Fuel Guage Error/MPG
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Newbie
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 20
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From: Boerne, TX
2001 ML320
Fuel Guage Error/MPG
We recently embarked on a road trip of roughly 1000 miles. The trip went off without a hitch. We took the opportunity to check the gas mileage. The first leg was early AM and moderate speeds of 70-75 MPH. At our first stop we fueled up and calculated the MPG at 22.1! Later in the day the air temp was close to 100 and we were running about 80-85 MPH and our fuel economydropped to 20.5. We noticed that the first 1/4 tank was used up quite fast and the remaining fuel (according to the guage) went down at the rate one would expect.
On the return home we gassed up with about 1/3 tank left. We started the truck pulled 50ft. into a burger joint, had lunch and got back on the road when we noticed the fuel guage had not moved off the 1/3 of a tank where we started. So we drove a while thinking "did we get gas?". We drove a ways down to the next available Shell station and attempted to fill up again. It would only accept 1.5 gallons. I was confident that we were topped off. The guage kept dropping as gas was being consumed until the amber reserve light lit up. My wife insisted we get some gas and we filled up again. This time only accepting 7 gallons of fuel. Turning the truck back on the guage registered a full tank.
Has this happened to anyone?
Over all we had a very pleasant roadtrip experience with our 2001 ML320.
On the return home we gassed up with about 1/3 tank left. We started the truck pulled 50ft. into a burger joint, had lunch and got back on the road when we noticed the fuel guage had not moved off the 1/3 of a tank where we started. So we drove a while thinking "did we get gas?". We drove a ways down to the next available Shell station and attempted to fill up again. It would only accept 1.5 gallons. I was confident that we were topped off. The guage kept dropping as gas was being consumed until the amber reserve light lit up. My wife insisted we get some gas and we filled up again. This time only accepting 7 gallons of fuel. Turning the truck back on the guage registered a full tank.
Has this happened to anyone?
Over all we had a very pleasant roadtrip experience with our 2001 ML320.
Almost a Member!
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 71
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From: Chicago, IL
2001 ML430
Sounds like your fuel guage sending unit is going out...it's a DIY job or you can take it to your dealership to fix it under warranty...
Mine did something similiar like reading only 3/4 full when the tank was full, then when we came to stop lights, it would jump from half a tank to a full tank then down again...
Mine did something similiar like reading only 3/4 full when the tank was full, then when we came to stop lights, it would jump from half a tank to a full tank then down again...
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 672
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From: Northern California
MBs
Originally Posted by BOERNE ML320
Do you know of any DIY write ups on this subject?
http://www.whnet.com/4x4/badgas.html
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 717
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From: Manassas, VA, USA
2011 VW cc, 2004 ML350
Originally Posted by BOERNE ML320
Do you know of any DIY write ups on this subject?
