Update, on ls i had to push, suspect!!!

[DUVALINCOLN]

So, three days after getting the DATA FUEL COMPUTER ERROR on my dash board and my 2004 Lincoln stopping in the middle of the road and my having to push the baby home, I finally got the car back from the shop. the damage was about $500 for the replacement of the fuel rail sensor, and the initeria switch and the guy also through in replacing the sprk plugs since he had already drained me. The also made emntion that when he took the tank down it felt kinda light but the gas gauge read tank was half full so he said the gauge can't be right.

********This is where I need to excellent input/advice LVC. About a day later I got the same DATA FUEL COMPUTER ERROR on my dash board after the money and work was completed. This time I went to the gas station and filled it all the way up and the DATA ERROR message went away. About a week or so later the DATA ERROR came back but gas gauge read half full at the time, so I filled it up again and message went away. I See the gauge is off but, what I want to verify is could this have had anything to do with any work that was done replacing the initeria swich or the fuel rail sensor? Basically, was it worth having those things replace and still having the same error? Where exactly is the initeria switch located??????*********************Thanks LVC

 

[joegr]

No, neither of the things that they did have anything to do with the DATA FUEL COMPUTER ERROR.
One (or both) of your fuel level senders in the gas tank have a bad spot on them. There is a sender in the left fuel pump assembly, and one in the right fuel pump assembly.

GM has a lot of trouble with bad spots on fuel level senders. They sell or recommend a particular gas additive that will sometimes clean the senders enough that they go back to working. I don't know if that would be the case for you or not, but if you can find some it shouldn't hurt to try it. Otherwise I suspect that one or both fuel level senders will have to be replaced.

 

[joegr]

Okay, now that I have a little more time, for your other questions...

I think that the inertia fuel shutoff (IFS) switch really did fail and need to be replaced, but it never had anything to do with the fuel data issue. The IFS is just a mechanical power switch. It pops open if the car impacts something hard enough. The idea is to cut power to the fuel pump because one of the fuel lines may have been damaged and leaking. Normally, after a minor impact you push down on the plunger and close the switch. I believe you said that you couldn't get it to stay down, and that you didn't have any impact that should have popped it in the first place.

I think that the Fuel Pressure Sensor was perfectly good and they replaced it by mistake. They replaced it because you had a DTC (check engine code) that said there might be a problem with it. The reason that the PCM thought that there might be a problem with it was that it suddenly read no fuel pressure, but the PCM knew that there was still gas in the tank. It was wrong because there was no gas in the tank. It thought there was gas because of the defective fuel level sender(s).

 

[DUVALINCOLN]

LVC is awesome especially for those of us who love our cars but are a little clueless to the mechanics.

So where is the initeria switch located in the car?

Is there a way to tell if the spark plugs have been changed with out pulling them out individually?

 

[pektel]

No way to tell without pulling them individually. I always ask to see the old parts they replace. Ask them what the plugs looked like when they pulled them, and their reasoning for changing them.

The inertia switch is in the driver's side kick panel. Right under where a parking brake pedal would be, if we had one.

 

[bearsfan39]

No way to tell without pulling them individually. I always ask to see the old parts they replace. Ask them what the plugs looked like when they pulled them, and their reasoning for changing them.

+1 i never trust mechanics, unless its someone i know and they are doing the job on the side

pektel-you get my pm?

 

[M4rk]

Edit, nvm.

 

[svtman]

I was getting the fuel computer data error when my tank was on the last quarter. Took in in under warranty and they diagnosed it as some kind of tube inside of the tank. Put a new one in and problem has not returned. I could check the part description if you need.

 

[joegr]

I was getting the fuel computer data error when my tank was on the last quarter. Took in in under warranty and they diagnosed it as some kind of tube inside of the tank. Put a new one in and problem has not returned. I could check the part description if you need.

That would pretty well describe one of the fuel senders.

http://deneau.info/ls/s6x~us~en~file=s6xa1007.htm~gen~ref.htm
See the linked drawing.
Look at assemblies 3 and 9.
Notice the float like thing sticking out on a bent lever near the bottom of each. Those are the two fuel level senders.

 

[svtman]

That would pretty well describe one of the fuel senders.

http://deneau.info/ls/s6x~us~en~file=s6xa1007.htm~gen~ref.htm
See the linked drawing.
Look at assemblies 3 and 9.
Notice the float like thing sticking out on a bent lever near the bottom of each. Those are the two fuel level senders.

Looked at the diagram and as I recall it is the fuel crossover tube that was the culprit on mine. They did not replace anything to do with the fuel pump or level devices. Not saying that is the problem here, just what happened to mine and makes sense if the transfer pump was not able to do it's job properly.

 

[joegr]

Looked at the diagram and as I recall it is the fuel crossover tube that was the culprit on mine. They did not replace anything to do with the fuel pump or level devices. Not saying that is the problem here, just what happened to mine and makes sense if the transfer pump was not able to do it's job properly.

Good to know...