Check engine light question...

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Apr 27, 2011 | 11:05 AM

Batjac

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Check engine light question...

Hi all,

Yesterday, after filling my 2006 Expedition's gas tank and driving for awhile, the gas needle fell to empty and the gas pump light came on. Later, it went back to normal and shown a full tank. It then bottomed-out again and then went back to full. It now seems to be working correctly.

However, after it dropped the second time, the check engine light appeared and hasn't shut-off.

Any thoughts as to what is going on? The tank was pretty dry when I filled up.

Does the check engine light remain on after it's triggered even if there was a glitch that "fixed" itself?

Thanks, Jeff

Apr 27, 2011 | 05:46 PM

fordno1

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From: Wisconsin

First thing you want to do is find out why the CEL is on. Have someone do a code scan. Autozone, Advanced Auto, O'Reillys usually do them for free. Find out what it is. It may be coincidence that it came on and something else is going on. Let us know what you find out. As for the fuel gauge, there is a good chance the sending unit is going bad. You will have to replace the pump and sending unit together as an assembly. $$$$

Apr 28, 2011 | 05:16 AM

zerick

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Your sending unit could be bad, but like fordno1 said, see if you can find someone to scan it for you. Once a CEL comes on, it will stay for awhile even if there is nothing wrong. If you unhook your battery for about 15 minutes, it should reset your computer and see if it comes back on.

Apr 28, 2011 | 09:21 AM

Batjac

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Thanks for the replies!!

I did have it scanned and the guy said it was a bad connection at the sender.

If that's the case, is it critical to fix it asap? Will it affect the pump and cause the truck to stop running? Or will it just cause the the fuel indicator to jump around?

Obviously it'll have to get fixed, but I'm hoping against hope it is something that can wait until some more $$$$ are available.

I'll try the battery trick. I'm wondering if once the indicator is triggored, it stays on regardless if the problem fixes itself.

The fuel tank was pretty low (all right, pretty much on empty!), I filled it with enough to get me where I was going, and than filled it completely. Maybe that messed something up?

Thanks again,

Jeff

Apr 28, 2011 | 10:42 AM

zerick

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Once your computer resets itself, it will still have the code until it is erased, but the CEL should stay off. But if your connection is bad, it will probably re bed the code and turn on the CEL. It shouldn't affect any performance, but I would think the only thing is that when the connection is bad, it won't show a fuel reading, but when the connection works, it will work fine.

Apr 29, 2011 | 12:07 PM

Batjac

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Well, I disconnected the battery and let the truck sit awhile. When I re-connected the battery and fired it up, the CEL light was off. I've driven the truck around today and it hasn't gone back on.

I'm hoping it was just the float in the tank getting stuck which triggered the CEL.

If it comes back on, I'll know different.

Again, a BIG thanks for the replies.