Is this gas gauge issue normal?

[Nerfherder]

My gas gauge takes a good 120 miles to reach 3/4 of a tank, and then it shoots down to 1/4 in about 40 more miles. Does anyone else have this issue? I understand that the float attached to the fuel pump is the sending unit, but I was just wondering if it is normal with these cars before I go ripping the pump out.

 

[Defiant]

DSM gauges cause all sorts of headaches and worry. The gas gauge may be the flakiest of them all.

Learn to drive by your trip meter. Figure on looking for gas at 250 miles.

 

[telly699]

Or make a weekend project out of it, and put in a more accurate sending unit. Prob. want a new gauge too. I want to try this sometime soon.

 

[ravrkittie]

mine just started doing the same exact thing...i was driving..and it was practically on empty..then i look down again, and it's back up to a quarter tank...the gas light now just randomly comes on too....I've already dealt with sending unit issues (there was a hole in the fuel line) and I honestly dont want to go through the hassle of taking it out again...could the float possible just be stuck?

 

[ImportWarrior]

i fill my tank and it takes 10 minutes to say it is full

 

[Nerfherder]

I thought I left this problem behind when I stopped driving Chevrolets. My girlfriend's Altima has a deadly-accurate gas gauge. I guess I'm going to have to switch to Nissan next. If I have to take the pump out, I'm going with the 190lph.

 

[Mystic511]

It's pretty normal though, my 1g and 2g both take about 10 minutes before the gauge reads full after a fill up. The 2g does exactly what you described, it gets about 120 miles at 3/4 full and then drops to 1/4 by the time 240 rolls around. I usually use the trip meter to gauge when I should go fill up. I usually don't go pass 300 miles for my 2gnt and my 1g I haven't quite figured out yet, but i'm thinkin somewhere around 250.

If for some reason I forgot to reset the trip meter properly, I usually plan to go get gas soon if the gas gauge is at 1/4 tank.

It really does make it feel like your car has good gas mileage though when you've been driving for 2-3 hours and the guage still reads 3/4 full.

 

[L2RTSiAWD]

Totally normal, mine does the exact same thing, as does 99.9% of every other dsm.