On my '06 F 350 diesel, my engine warning light has been on for a week or two. When it first lit up, my fuel guage dropped from full to empty, and since, the guage will drop, as if there is a short in the system. As I drive, the fuel level will instantly fall to empty. This failure is obviously triggering the warning light. My local mechanic (not a Ford dealer) says his computer shows a code PO460, fuel level sensor A circuit. He recommends a new fuel sender unit at an installed price of $850. I have not had time to have a Ford mechanic check it, but when I described the problem on the phone, he says it is more likely a cluster issue.

Anyone have this happen? Any opinions as to the probable cause? I would hate to have my regular mechanic, who seems capable, go to the trouble and expense of dropping the tank, if there is a chance that it could be something else causing it. Or should I take it to a Ford dealer for diagnosis and repair? Is there anything a Ford dealer can do that an independent mechanic cannot? Will it need reprogramming by computers that only a Ford dealer would have?

If it in fact is the fuel sender unit, is $850 a reasonable cost? I understand that dropping the tank is a chore, but from what I can research, the parts should only be about $250 and $600 seems a little steep for labor for this procedure. Thanks for any advice. I just bought this truck, and am trying to get the kinks ironed out. By the way, although an 06, it has 174,000 miles. The Oasis is relatively clean. Injectors were replaced and a few other procedures done, but nothing too bad. Hope that stays true. The reputation of the 6.0 worries me, so every little sound or warning light causes me concern. But it sure is a sweet driving truck.

 

In 2005 the superduties got CAN (Controller Area Network) integration. If the Cluster is failing it should be communicating with the rest of the network. I'm not sure on the specs for the system, but from other experiences if the speedo is working, then the cluster is on the network and communicating. Fuel senders do go bad over time, 4 years seems a bit soon though. The sender should work on impedence, so if you put a DMM on the fuel level wire it should show consistent ohms if it's working correctly. If the ohms fluctuate, then the sender is failing.

 

Mine did the same thing about 3 months ago. Drop all the way to empty with a cel light. I unhooked my batteries to reset everthing and has been fine until the other day it dropped to empty but did'nt give a cel light and then after a couple miles started working fine and has'nt done it again so far.