Red Fuel Gauge

[Mickey]

I have an '05 GT. This past week I had my first problems with the car. I have 28,500 miles on it.

1. The driver side molding above the window came loose. It did not fall off but it rattles. Dealer will fix.

2. The chrome rings around the center A/C barrels are loose to the point they rattle when on 'high air'. Dealer ordered new chrome rings.

3. Four of the bolts on the Saleen S/C were loose. Dealer tightened and torqued to Saleen spec.

4. Driving down the center of town my gas gauge turned bright red and the needle went to empty. I turned into the closest gas station (1 block) and turned the engine off. I knew I had 3/4 of a tank. I turned the engine back on and everything was fine with the gas gauge. It showed the correct color and correct amount of gas. The bad news is that the emissions warning light came on and did not go off. I drove it home and Monday it went into the dealership. The bad news was the Mustang has a Saleen S/C and program so the dealership could not communicate with the computer. So I had to call Saleen and have them send the settings to the dealership. Even with the Saleen settings they still could not fully communicate with the OBD II. So they just ended up wiping the error code. Keep in mind that this is all taking place in the middle of the low desert in BFE. The next day I made a run from the low desert to the high desert to visit the Mohave Marine base. I pegged the needle at 145 MPH and the RPM was still climbing with 500 revs to go. What a rush. Everything ran straight and normal. No warning lights have come on since. I am curious to know; have any of you ever had your fuel gauge go completely red? Just the fuel gauge, the other gauges were not effected.

 

[GIG4FUN]

I don't run my tank that low so I have never seen it......but I have heard that is does this to indicate low fuel.

Maybe the fuel got hot in the tank and it expanded and messed up something because of that... was the desert hot?

 

[TexasKyle]

loose connection on the sending unit maybe?

 

[MikeVistaBlue06]

The fuel gauge going out and the error code at the same times might be due to a faulty connection at the PCM (computer)--or worse a faulty computer.

The computer is on the passenger's side of the engine bay (left if you are standing in front of the car) and is down left of the coolant reserve tank.

Be sure all of your connectors are in tight and latched.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[2k05gt]

If I remember correctly, wasn't there a TSB out for a sending unit problem? or maybe that was fuel pump? I can't remember you can look it up

 

[Rypper1]

Yes, the fuel gauge will turn red when it gets really low on fuel. All of the gauges will when they reach a critical point, kinda like an idiot light. That apparently wasn't your problem since you said you had 3/4 tank. It sounds like it lost connection for a minute and threw a code so it may come back and it may not. Or it could be a computer problem.

On a side note, I tested my fuel gauge once to see when the red light comes on. It came on when the computer told me I had 8 miles left before I ran out of gas. That was the only time I ever saw it, I don't recommend running the tank that low.

 

[tmcolegr]

...

 

[MikeVistaBlue06]

...

Wow. Good info.

One thing that might help that issue without going in for card replacement is to ride around on a bumpy and/or curvy road.

That should force the float to move about, and would probably cause it to rub away any corrosion on the metal surfaces that could cause the open circuit conditions.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[Mickey]

Thanks guys. First it was 35 degrees that night. Second the owners manuel says the fuel pump icon lights up when low on fuel. Third the trip I took from low to high desert is full of dips and curves. No further issues since the code was cleared.

 

[tehsleeper]

Yes, the fuel gauge will turn red when it gets really low on fuel. All of the gauges will when they reach a critical point, kinda like an idiot light. That apparently wasn't your problem since you said you had 3/4 tank. It sounds like it lost connection for a minute and threw a code so it may come back and it may not. Or it could be a computer problem.

On a side note, I tested my fuel gauge once to see when the red light comes on. It came on when the computer told me I had 8 miles left before I ran out of gas. That was the only time I ever saw it, I don't recommend running the tank that low.

My car hits the red light thing every now and then. When i go to fill up I have anywhere from 1.8 to 1.2 gallons or so left in the tank. The computer gives you, or maybe just me, an extra gallon or so for safety or whatever.

 

[2k05gt]

Looks like this

 

[DirtyDeedsInc]

I ran mine that empty once and was surprised by the gauge turning red. I was in a hurry when I left the house for work one night and didn't fill up. 90 miles later I got to a gas station and the gauge turned red right as I was pulling up.

 

[ixtlan]

PANIC PANIC PANIC!!!!
Just kidding.
Did you throw the code FLI something something?
If so the most likely problem is the sending units are gunked up.
It is a early 05 problem and well known.
I had it happen to me also on my 05.
There is some type of reaction with the metal used in the early sending unit capacitance system coils and certain brands of gas.
Chevron with Techroline keeps the deposits off.
Also Ford changed the metal in the coils to prevent it (I believe).
I had both units replaced by the dealer and no problems since.
I also us Chevron pretty much all the time.

 

[thump_rrr]

Not running the tank to the bottom is a bunch of baloney.
The fuel pump pickup is at the bottom of the tank so if there was anything in there the pickup would get it first. Secondly gas is lighter than water so if there was any moisture in the tank it would also get sucked in first.
When I removed my pump to install the twin pumps my tank was perfectly clean.
I always run mine right to empty.

 

[Dread53]

Mine has never done the drop-to-empty routine, but it has on occasion not moved after a fill up. I was about 10 miles down the road once before it decided to move up to full. I haven't seen that in over a year, but I did change the brand of gas I was using.

 

[TexStang]

I leave my mycolor on red...I've never notice it cause of that i guess

 

[Rypper1]

Not running the tank to the bottom is a bunch of baloney.
The fuel pump pickup is at the bottom of the tank so if there was anything in there the pickup would get it first. Secondly gas is lighter than water so if there was any moisture in the tank it would also get sucked in first.
When I removed my pump to install the twin pumps my tank was perfectly clean.
I always run mine right to empty.

Good points and all valid. Guess I never really thought about it before? Probably one of the old wife's tales that wont die. The only thing possible that it would help would be to maybe keep any contaminates in suspension. Not real sure it would do anything there either since they would have to have either pretty close to the same SG or neutral buoyancy in gasoline. Or a real bumpy road.