Bug in 05 fuel gauge

[hrlincoln]

I have discovered that when the fuel gauge reaches just below a quarter of tank it suddenly drops below empty.
There's no inbetween. So I race to the gas station to fillup, but it only takes 14 gallons. The Lincoln mechanic states that is a new change on the 05, something about Lincoln not wanting to track reserve fuel for old people that out of gas. Another dealer gave me the same story. So I ask everyone out there. Why have a gauge then ?

By the way,
What great car.

 

[Dutch]

Yeah it's stupid. On my wife's Taurus, if you fill it up when the light comes on it only takes 12 gallons. It's an 18 gallon tank. Fortunately, my Lincoln isn't like that. I love to play gas gauge chicken. Once I ran my Chrysler so low it took 25.5 gallons to fill the 25 gallon tank, with the extra half gallon being the filler tube. Doesn't get much better than that!

 

[dropped74]

Yeah it's stupid. On my wife's Taurus, if you fill it up when the light comes on it only takes 12 gallons. It's an 18 gallon tank. Fortunately, my Lincoln isn't like that. I love to play gas gauge chicken. Once I ran my Chrysler so low it took 25.5 gallons to fill the 25 gallon tank, with the extra half gallon being the filler tube. Doesn't get much better than that!

Now that is one hell of a game of chicken!!!

:Beer

 

[hrlincoln]

Latest gas gauge update

Lincoln service finally admitted that some bad fuel sending units may have been installed on the 05's. The unit has a electronic grid that can lose contact and send the gauge straight to the bottom even though there is 4-5 gallons left in the tank and then the miles to go readout says data error. I am now waiting for the replacement to be installed.

 

[hrlincoln]

Gauge fixed

OK, for you 03+ owners. There are 2 fuel sending units in the LS and also a control module. The dealer replaced all 3 parts in my 05 in order to fix the misreading gauge problem. The tank is specially shaped around the drive shaft area, kinda like 2 hump camel. No matter how much the gas sloshes around, it should be acurate. So does this mean the 00-02 tanks are a different design ?

Anyway, now I can run on the redline like the rest of you.

 

[2001LS8Sport]

Good to hear it HR. That first story smelled pretty bad to me. I would have been calling BS to that in a hurry.

Ford has had some issues with some of their fuel gauges the last few years...especially the Explorer/Aviator...but it's not limited to those. You go to a station and fuel up, the the gas guage may not go to full for a couple of hours or a couple of days. You never know. And yes, we're shutting the car off at fueling. They really don't have an answer. I had one service writer that said there are certain pump handles out there that deliver the fuel so fast that it sinks the floats.

PULEEEESE!!! I was born at night, but not last night!

Just to appease him, I filled it up on the slowest setting it had...and of course it happened again. I told him that kind of shot that theory in the ass now didn't it. He shrugged and nothing has ever been done. It's no big thing...I've lived with it on several of my Fords now.

 

[loveLSE]

Now that is one hell of a game of chicken!!!

:Beer

on my previous car, I was running low on gas, but couldnt find a gas station.
after sweating and being desparate, I found one.
just as I was entering the station, engine dies, luckily I had enough momentum to pull up to the pump. Now, that's cutting it close.

 

[JES_LS]

on my previous car, I was running low on gas, but couldnt find a gas station.
after sweating and being desparate, I found one.
just as I was entering the station, engine dies, luckily I had enough momentum to pull up to the pump. Now, that's cutting it close.

been there done that a couple of times with my GT.
By the way that is also a quick way to shorten the life of the fuel pump since it uses the gas to keep it cool (no gas = hot pump).

 

[hrlincoln]

Now that the fuel computer is working, I rode the gauge down to an estimated 10 miles left to empty and then I fill up which took about 16.5 gallons. So the 1.5 gallons left in tank should keep the pump cool.

 

[Reetz]

Did they Charge You?

How much did the service cost and what dealership was it at (city, state)? Mine is doing the same thing and the dealership said they no nothing of it. Maybe I can have them phone down to yours. Thanks much!

 

[Keith N.]

Did they Charge You?

How much did the service cost and what dealership was it at (city, state)? Mine is doing the same thing and the dealership said they no nothing of it. Maybe I can have them phone down to yours. Thanks much!

I don't know if you have fixed this issue yet but indeed the jet pump unit located under the driver side back seat has failed. Mine had the same error messgae and I went to the nearby junkyard and took a pump from a 05 LS for $23 and put it in and it worked. The car used its full tank again and I haven't seen that error message at all since.

 

[DaleGrib]

Would this also apply to an 03 LS V8 that the fuel gauge is working perfectly on, but the data on distance to empty is way under no matter what I try? It shows something like 210 to empty on the message center and never goes up any higher. It stays around 210 for the longest time and drops slowly. The car I got has sat more than it has been driven in its life as it only has 45,000 miles on it. So I do expect a few hiccups here and there but this one is a bit puzzling.

 

[joegr]

The estimated range is based on the amount in the tank and the mileage over the last 500 miles. Drive about 500 miles in one or two trips on the interstate, and the range display will be at 400 or so miles after the last fill-up.

Do a bunch of short trips with lots of stops and starts, and I can see it getting down to 200 miles for a full tank.

 

[DaleGrib]

The estimated range is based on the amount in the tank and the mileage over the last 500 miles. Drive about 500 miles in one or two trips on the interstate, and the range display will be at 400 or so miles after the last fill-up.

Do a bunch of short trips with lots of stops and starts, and I can see it getting down to 200 miles for a full tank.

Thanks @joegr Would it help to reset all adaptations in Forscan? I have driven the last 2 days 200 mile round trips and that never has seemed to change anything. I will try to get it out on the interstate some more to see if that helps though. I had to go out of state the last 2 days and spent a good bit on the road so hopefully, that will sort itself out. I assume if resetting it will help, then the last person is what caused that based on the mileage the car has on it.

 

[DaleGrib]

Just an update I reset all the systems so everything would relearn the data and the Distance to empty works perfectly now. Also, had started to realize the mpg calculator was off badly as well and after resetting everything both work perfectly now. I even notice the car actually drives a little better in general as well. I suggest once anyone gets a used car they should reset that stuff as it has made a heck of a difference on my LS.