Dodgy Fuel Guage??

Hi All, I've just bought a 2002 996 Turbo with 38K miles and it seems that when the fuel guage is on red, even if you put £20 petrol in, it still registers as being empty. It seems that when it's on red, the only time the guage will move is if you fill it up. Even if you switch the ignition on and off after putting fuel in, it still shows as empty. Is this a common problem? Do you have to take the key out of the ignition when fuelling in order for the guage to register the new level? Help!!! Omar

I know that you need to put more than a certain amount of fuel in the tank (from empty) for the gauge to move and this is normal. Try experimenting, but I believe about £30 will do it. I don't believe you need to take the keys out of the ignition for the fuel gauge to move (although this is a stupid thing to do for several reasons)....someone else will need to confirm this is accurate.

Anyone know how many miles / gals/ litres are still in the tank when the light comes on? :?: TB

Miles is variable (obviously) on my GT3 the ligh comes on with 54 miles to go when using it as a day-to-day car, although this can drop to 20 odd when not. I think the light comes on at 10 litres left but I could be slightly wrong.

thanks for that. I had done about 20 miles on red but obviously didn't want to find out the hard way :thumb: TB

remember reading somewhere that only the top half of guage is actual and that lower half works on what you averaged in first half?? and that is reason why you have to fill to over half tank before guage reads again? don't quote me on it but just remember reading this a while back. stuck in my mind because i hadn't had 996 long and ran out of fuel twice when didn't think the guage was that low or maybe i'm being dim and my guage is pumped :bonk:

Just fill the tank up. If the gauge works after that then there's no problem. If not, then take it to the garage. Not wanting to appear rude, but why just put £20 in the tank - it's a fuel guzzling car.

A splash of petrol doesn't register on the 996 or the 997 for that matter, seen various posts about the shape of the tank etc and I know a few people who have had the senders replaced.. and guess what ? still the same... Even when I've had 1/4 and splashed to get to the Shell station it hasn't moved.. Rather embarrassing giving the car to the OPC with the fuel light on , knowing full well it has £20 just been put in.. As others say it seems to be about £30 and it always registers.. garyw

> but why just put £20 in the tank if your red light is on and the only local garage has regular 95 RON at a guess? a great tip on that savemoney website suggests filling up your car before it gets 1/4 left. This way, the theory is, that you fill up going past a cheaper petrol station, rather than having the tank empty and being forced to fill up at an expensive garage!!! I still don't fill up until the red light comes on though....actually, I prefer to run my tank as empty as possible every time, otherwise you end up with a load of sludge in the bottom of your tank.

This is the second time I am hearing about fuel gauges on 996TT's. The first time I read on here is when owners fill up to the brim, the needle drops quickly after just a few miles before settling to a steady rate of decrease. Like Damian, my light (Targa 996) comes on at about 54 miles as well. ~ Maxie

I had a similar issue the other week after I filled the car to the brim and the neddle just didn't move. Left it over night and all was fine the next day.

what is the tank size on a turbo/c4s? I fill up soon after the red light usually with a range of 30-50 miles remaining but I can't get more that about 45 litres in! Makes me think my range display is being a bit pessimistic?

Refill tank capacity is 64 litres on the Turbo garyw

You need to change where you get your fuel from as when I've replaced fuel pumps and peered into fuel tanks I've never once seen "sludge" in a tank.

> You need to change where you get your fuel from as when I've replaced fuel pumps and peered into fuel tanks I've never once seen "sludge" in a tank. That is very interesting indeed. Perhaps it is something that used to be an issue, but has improved with technology. I was certain that you either run your tank almost empty on a regular basis or run the risk of the crud blockingyour injectors and was one of the reasons for using the fuel cleaner (red x was it, something like that?) occasionally. Not that I'd recommend using anything like that personally.