Toyota Yaris Forums - Ultimate Yaris Enthusiast Site
 

 


 
Go Back   Toyota Yaris Forums - Ultimate Yaris Enthusiast Site > Technical Forums > DIY / Maintenance / Service
  The Tire Rack

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 02-02-2018, 03:58 PM   #1
Shinare
Bronze bombshell yaris
 
Shinare's Avatar
 
Drives: 09 Yaris HB 3door
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 641
Fuel gauge says 1/4 but tank is empty

After breaking down on the highway and towed to mechanic... Mechanic called to tell me my fuel tank is empty even though the fuel gauge says 1/4 tank.

charged me $180 to tell me that (not fix the gauge). Wanted to replace sender and fuel pump but was not sure how much that would be. I told him I would just remember how often to fill up.

Anything I can look for/check on as an easy fix that would not require replacing sender? Something a novice tinkerer could check for?

I have reciently been putting the dash apart a couple times to replace radio. Could this have caused anything? Also wired in backup camera to reverse light.
__________________
Now I drive a CARMINE RED METALLIC 09 Yaris 3-door!! I'm Back!!! WooHoo!! Mods done so far: Tinted windows, Viper 211HV Remote Keyless Entry, Atoto Android headunit, backup camera, steering wheel controls

Before it was totaled I drove a 2007 Black Sand Pearl 3 Door Lift-Back M/T with 49k miles. Stock Everything except for black tint, all red badges, red dash, and stealth garage door opener. Ultra-Gauge mounted on steering wheel. A1 Electric MES Central Locks and Avital 3100 Alarm system.
Shinare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2018, 06:20 PM   #2
WeeYari
 
WeeYari's Avatar
 
Drives: 06 Polar White 5dr, 13 Soul 4u
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 5,737
I think over the years it has been reported a couple times this same issue. I believe every instance was a hiccup and sender resumed working properly. Best carry on with life, just keep an eye on the distance you are travelling on a tank. If you end up driving further than you think you should be before blinking light, then probably do have an issue.

Sent from my Elite_5_5_Octa using Tapatalk
__________________
WeeYari is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2018, 06:36 PM   #3
Shinare
Bronze bombshell yaris
 
Shinare's Avatar
 
Drives: 09 Yaris HB 3door
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 641
just got back from picking up my car from the mechanic and stopped to fill up at gas station. Now gas gauge says full. Guess it started working again?

Expensive hiccup.
__________________
Now I drive a CARMINE RED METALLIC 09 Yaris 3-door!! I'm Back!!! WooHoo!! Mods done so far: Tinted windows, Viper 211HV Remote Keyless Entry, Atoto Android headunit, backup camera, steering wheel controls

Before it was totaled I drove a 2007 Black Sand Pearl 3 Door Lift-Back M/T with 49k miles. Stock Everything except for black tint, all red badges, red dash, and stealth garage door opener. Ultra-Gauge mounted on steering wheel. A1 Electric MES Central Locks and Avital 3100 Alarm system.
Shinare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2018, 07:50 PM   #4
dogsridewith
 
Drives: 2007 2-door hatchback
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: USAnotCA
Posts: 750
Toyota fuel tank sender unit gauge

What does reading full with a full tank have to do with reading 1/4 when empty?
dogsridewith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 07:25 AM   #5
nemelek
DWEED
 
nemelek's Avatar
 
Drives: 3DR 2008 Metorite Metalic
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,161
A few years ago my guage started to act up. There was a suggestion on another thread to put fuel cleaner in the next couple tanks of gas. It worked.
__________________
Making a decision without following it with an action is still a fantasy.
nemelek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 12:30 PM   #6
WeeYari
 
WeeYari's Avatar
 
Drives: 06 Polar White 5dr, 13 Soul 4u
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 5,737
Quote:
Originally Posted by dogsridewith View Post
What does reading full with a full tank have to do with reading 1/4 when empty?
It at least proves that the sender is still functioning somewhat. Not just stuck at 1/4.

Sent from my Elite_5_5_Octa using Tapatalk
__________________
WeeYari is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 03:48 PM   #7
ex-x-fire
 
Drives: 2010 yaris 3 door hatch
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Sheboygan Falls, Wi.
Posts: 501
I wonder if a baffle is floating around cause the arm to get stuck.
ex-x-fire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 06:24 PM   #8
Shinare
Bronze bombshell yaris
 
Shinare's Avatar
 
Drives: 09 Yaris HB 3door
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 641
It's interesting that you say that. I noticed today that I hear very audible sloshing of gas that I know I never heard before. I wonder if that is the case. Is it ok to live with sloshing sound or is it a must fix / replace gas tank thing?
__________________
Now I drive a CARMINE RED METALLIC 09 Yaris 3-door!! I'm Back!!! WooHoo!! Mods done so far: Tinted windows, Viper 211HV Remote Keyless Entry, Atoto Android headunit, backup camera, steering wheel controls

Before it was totaled I drove a 2007 Black Sand Pearl 3 Door Lift-Back M/T with 49k miles. Stock Everything except for black tint, all red badges, red dash, and stealth garage door opener. Ultra-Gauge mounted on steering wheel. A1 Electric MES Central Locks and Avital 3100 Alarm system.
Shinare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2018, 12:11 AM   #9
bairjo
 

Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 603
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shinare View Post
just got back from picking up my car from the mechanic and stopped to fill up at gas station. Now gas gauge says full. Guess it started working again?

Expensive hiccup.
So.... what did the mechanic do to your car? Are you really sure your tank was empty? If he was wrong or feeding you a line of BS in an effort to drum up some work, that could explain why the gas gauge all of a sudden is working showing full.....when you actually know it is full.
bairjo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2018, 10:55 AM   #10
miiser
 
miiser's Avatar
 
Drives: yaris 2009
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: greece
Posts: 330
In my experience, if you fill up the tank, the sensor shows more accurate percent of the fuel. It’s like it gets calibrated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
miiser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2018, 02:36 PM   #11
zoidberg444
 
zoidberg444's Avatar
 
Drives: Yaris 06 - 5dr hatchback
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Birmingham, UK
Posts: 390
Given what it would cost to drop the tank, open it up and replace the fuel sender unit i'd wait until you really do need to have it done when your fuel pump dies (which probably won't be while you own the car). Just keep an eye on the odometer or set the trip when you fill the tank. I generally do about 380 miles between refills on my Yaris.
__________________
- Yaris 2006, 1.0, 5 door hatchback "Betty" - 240,000 miles
UK to Nordkapp in a Yaris
zoidberg444 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2018, 06:36 PM   #12
ex-x-fire
 
Drives: 2010 yaris 3 door hatch
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Sheboygan Falls, Wi.
Posts: 501
I think the yaris has a fuel pump access hole.
ex-x-fire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2018, 04:11 AM   #13
vivalaflam
Enthusiast
 
vivalaflam's Avatar
 
Drives: 07 Yaris HB 1.3 (EU)
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Greece
Posts: 181
Hi, I have the same issue. If you take the back seats off, there's a hole from which you can access the fuel level part. Since it costs much here, I decided to just keep an eye on the distance I do in every fill I make. I know that if I have 4 (exactly when the 4th line lights up) I have around 230-240km until the gauge would flash normally. What mine does is that it shows levels above 2 lines. It wont go below that. Take the fuel level sender off the tank (under the back seats) leave it plugged in, and play with it, check with the ignition on what levels it can show. Best of luck :)
__________________
Cheers, George.
vivalaflam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2018, 07:57 PM   #14
xdarkxfirex
 
Drives: 2015 yaris le
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: hamilton, on
Posts: 149
The gas gauge on these cars isnt all that accurate even with a proper working sending unit. IMO the shop overcharged you. Even if you did need to replace the sending unit, it isnt that expensive from toyota online.
xdarkxfirex is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2018, 12:05 PM   #15
Shinare
Bronze bombshell yaris
 
Shinare's Avatar
 
Drives: 09 Yaris HB 3door
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 641
All the shop did was try to start the car with some kind of spray stuff and it ran using that. So they checked the tank and it was empty. They then called me and said "we put 5 gallons of gas in it and the gauge didn't change so something is wrong. Do you want us to try and figure it out?" I said no, I will just fill it up now and then. They then said "OK, that will be $130 for 'diagnostic services' and the gas."

I'm never towing my car to another Firestone, no matter how much AAA says they are "approved". $130 to tell me my gas tank is empty is a load of crap.
__________________
Now I drive a CARMINE RED METALLIC 09 Yaris 3-door!! I'm Back!!! WooHoo!! Mods done so far: Tinted windows, Viper 211HV Remote Keyless Entry, Atoto Android headunit, backup camera, steering wheel controls

Before it was totaled I drove a 2007 Black Sand Pearl 3 Door Lift-Back M/T with 49k miles. Stock Everything except for black tint, all red badges, red dash, and stealth garage door opener. Ultra-Gauge mounted on steering wheel. A1 Electric MES Central Locks and Avital 3100 Alarm system.
Shinare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2018, 12:39 PM   #16
yaris2010RS
 
yaris2010RS's Avatar
 
Drives: no-longer-boosted '10 Yaris
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Angus, Ontario
Posts: 1,891
im pretty sure there was a thread either on here or microimage about "cleaning" the sending unit. cant find it now but ive been out of it for a while now
__________________
If it has boobs or wheels sooner or later your gonna have problems with it
yaris2010RS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2018, 06:27 PM   #17
ABSPLASTIC
 
Drives: Twin-charged rotary V8 w/nos
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: CALIFORNIA
Posts: 300
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shinare View Post
After breaking down on the highway and towed to mechanic... Mechanic called to tell me my fuel tank is empty even though the fuel gauge says 1/4 tank.

charged me $180 to tell me that (not fix the gauge). Wanted to replace sender and fuel pump but was not sure how much that would be. I told him I would just remember how often to fill up.

Anything I can look for/check on as an easy fix that would not require replacing sender? Something a novice tinkerer could check for?

I have reciently been putting the dash apart a couple times to replace radio. Could this have caused anything? Also wired in backup camera to reverse light.
Crazy. When I drove my Yaris off the lot back in October 2007, the same issue came up with mine within a few days. Brought it into Toyota and it was fixed within a few hours. After that.. the OE headunit kept eating my CDs.

Well that's my story of all the problems I've ever had with this car. lol.
ABSPLASTIC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-19-2018, 12:48 PM   #18
dogsridewith
 
Drives: 2007 2-door hatchback
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: USAnotCA
Posts: 750
what is member "unie01?"

New Posts search list just now says there are 17 replies ahead of this one by me. With the prior being:
"Today 12:01 PM
by unie01 Go to last post"
(same thing happened once before w/ same member...is it a ghost bot? or, is anyone else seeing such a post?)
dogsridewith is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Need a new fuel tank! Mrpoontang DIY / Maintenance / Service 1 08-24-2015 12:09 AM
fuel tank hatch cover yaris9876 DIY / Maintenance / Service 5 01-14-2013 10:03 PM
empty tank symptoms SweetRS Fuel Economy Forum 29 12-12-2008 09:44 AM
Fuel Level Gauge Stuck ? - 2007 Yaris Sedan kaboom New YARIS Purchase Forum 9 05-15-2007 02:58 AM
Fuel / Temp / Mileage Gauge - Special LED Readings? bigsky2 General Yaris / Vitz Discussion 3 05-31-2006 09:04 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:44 AM.




YarisWorld
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.