Gas gauge slightly broke ?

[Ghost]

So I started out on trailvoy and found this forum imo much better.


Anyways I made a thread a few months back explianing that the gas gauge on my 05 tb wasnt working correctly. So I used cleaner in my tank and cleaned the throttlebody my hand and the problem went away. Well its back again !!! If I start my truck with a full tank or even half full the gauge will show empty even if I am on park drive the only way to get a accurate reading ia throwing the tranny in neatural while driving than it will move to the proper reading.

Yesterday a member on the other forum wrote this:

"Trailblazer Fuel guage proplem. Just spoke with GM and it is covered under special coverage # 10054 no cost to me. Take it to dealer if under 120,000 miles or before 2015."

How do I find out if my tb is covered ? My truck is an 04/05 with 49 thousand miles. Who do I call to get thia problem fixed? And will it cost me anything ?

Thanks for the help.
I am a tb truck enthusiast n00b

 

[The_Roadie]

If you didn't get the letter from GM, just call the dealer. They may pay half of a discounted rate. The dealer is the place to start.

 

[Lima Tango]

My '05 had the exact same symptoms. Brought it to the dealer for a new sender, IIRC cost to me was ~$180 after GM paid half of the original bill. I had no letter or anything else, they knew exactly what I was talking about when I called to make the appointment so it was really easy.

 

[Boricua SS]

yea the dealer is not going to foot the whole bill on this issue... i got the letter, but i have GMPP until next year, so it would be covered under my warranty anyway... but typically, GM will pay half, and you pay the other half... its a toss up if you need the letter or not... but as others said.. just call the dealer first and go from there..

 

[jrSS]

Well I had an 06 envoy and dealer and I split cost. Cost m $114. Now I have an 07 SS and no probs with the fsu. YET

 

[Ghost]

What exactly is causing this issue on the tb ?

 

[Denali n DOO]

Yesterday a member on the other forum wrote this:

"Trailblazer Fuel guage proplem. Just spoke with GM and it is covered under special coverage # 10054 no cost to me. Take it to dealer if under 120,000 miles or before 2015."

Thanks for this info, mine goes to empty when filled up and goes back to normal after 50 km or so. I'm calling the dealer tomorrow with that number and see what they gonna do?

Thanks again.

 

[The_Roadie]

What exactly is causing this issue on the tb ?

Design error. The fuel level sensor has a moving part that wears out. It shows first as a flaky connection, then fails altogether and forces a zero fuel reading. The designer was undoubtedly under orders to save a dime with cheap/thin material for the part that wears out. A more detailed explanation would get into the theory of potentiometers, which is not where I'm guessing you want to go.

Very much like a cheap volume control in a dusty environment that gets noisy/crackly, then dies.

 

[Ghost]

Design error. The fuel level sensor has a moving part that wears out. It shows first as a flaky connection, then fails altogether and forces a zero fuel reading. The designer was undoubtedly under orders to save a dime with cheap/thin material for the part that wears out. A more detailed explanation would get into the theory of potentiometers, which is not where I'm guessing you want to go.

Very much like a cheap volume control in a dusty environment that gets noisy/crackly, then dies.

I know how a potentiometer works i wouldn't classify them as "theory".
so i found the article via magazine online The part is a fuel sender unit.
I also found this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Fuel-Le...Model:Trailblazer&hash=item53e5e49571&vxp=mtr
I wonder if that's the part...I highly doubt the part is going to cost 2x $180 +/- Dealership's suck i dislike them them all together.

 

[The_Roadie]

Aftermarket parts are cheap compared to OEM, but the issue is that you have to drop the fuel tank to get at the top to change the fuel pump or sensor. It's the labor that runs up the bill. All because GM was too cheap to give us a 300K mile sensor.

It makes me go "hmmmmmm" every time I consider how the designers must have been motivated by management to throw the dealers a bone for long-term easy maintenance / high profit tasks. Like the throttle body cleaning and this fuel sensor.

 

[Ghost]

Aftermarket parts are cheap compared to OEM, but the issue is that you have to drop the fuel tank to get at the top to change the fuel pump or sensor. It's the labor that runs up the bill. All because GM was too cheap to give us a 300K mile sensor.

It makes me go "hmmmmmm" every time I consider how the designers must have been motivated by management to throw the dealers a bone for long-term easy maintenance / high profit tasks. Like the throttle body cleaning and this fuel sensor.

Is there any other things I need to worry about. Coming from mopar to GM I was hoping not to run into problems.

 

[Ghost]

OH BUY AM I MAD. THE SERVICE WRITER AT MY LOCAL DEALER SAID THE GAS GAUGE ISNT A RECALL AND I AM NOT ON THERE POLICY. MORONS I HATE DEALERSHIPS. I am the second owner of this vehicle. I printed the recall and he said my truck isn't covered

 

[The_Roadie]

I thought it only covered 2005-2007 vehicles up to 120K miles. You and I with 2004's are out of coverage. So just buy one, drop the tank and change it. Or fill out a report at the NHTSA site and see if you can help them understand they should expand the bulletin to cover more years.

For once, this isn't an issue you can blame on the dealer. It's a GM corporate decision to stonewall until the NHTSA forced them to act. And they covered just enough vehicles to get the NHTSA off their back.

The rest of us just have to suck it up and deal with it like any other maintenance issue. Surely you didn't think any brand was going to be perfect?

 

[Ghost]

I thought it only covered 2005-2007 vehicles up to 120K miles. You and I with 2004's are out of coverage. So just buy one, drop the tank and change it. Or fill out a report at the NHTSA site and see if you can help them understand they should expand the bulletin to cover more years.

For once, this isn't an issue you can blame on the dealer. It's a GM corporate decision to stonewall until the NHTSA forced them to act. And they covered just enough vehicles to get the NHTSA off their back.

The rest of us just have to suck it up and deal with it like any other maintenance issue. Surely you didn't think any brand was going to be perfect?

Can you please help me out and find the part I need to purchase. Just got off the phone is about $600 for the repair. Ill just have my friend a shop do it and provide the part/s.


P.s I was surely convinced buying a GM over FORD or Mopar or Toyota that I was clear on issues. Guess I was wrong.

 

[MAY03LT]

Ghost, how many miles are on your truck?

 

[Ghost]

Ghost, how many miles are on your truck?

49 thousand.

 

[The_Roadie]

Can you please help me out and find the part I need to purchase.

I'll notify Google they have an outage in your area.

Amazon.com: trailblazer fuel level sensor

$28 cheapest.

 

[Ghost]

I'll notify Google they have an outage in your area.

Amazon.com: trailblazer fuel level sensor

$28 cheapest.

Densor, ASDELCO and one other part name plus I see differnt model #s. Ill try to be.more precise....part # please. Amazon search results show 7 differnt part #s.

 

[The_Roadie]

And all of those part numbers will work. Your local parts stores may have others. Only you know if you have to go cheap or if you normally pay more for oem so you may not have to go back and do the job again.

 

[MAY03LT]

49 thousand.

Gotcha, thanks. When folks run into fuel gauge issues at higher mileages (>120K) we usually recommend doing the pump as well since it has to come out anyway.

 

[c good]

If you go for new fuel pump while in there, I recommend staying with the GM Factory pump. The aftermarket pumps have a bad record, and the last thing you want to do is drop the fuel tank again for a premature pump failure.

 

[Denali n DOO]

I called the Stealership on this and they will pay half, that means I gotta pay about $250, if I just buy the part it's gonna be about $220. Every stinking part up here in the great white north always costs so much more! I wish I lived in the States, or at least a northern State that gets lots of snow. Guess I'll let the Stealership do the job, no point to try and do it myself and only save $30 !

 

[Ghost]

I called the Stealership on this and they will pay half, that means I gotta pay about $250, if I just buy the part it's gonna be about $220. Every stinking part up here in the great white north always costs so much more! I wish I lived in the States, or at least a northern State that gets lots of snow. Guess I'll let the Stealership do the job, no point to try and do it myself and only save $30 !

It will cost me $500 + tax. Your lucky!

 

[The_Roadie]

It will cost me $500 + tax.

Wait.....don't you have a "friend" doing the work? Expensive friend.

 

[Ghost]

Wait.....don't you have a "friend" doing the work? Expensive friend.

I mean thats what the Stealership wants. Iv decided to be ghetto cheap and wait until the gauge completely stops working than i am going to fix it.

Curious can I install a aftermarket gas gauge and by pass the stupid sensor ?

 

[The_Roadie]

Curious can I install a aftermarket gas gauge and by pass the stupid sensor ?

As long as you buy one of those new-fangled clairvoyant gauges that *know* your fuel level without using one of those pesky old-fashioned sensors that fail all the time.

I'd love to evaluate such an aftermarket gauge, but I don't think they exist.

 

[Sparky]

I mean thats what the Stealership wants. Iv decided to be ghetto cheap and wait until the gauge completely stops working than i am going to fix it.

Curious can I install a aftermarket gas gauge and by pass the stupid sensor ?

Stick a dipstick down the fill neck

 

[Ghost]

Stick a dipstick down the fill neck

Thought about that...I could drop dye in the tank and drop a string with a weight and bobber lol

 

[JerryIrons]

Hi everyone,

Just to add to this discussion, I have a 2006 ext trailblazer that I bought brand new back in Jan 2006. I now have 151,000 miles on it. Some fuel history:

1) The sensor went bad around 50k, I had that replaced at the time at the dealer. I got my letter and will be paying them a visit.

2) Fuel pump started whining 2 years ago, after a while the sender went bad again, so I elected to drop the tank and replace the whole pump assembly. Replaced it with an oem match delphi product purchased from rock auto. I believe delphi is the fuel pump oem mfr for gm?

3) Within 1 year, the fuel sender went bad. I called rock auto, they ship me out a replacement pump w sender, no hassle at all, I just need to ship the bad one back. Actually very good customer service with rock auto. However, I realize that I am again putting a delphi product in my vehicle, how long will it last?

4) This year, again, the fuel sender goes bad. ( about 1 year and 2 months) This time I walk into NAPA (I now have an account there so I get a discount). They tell me that you cannot just purchase the fuel sender from napa, and have to buy the whole pump assembly, which is an OEM match, a delphi product. (they are wrong of course)

I tell them there is no &%@#ing way I am putting a delphi fuel anything in this vehicle. I go online to rock auto, buy a dorman fuel sendor for 25 bucks, and again, drop the tank and change out my fuel sender. I will keep people posted on how long this one lasts. As a side note, I do see how gm has a different fuel sender, the "fingers" are thicker so to speak, I just couldn't do it though.

I think it is the "winter gas" additives that eat away the sender fingers. Just a guess no evidence. All of my senders have gone bad over winters here in sunny buffalo ny.

ok ranting over thanks for listening

 

[JerryIrons]

Just to follow up on this, I put a $25 dorman fuel sender in and it works great. We'll see how it's working in a year that will be the real test. Anyway just an fyi that the dormans are compatible.

 

[JerryIrons]

For those interested, my cheapo dorman fuel sender has been working like a champ, it's been over a year now with no problems or hitches. I realize of course that I have just jinxed myself haha.

Also GM sent out another fuel sender letter, this time offering to reimburse for the full amount of the repair in case anyone didn't get their letter.

-Jerry