2002 Chevy Silverado 5.3L Fuel Gauge

[Gito]

Fuel gauge has been acting up for about 6 months now. We have to use the trip meter to keep track of the mileage driven so that we don't run out of gas.
Today, the "Low Fuel" dash light turned on after we pumped gas (full tank). Not sure how to go about this issue. What could be causing this?

Any advice is greatly appreciated

 

[clinebarger]

Most likely the sending unit in the tank is faulty.

 

[WobblyElvis]

Some years of GM products had a recall to do with this. Ethanol in the gas was eating away at the sending unit. I think the years were 2004 to 2007 but it may include your vehicle. Try calling GM and have your VIN handy. Maybe you will have it repaired at no charge.

 

[RonRonnster]

Originally Posted by clinebarger
Most likely the sending unit in the tank is faulty.

+1
A friend had the same truck, but a 2000 model year. Gas gauge worked half the time, and it would sometimes drop to empty and light up the "Low Fuel" warning during driving. Oddly enough, shifting into Neutral, and back to Drive, would "wake" it back up. Ultimately the fuel pump died several years later and the gauge started working normally again after it was replaced. More than likely it was the sending unit.

 

[sopususer]

It may be the sending unit causing problems with the low fuel light, but my guess on the gauges is the infamous stepper motor problem GM had with the clusters in that series of Silverado/Sierrra/Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon.

It may be a candidate for rebuilding. Lots of online info on the clusters. Here's a youtube video of a repair on a Suburban.

https://youtu.be/sIEkHtLAsSo

 

[Trav]

There was a TSB years ago about fuel level gauge issues due to ethanol. GM recommended running Techron, I would run the 32oz bottle of the complete fuel system cleaner in that size tank for a couple of tanks.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CVN37802

 

[Oildudeny]

Originally Posted by Trav
There was a TSB years ago about fuel level gauge issues due to ethanol. GM recommended running Techron, I would run the 32oz bottle of the complete fuel system cleaner in that size tank for a couple of tanks.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CVN37802


ford had the same issue my uncle had a 2002 or 03 explorer that was ford's fix to their problem.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

My 2001 has been doing the same thing for two or three years. Sometimes the needle wanders or sweeps back and forth, and it often goes to E and activates the warning light when I stop. It does seem to read accurately when the tank is near empty, but I trust the trip odometer first. There's not much variation in my driving pattern, so the mileage works for me.

I tried a few bottles of Techron when the problem first started, but nothing changed. I have seen photos of damaged sending units on used fuel pumps. I assume that's my problem, since the other gauges work. Mine will get fixed when the fuel pump quits.