I searched haven't found anything like this and was wondering if anyone else has or had the same problem... My fuel gauge intermittently works... Sometimes it will read and then it just go all the way to E and the low fuel light comes on... Is the problem with the fuel pump floater or the gauge cluster?

 

Very common on these. The contacts on the float electrical components wear out and are usually the culprit. Most of time you end up replacing the entire pump assembly, since it's attached to it, and without pulling it out first and looking at it you won't know which one to buy (unless you put the pump in yourself and have photos of it lol but most don't) and I've personally seen 3 different types of floats and electronics on them. So you're better off just getting ready to put a complete pump in it, it will come with the float and sending unit.

I went through the same thing with my 04 when I got it. I dropped the tank, swapped the float assembly with a good one I found in a junk yard on a broken pump assembly, only to drop the tank again in two weeks because the pump itself gave out and I had to replaced it...

 

That's what i was thinking... I had an 01 that I've changed the pump on so I know how it's done... Funny thing about that... When i was done my fuel gauge was all over the place... I went to the gas station to fill it up and gas just started pouring out form under the back... Found out I didn't seat it right and the ring popped out and the fuel pump was just floating in the tank... That fix was easy... Just had to remove the spare tire to put it on...

 

Yeah removing the spare makes it a ton easier, I only figured that out the second time around lol

 

Yeap... Removing the fuel pump i had to remove the tank... Thank god it was almost empty...

 

LOL.Additionally, You may end up with a dangling gauge indicator if it goes few times rapidly back and forth. At least that happened to me Instead of removing a cluster and fixing it, I can read the tank level via Car Gauge (in percents or volts LOL).

 

I can give You a bit of an update with this issue with an easy fix of the dangling indicator. The fix takes 30 minutes maximum:
- Remove the dash panel. Pretty well shown here:
(a sidenote - if You find it difficult to take out the bezel remember to lower down the steering wheel)
- Using same socket remove the 4 screws holding the dash cluster
- Pull the plug located on top of the cluster and get it out
- Slide in a piece of thin material (i.e. plastic strip, thick paper, etc) in between the front of the cluster to push the indicator back to its position.
- Install the things back in reversive order.

I haven't been digging much into the gauge instruments, as I don't have the spare ones. But by behavior of the indicator, I assume the cluster gauges are kind of magnetoelectric instruments. The indicator might be endlessly turned in either direction. Of course, there is a mechanical obstacle of the black plastic , where it gets stuck. I guess if not the plastic, it would properly indicate the fuel level pointing just downwards
In case of a problem with the fuel level transmitter in the pump assembly, the level may rapidly cycle in between empty-full states. That may apply a significant acceleration to the magnetoelectric instrument making it jump over the magnetic field to the "downward area". So, a solution is to "jump it back" to an "upward position".

Brgds, Mike

 

I don't think that is my issue... Mine sits on empty and from time to time will read correctly...

 

Yes, that's correct. I've posted a solution to mine issue (as quoted). You're right, it may be confusing in this way. I just didn't want to start another thread.