[Olustee bus]

My fuel gauge has failed. It reads at about 7 oclock. I understand there was a recall on 2005's but mine is a 2004. anyone have that issue?

I googled the issue and it seems that most of the similar problems have the gauge needle at the empty mark, not way past as mine is.I see there is a fuse for the dash display but my other gauges are working.

 

[Mike in AZ]

My fuel gauge has failed. It reads at about 7 oclock. I understand there was a recall on 2005's but mine is a 2004. anyone have that issue?

I googled the issue and it seems that most of the similar problems have the gauge needle at the empty mark, not way past as mine is.I see there is a fuse for the dash display but my other gauges are working.

I would guess that your problem is not the fuel level sending unit, but the stepper motor in the instrument cluster. The diagnosis is simple.......

If you have a bad sending unit in the tank, your gauge will do the normal "sweep check" with the other gauges on startup and then go to an abnormal position.

If you have a bad stepper motor in the instrument cluster, your gauge will not do a normal "sweep check" on startup.

There are several people on the forum (including me) who are willing to replace the stepper motors for you at a minimal cost.

Regards,

Mike

 

[Olustee bus]

Thanks Mike. I knew of a problem with a stepper motor but I did not really understand it.

 

[Mike in AZ]

Thanks Mike. I knew of a problem with a stepper motor but I did not really understand it.

Yeah.... The SSR is only one of the many vehicles that have the bad stepper motor issue. The disease is across the entire GM fleet in the 2003-2005 time frame. I had to change out the stepper motors in my mom's 2004 Silverado about 18 months ago, even though it only had 9,000 miles (she doesn't drive it much) at the time.

It was some time in 2005 when GM got a new stepper motor vendor that is MUCH more robust. The new motors are available at about $5 each and are easy to replace. It takes more time to get the cluster out than it does to unsolder/resolder the stepper motors.

Regards,

Mike

 

[SWT RYD]

My fuel gauge has failed. It reads at about 7 oclock. I understand there was a recall on 2005's but mine is a 2004. anyone have that issue?

I googled the issue and it seems that most of the similar problems have the gauge needle at the empty mark, not way past as mine is.I see there is a fuse for the dash display but my other gauges are working.

I may be wrong on this but my thought is. If your Info system tells you how many miles to empty, than it is fuel gauge if the sending unit is bad you wouldn't get miles to empty read out.

 

[Guzzi Guy]

Yeah.... The SSR is only one of the many vehicles that have the bad stepper motor issue. The disease is across the entire GM fleet in the 2003-2005 time frame. I had to change out the stepper motors in my mom's 2004 Silverado about 18 months ago, even though it only had 9,000 miles (she doesn't drive it much) at the time.

It was some time in 2005 when GM got a new stepper motor vendor that is MUCH more robust. The new motors are available at about $5 each and are easy to replace. It takes more time to get the cluster out than it does to unsolder/resolder the stepper motors.

Regards,

Mike

Wow Mike, I didn't know there was a "new and improved" stepper motor installed in the 2006 R models. I just assumed they were all the same. Maybe I won't have to grit my teeth so much when I start up the R and hope everything "swings" as it should.

Dave

 

[Bca8ball]

I may be wrong on this but my thought is. If your Info system tells you how many miles to empty, than it is fuel gauge if the sending unit is bad you wouldn't get miles to empty read out.

Good point, how else would the computer/DIC even know how much fuel is in the tank (to compute range). If the DIC range is still showing a realistic reading, sure looks like the step motor is suspect.

 

[Olustee bus]

When I turn the key, the gas gauge sweeps just like the other gauges. Sometimes the needle ends up at the 7 oclock position and sometimes at the 85 oclock position. I filled up and drove about 50 miles and the gauge moved a significant amount. I turned on the estimated range and got 432miles. As I drove it, the more I went (the more gas was burned) it increased slowly.

 

[river_rat]

If it is sweeping, then not returning to zero (empty) before moving up to the correct fuel level, the stepper motor is bad. As stated by others have all 5 replaced at the same time and have the cluster illumination bulbs replaced as well. Consider removing and leaving the upper passenger air bag nuts off also if you decide to remove the upper front dash cover to access. Removal of the cover is not required as it can be flexed forward enough to remove the cluster as long as you do this on a warm day.