Technical Intermittent fuel gauge

[marcus550]

My little green Fiat 500L just started hiding the fuel gauge needle. About 75% of the time I start the car, it never brings the fuel gauge up and I don't get the low-fuel light. Occasionally it works perfectly. Haven't had much time to troubleshoot, but the connections at the tank seem good (all three.)

Is the float known to fail? The gauge? Anyone else had this problem?

If it is the gauge, looks like the fuel tank has to come out to access the back of the 500L gauge cluster?

 

[AndrewHarvey]

First - check the earth connection onto the fuel tank sender. It's attached to one of the studs - poor earth - poor sender
Next pull spade connections off and clean both the sender connections and the plugs on the loom.
Next check the resistance between the two terminals on the sender - and note down. Fill up and measure again.

 

[IanEmery]

As Andrew says, first check the earth through. Once you've established this is good then the second check is to hold the supply cable, connected to the sender, to the earth to see if you get a full reading on the gauge, if you do then the problem is in the tank sender unit and if you don't then the gauge is the fault.

 

[ciccio500]

Mine does this 100% of the time, I just tap the speedo a couple of times, and as if by magic it appears! Funnily now though, my 3 year old daughter thinks this is a staple of starting a car and often tells my wife to do the same when out with her mummy! She even does it every time she gets in her cozy coupe at home! Kids!