there. Just fill it up and have done with it!

Thanks Rob

David
 
Hi David. This is a common problem. I have a C2 996 (M2003). I've always filled the tank whenever I put any fuel in. If I let the fuel run to less than a quarter of a tank the gauge doesn't register that I've put any in at all! I originally took this to my OPC when the car was still under warranty and they said that it was common - but didn't really provide a solution to the problem. The problem just rights itself after I've left the car for about half an hour or so. There was a thread on here at some point relating to the route that the breather pipe takes. Someone said that it was due to this that the fuel was not being registered and that there was an alternative route for the pipe. I know that the C4 has problems due to the horseshoe shape of the tank. Try a search on this forum, failing that Richard may be along soon. Adrian.
 
Rob and Adrian are correct. The C4 has a saddle-shaped tank, and the 'float' doesn't go into the sump at the bottom of the tank. Once fuel level drops below the point where the float stops reading, the computer calculates the level and range based on the fuel consumption and miles travelled. If you do a 'splash & dash' and don't fill above the sump level (approx 1/4 tank) the float can't read, so the gauge and range won't increase. As soon as you fill above the sump the gauge and range will read correctly again.

It's been discussed plenty of times before, and I'm sure it tells you in the owner's manual too........[;)] [;)]
 
My Bad...should have had a scan thru previous posts first.

Cheers for all your replies though!

David

Ps Maybe worth putting something in the 996 FAQ's about it?
 
ORIGINAL: davenewman76
Ps Maybe worth putting something in the 996 FAQ's about it?
Click to expand...

Good idea. Another point to note (which it doesn't say in the manual) is that if you disconnect the car battery when you have less than 1/4 tank, when you reconnect it the gauge will show 1/4 tank. It makes it easy to run out of fuel.

EDIT: Added to the Technical Articles section.
 
This fuel gauge 'problem' is common I understand, but it should be noted that if you have filled up and have had a continuous run, the guage and computer is very very acurate (as I have round out).

I went on a run up to North Wales, filling up before I left home (Kent) and thought that I could do the trip on one tank. When the gauge said 10 miles to go, I had 12 miles before reaching Hollyhead. Needless to say, the car didnt get to the journeys end without the help of a friendly AA man with a Gerry Can.

The moral of the story goes, splash and dash is fine, but its best to keep the fuel level up to keep the car and ego secure. Mine was well dented and I am only getting over it now!

 
I ran out of petrol 2 weeks ago with 26 miles to go displayed on the digital readout[:mad:]
1 mile from from the petrol station [:(]
 
It amuses me that with all the wondrous features of the car, Porsche can't make a fuel gauge that works. I always reset the trip when I fill up and rely on that instead. Who says the modern water cooled 911s don't have character?
 
Got caught out the other week with this. Have you been talking to Tony, Richard? [:D]

Put £20 in with not many miles left to go and the gauge didn't move. I did the natural thing in this situation: blamed the garage and tried to get my £20 back.[&:]
 
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