Hi everyone I'm new to the forum.
I have a Fiat Punto Active 1.2 5dr 2005

I got it a few weeks ago and feel like I've been filling it up a lot!

I put £20 in the other day and pulled up at a multi-storey carpark. When I got out I noticed a drip and small pool of fuel (under the drivers side rear wheel). I took a look and it was dripping not pouring out.

Returned to the car an hour later and the pool of fuel had dried up. Fuel tank was still reading 1/2 a tank.

I took it to my uncle who owns lots of classics etc and suggested that the fuel tank was actually full and the excess fuel was coming from overflow.

I've searched the forums and read it could be the fuel sender unit not registering correctly.

What I've tried to do:
1) Opened the rear cover under the seats and disconnected an reconnected the connections aswell as the others at either side of the seat bay.

My next question would be would it be worth disconnecting the battery to reset the ecu? If so how long should I disconnect it for and will I need any codes when reconnected.

Sorry for all the info but it's stressing me out as we just arrived in Scarborough and the fuel light came on, which if my uncles theory is correct it's still has 1/2 a tank?

~isolice

so you got a leak somewhere, did you smell it and it is actually fuel?

Hi thanks for your reply,
Yes I smelt it, it's definitely petrol.
I had the car up on ramps and had a look and can't see a leak around the fuel tank.

Ok. So the fuel light is on which normally happens when the tank is quite a few miles from being empty. Mine often comes on when the gauge enters the final thick bar which I think is about 75km or so from empty.

Are you saying the tank reads half when the light comes on?

If you can get back to your Uncle he will easily be able to make something like my effort here to get the fuel pump and sensor out and check the fuel level

https://www.fiatforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=159254&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1440915593.

Be warned that plastic ring is incredibly tight. I can undo mine but it is a hell of an effort using that tool

Fill the tank until the petrol pump stops pumping.. Look at your fuel level.. If it says its full, you have a leak, if it says half full, you have a f****d sender (or possibly dash clocks)


Blower of many head gaskets

Either way if petrol is leaking on the floor, if you haven't spilled any outside of the filler neck you have problems


Blower of many head gaskets

If its on the driver rear - then i suspect the filler neck pipework seal had failed where it meets the fuel tanks pipework

Fuel leak = bad for the enviroment - Bad for you

IF you have any fuel tank work done - ensure you run as low as you can on fuel

Less risk of fuel been spilled out and makes it lighter for your mechanic friend

Ziggy