Hi - New to the forum and new to Ford trucks too. Hoping you guys can help out. I just bought a 2003 F350 6.0 and brought it in to the dealer to have it serviced - figured I'd start fresh and make sure I stayed on top of maintenance for the truck.

The dealer did the 90k service yesterday and when I got into the truck last night, the battery was weak and wouldn't start. When I got a jump and when the truck did start, I noticed that the fuel gauge was reading empty. I had filled up the night before so there's a full tank and I am 100% sure the gauge was working when I dropped it off (I took a photo of the odometer in the morning, which show a full tank). Is there anything that could have been done during service that would have broken the gauge? Would a hard start / dead battery cause this?

The dealer is telling me it's just coincidence, which I'm having a hard time buying. The shop manager agreed to have a tech look into it a little for no charge, but I'm willing to bet I get a call back telling me I need to spend more money to fix something else - I'd like to have some idea as to whether he's just BSing me or this really is just bad luck. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Also, can anyone recommend a good independent mechanic near Concord MA? They told me that the truck needs a new alternator and front brakes and I'm thinking I'd rather do what I can myself and find a good local guy for the rest.

 

Well, I would start by putting more fuel in it. If you still don't show anything on the gauge a ScanGauge2 will read the fuel level. Most everyone on here will recomend some sort of gauge to read live data. ScanGauge2 is the most popular. If you had a full tank, don't think some crook won't come by and clean you out. A full tank is worth more then a 1/8 tank.

 

Welcome to FTE benb123 It could be coincident, a wire or fuse, but the fuel sending unit for 03 was updated as mine stuck in the top of the fuel tank...... after a rather hard launch at the track I might add.

 

My alternator went out a couple weeks ago, radio was the first thing to go, then the gauges, then the truck quit running. My guess is alternator, low voltage caused this. Go ahead and have the batteries checked we well. Good luck.

 

thanks for the feedback guys. The fuel is still there so it's got to be something electrical that broke (it was reading full in the morning so it couldn't have gotten stuck). As part of the service, they replaced fuel filter(s)? so I was wondering how close they were to the fuel system electricals.

1977scout - when you got the alternator fixed, did the fuel gauge start working again, or did you have to replace something else? I had them put in 2 new batteries this morning and I decided to hold off on the alternator and do it myself after I got the quote for about $700.

I'm really hoping I didn't get a problem child with this truck. I've had it for less than a week and already 2k into maintenance - and still need to do an alternator, something with a fuel gauge, and front brakes...

 

Have your alternator tested to see if its weak because that can affect the gauges. When my alternator was on its way out it caused the gauges to flutter.

It might just be the gauge getting stuck. Its happened to my 05 before. I filled the tank all the way up and my gauge was still stuck on empty, it slowly rose back up to full, took about 70 miles of driving or so. How much have you driven the truck since the gauge stopped working?

 

2k in maintenance?? What exactly did you have done for all that money

 

I haven't driven the truck at all since the gauge got stuck. I started it up yesterday at the dealership, saw that it wasn't working, turned around and gave the keys back to them.

I just got the call that they think I need a new fuel sending unit (along with a new alternator) - and they gave me a quote of $1k. I told them to stop working on it and that I'd pick it up tonight. It's going to sit in my driveway until I decide what to do with it.

As far as the $2k - I got:
90k service
ball joints (both sides)
stabilizer link
2 new batteries
alignment

I just got the truck a week ago and haven't even driven it more than about 20 miles yet. I was expecting to replace the stabilizer link, alignment, and 90k service - so I planned on $1000-1200 of maintenance. The batteries, alternator, fuel sending unit and ball joints are an unwelcome surprise.

 

That number is not really that surprising to me sadly I have been there before. I was quoted like 700.00 to get my sender repaired Some days the guage worked others it did not, I told them the same thing you did. Someone here told me to throw some additive into the tank and it might start functioning again, they were correct. If the repairs you listed were warranted I'm not surprised I just have a hard time having confidence in my dealers anymore so I have been on here ever since. Labor here is $95.00hr
So you get to 1k pretty quick without parts hopefully you won't need anything else for a while.If you can dig in and do it yourself it's not fun but the cost of ownership sure does drop.

 

I went the independent route to and that was a bigger disaster, junk parts and a tech who guessed until he put the right part in.
The best independent mechanic is you with help from everyone here who are great. Buy a repair manual and read,read,read you will never go back to the dealer unless it's something truly horrible.

 

Drive the truck and see if the gauge comes back, mine has acted up a couple of times but always comes back (havent had a problem in over a year).
If your up to the task of changing your alternator is really quite simple. Changing it yourself would save you money and you could afford to throw a better more reliable alternator on the truck.

I went through three stock alternators in two years, theyre awful. A year ago I bought a 185 amp alternator from DC and it has been great. Still charges over 14 volts and kept up with my amp for my subwoofer.
Heres the link to the alternator I have:
https://www.dcpowerinc.com/fit/2005~...7-185-oem.html

 

Yeah, I'm going to take a crack at replacing the alternator myself. It's been a while, but I replaced alternators on one or two of my cars in high school, so hoping it's not much more effort than that. Thanks for the link to DC Power - it looks like they're out of stock on the 2 models that would fit my truck. Does anyone have experience with Nations (TAD High Amp Ford Diesel Alternator- Nations High Amp Alternators) ? Those cost a little more but they're in stock and I read somewhere else that they are pretty good.

One other thought - the truck came with a plow that I was planning on using for my driveway. Is there a recommended minimum amperage for running a plow? I wasn't planning on using it much but I might have to start doing driveways on the side to pay for all this repair work...

 

I called DC Power and answered my own question about the alternator at Nations. The sales rep told me they were out of stock, but to call Nations, since they're the mid-west distributor for DC Power's OEM replacement alternators.

So - I just got the truck back and 2 odd things. 1 the fuel is now reading 1/2 a tank instead of completely empty. Seems strange, but I'm going to drive it for a bit and see if the issue resolves itself like some have suggested.

Also, when the shop called they said I was getting 11.7 volts when charging (which is why I'd buy the alternator). I hooked up a mutli-meter to the battery when it was running and read 12.9 volts on low idle and 14.1 on high idle. Am I doing something wrong or is the dealership full or it and trying to sell alternators?

Thanks for all the help with this by the way to everyone who's responded. I was freaking out this morning with the prospects of draining my bank account on repairs for this truck, but I'm feeling a little better now thanks to all the help.

 

Fuel gauge acts funny once or twice a year.
I avoid having engine running when i fillup.
I 've filled up once with eng running.
The gauge never moved, in fact got the low
fuel light when i got down the road two mins.
Took three days for gauge to read full. It would creap up a little more each day.

The sg2 and distance too empty all realized
tank was full though.

 

Haven't had my truck long, but I have had the fuel gauge act up as well. Twice now, right after I filled it up, aprox. 10 to 20 minutes lator the gauge would show empty, and the low fuel indicator comes on. Once, it stayed low till I started it the next morning, when it showed correctly, the other time it only took about half an hour, and a key cycle... Must be a common problem!