Fiat 500 petrol gauge problem

[CarolG]

Hello, all,
I'm a newbie with a Fiat 500 problem which some of those on the forum might be able to help me with.
My petrol gauge, when I fill it up, shows usually 460 miles worth of petrol. When I last filled it up, it only showed 350 although when filled up it was at less than 30. It now fluctuates all over the place, sometimes showing 150 miles worth left then down to around 50 then up to 185 and so on. What needs to be done to rectify this as it leaves this driver in the dark as to how much petrol is actually in the car? Thanks for your help.

 

[chris3234]

Hello, all,
I'm a newbie with a Fiat 500 problem which some of those on the forum might be able to help me with.
My petrol gauge, when I fill it up, shows usually 460 miles worth of petrol. When I last filled it up, it only showed 350 although when filled up it was at less than 30. It now fluctuates all over the place, sometimes showing 150 miles worth left then down to around 50 then up to 185 and so on. What needs to be done to rectify this as it leaves this driver in the dark as to how much petrol is actually in the car? Thanks for your help.

Good afternoon

It's not broken that exactly how it should work


The range gauge estimated how far you can travel based on you recent average fuel consumption

If your trip computer has been reset recently it will move a lot more then a care with a few thousand miles on the trip computer as your average will change a lo5
If you want to know how much fuel you have looks at the petrol gauge that shows how much of the tank is remaining

 

[CarolG]

Good afternoon

It's not broken that exactly how it should work


The range gauge estimated how far you can travel based on you recent average fuel consumption

If your trip computer has been reset recently it will move a lot more then a care with a few thousand miles on the trip computer as your average will change a lo5
If you want to know how much fuel you have looks at the petrol gauge that shows how much of the tank is remaining

I guess you misunderstand what the problem is. My gauge fluctuates wildly which it never did before. I could tell how much was left in the tank but now I can't as it sometimes shows a large number then a very small number then rises to a huge number. The gauge is not working as it should, and always did. It has not been reset. Any helpful suggestions very welcome.

 

[jackwhoo]

Are you asking about your fuel gauge ? The gauge that indicates how much fuel in the tank , from empty to full?

Or are you asking about the information display that gives an idea of how many miles left before you need to refill with fuel?

 

[jackwhoo]

The information display can be changed to display different information.......
Do you you have drivers handbook?

 

[varesecrazy]

If you are saying 'Miles'..

It makes me think you are not discussing the FuelGauge...

But the Range Indicator normally displays a Distance

That is a prediction of how far your current fuel would get you if you continued
For say 200 miles at the same speed in the same gear


Its never perfect.. as I said.. its a Range Indicator

There is a Float in the petrol tank..thats how it Gauges the fuel level

They are fairly robust.. but failure isnt impossible..

what type of gauge do you have?
Blocks of Light.. or a Needle?

My 500 has blocks..I prefer a needle

 

[chris3234]

I guess you misunderstand what the problem is. My gauge fluctuates wildly which it never did before. I could tell how much was left in the tank but now I can't as it sometimes shows a large number then a very small number then rises to a huge number. The gauge is not working as it should, and always did. It has not been reset. Any helpful suggestions very welcome.

Which gauges
You was giving numbers of miles till empty
This is the cars range indicators and NOT the fuel level

The fuel level gauge should show in blocks/bars how full your tank is and not the miles remaining

Perhaps you can post a picture of what your issue is?

 

[eeeno]

Driving downhill/uphill will make the float move a bit. Some cars have more calibrated needle which doesn't respond to change in terrain so quickly.

When your car shows 50 miles left and suddenly says 150 miles left you're practically running on fumes. It's really bad for the fuel pump. On top of that you'll run out fuel sometime if you forget about it.

I don't completely trust the fuel gauge, so I always reset tripA after filling it up and estimate that I usually get this amount of miles from this amount of fuel, and then there's roughly 10 litres left before needing some more petrol again. I'd never trust the RANGE- parameter calculated by the computer. It's always roughly 100km too optimistic.

 

[varesecrazy]

OP stated in a different thread that this relates to their

'20 year old 500'

To me.. a 2003 500 ...may well have some inaccuracies