05 Explorer - Gas gauge not working
 

went out truck was fine, started the truck to come back and the service engine light came on, and within about 30-sec the gas gauge went to E...

Is there a way I can get codes without a scanner?

Thanks,
David

You have OBD-II, there is no way to extract codes without a scanner. Autozone, in anticipation of your buying parts from them, will pull codes for free if the CEL is on. But on an 05, why not just schedule a service visit and use that factory warranty.

Did schedule service. They told me 1 wk... Plus they are the closest Ford dealer and they're like 30 miles away... If they were closer I'd probably just drop in and hound them...

Just would like to know what's going on... It's my father's truck and I'm visiting till sunday. His idea of maintenance is to fill up the gas tank... I'd like to know the truck will get what it needs...

Oh well.... He's not worried, so I guess I won't worry. It feels like it has a very slight miss... which it shouldn't with 16k on it. He said the CEL was on before and went off. Intermitant missfire will do that. I'll bet the dealer says bad gas... :mad:

Thanks.

David

as a suggestion, get an additive called techron from chevron. Ford has a tsb on that to correct fuel card contamination from sulfur in the fuel. Might not fix it, but why not get the jump on them?

Is it still under warranty? If it is, let Ford do it.

The wife has a 2005 EB Explorer 4.6L V-8 and had the same problem. It required the dealer to drop the gas tank to fix the problem. Unless you have a ***** load of miles on your 2005 so it's not under warranty, let the dealer fix it on Ford's "nickel", not your's.

Whimsey

I am letting ford fix it, I just like to know what's up. I've been given the dealer runaround before...

Thanks,
David

I know this is a common problem. My friends wifes explorer had the same problem they had replaced the sending unit several times and still did not cure the problem and they had to replace I think the gage cluster in the dash and thats what cured the problem that took months to fix.

sorry to bring up the burried thread but...my 05 is doing the same...my aunt gave the truck to me and filled it up previous to giving it to me. That night the gas gauge dropped to BELOW E mark and stayed there, it jumped back up when the gas level was below 3/4. This will trigger a CEL. However Ford did tell me it was "bad gas" and to use Chevron Techron(didn't help...).

When you fill the tank above 3/4's it will error, but below that my gauge works fine, and the CEL will go off. Must be a bad sender....and they did mention the dirty fuel card.

Is making a fuel tank gauge that difficult? Manufacturers have been making flawless gas tank gauges/sending units for decades and yet Ford needs to change the technology..making it all electronic..and now are adding even more TSB's and recalls that shouldn't be necessary in the first place! (IMO).

Dealer told my father the same thing. Use Chevron gas... He's still having the same problem. He's going to get them on the lemon law. He's just going to keep bringing it back for the same problem over and over and play dumb. Then after he's got 4 or 5 repair slips and the problem comes back...

Yeah I'm not too worried about it, it is under warranty. I just don't have time to bring it in, but I'll make a point of it soon. They said to use chevron techron fuel additive, not the gas.

The additive works, it isnt instant, possibly 2 or 3 tanks. The problem is the fuel. This will change with the governments mandate on sulfur ( no, its not just diesel ). Yeah, changing the sending unit will fix it too, until the fuel screws up the new one as well.

Well I noticed that it's only at the upper portion of the sending unit, up around the 3/4 - full mark on the sensor...I was just hoping it would relieve itself with time.....

I had a problem with the gauge a few times.The needle would go up by the next day.
I read on another Explorer forum to take the key out of the ignition when filling with gas and never had a problem since on my '05.

All of the above are valid...I experienced all of them including the key on the ignition while filling up. Eventually, I had my sending unit, fuel pump replaced (warranty) by the delearship two weeks ago. I have since filled up gas and the problem did not occur...so far so good.