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Thread: Fuel gauge issues

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Seattle, WA
    Posts
    1,036

    Default Fuel gauge issues

    Friends '95 525iT has a fuel gauge that's erratic. Sometimes it reads right, and sometimes it reads empty.

    OBC does still give the correct range when the gauge isn't reading properly.

    Nothing else in the cluster is acting weird. Nor is there any other electrical anomalies.

    Fuel gauge issues are either the sender, CCM or cluster related if I'm recalling others problems correctly. As the OBC gives the proper range, that leads me to believe that the sender is fine as the OBC would need to get a proper fuel level to give you the right range. And as there's no other electrical problems I'm guessing that the CCM is ok as well.

    Is this just a case of need to replace caps in the cluster? Or is there something else that might be an issue?
    Cosmos Black/Black 1995 540iA M-Sport
    BMW Individual Exclusive Edition, 1 of 65 total, 9/25/95 Build

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Chicago, Il. U.S.A.
    Posts
    4,243

    Default

    A corroded connection could do this.
    "The gas pedal wouldn't go to the floor if it weren't meant to be there"

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Seattle, WA
    Posts
    1,036

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ross View Post
    A corroded connection could do this.
    Where?

    Though I wouldn't look so much for corrosion as I think it was a southern car for most of it's life. And we don't have much of a rust problem around here. Haven't found any corrosion on the car yet.

    But it does seem like the car has seen a lot of heat over it's lifetime based on it's interior condition. I could see a melted connection somewhere...
    Cosmos Black/Black 1995 540iA M-Sport
    BMW Individual Exclusive Edition, 1 of 65 total, 9/25/95 Build

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Eastern Tennessee USi
    Posts
    14,843

    Default

    sounds familiar, I fixed the stop light and the fog light fixed itself, next day gas guage worked properly, still does.

    Quote Originally Posted by bubba966 View Post
    Friends '95 525iT has a fuel gauge that's erratic. Sometimes it reads right, and sometimes it reads empty.

    OBC does still give the correct range when the gauge isn't reading properly.

    Nothing else in the cluster is acting weird. Nor is there any other electrical anomalies.

    Fuel gauge issues are either the sender, CCM or cluster related if I'm recalling others problems correctly. As the OBC gives the proper range, that leads me to believe that the sender is fine as the OBC would need to get a proper fuel level to give you the right range. And as there's no other electrical problems I'm guessing that the CCM is ok as well.

    Is this just a case of need to replace caps in the cluster? Or is there something else that might be an issue?
    95 E34 530I V2.37
    ===========
    Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

    John F. Kennedy

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    879

    Default

    I have exactly the same problem and I am suspecting the cluster. I don't think the signal even goes to the CCM - according to the schematics it goes straight to a splice where one lead goes to the obc and the other straight to the cluster. So I am assuming since the obc reads ok (*-you can read the actual volume if you unlock the obc) then the problem is somewhere between the splice and the gauge or even the gauge itself.
    Last edited by tim eh?; 07-31-2009 at 05:16 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sweden
    Posts
    572

    Default

    IŽll join the club then, exactly the same is going on with my gauge..

    CD43,Style 21s,K&N Insert,White blinkers,LED 3rd brakelight,HIDs,front Monroe sportsshocks/Weitec 35 springs,540 Calipers, Zimmermann Discs and Textar pads.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    O.C.
    Posts
    463

    Default

    go to a salvage yeard, take out a fuel pump sender assembly, check the resistance of the sender yourself and if ok, install that bad boy in your car

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Eastern Tennessee USi
    Posts
    14,843

    Default

    Krap, mine is wigged out again, lights all work, guage says empty or just above half tank no matter how much gas is in there...full or empty guage is in a world of it's own. Can the sending unit be cleaned or repaired?
    95 E34 530I V2.37
    ===========
    Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

    John F. Kennedy

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sweden
    Posts
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    Default

    It can be opened, not that hard.. But if it helps to clean the resistancewires I dunno!

    CD43,Style 21s,K&N Insert,White blinkers,LED 3rd brakelight,HIDs,front Monroe sportsshocks/Weitec 35 springs,540 Calipers, Zimmermann Discs and Textar pads.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    East Brunswick, New Jersey
    Posts
    879

    Default

    My vote is the fuel level sender. Happened on both of my e34's. Fixed by one from ebay.
    '01 540it, 6/01
    '03 325i 5 speed, 9/02
    '10 535ix. 9/09
    '10 mini 6 speed
    '15 mini countryman 6 speed

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