Hi there,

i got a 2002 Dakota, and the gas gauge it shows as empty all the time even when i know it has gas in it, as long as the empty tank lights are always on, the previous owner stated that he replaced the fuel bump, is there any idea what would be causing the problem.

 

Hard to say, if the pump has been replaced and it was that way before. IF it's only since the change, the arm might be stuck down. Otherwise it's likely electrical.

 

Or simply a bad pump/sending unit right out of the box, or, improper installation......

Do a gauge test, hold the trip reset button in, and turn the ignition to On, (not start) cluster should run thru it's test. Make sure the gas gauge does a full sweep. If that checks out, unplug the electrical connector from the pump module, and put a jumper wire on the feed/return for the gauge sending unit. Turn the ignition on, gauge should peg out on Full.

 

Thanks for your reply, I did the gauge test when I first got the truck, the gas gauge did the full sweep and once the test was done it came back to empty.
Pleas excuse my ignorance, how can I jump the sending unit wire, and does that will keep it on full all the time or will fix it, also that mean I need to drop the gas tank right? To access the fuel pump?, I'm no car/truck expert by any means.

Thanks again!

 

The connector is on top of the fuel pump module. I don't know if there is enough room under there to unhook it without at least lowering the tank, or raising that side of bed a bit. You'll have to look and see. Once you have the connector unplugged, see which wires are for the gas gauge. One should be a power feed to the gauge, and the other should be return signal. Put a jumper between those two wires, and see what the gauge does. If the wiring and such are good, the gauge should peg out. In which case, sending unit is bad, and needs replaced. If it doesn't, you have a wiring problem somewhere, and will have to trace the circuit to find it.

 

Thank you so much, once the weather clears here in KS, i will give it a shoot, i will let you know my findings, as soon as i can.

 

There are 4 wires. The inside two are for the fuel level sender. You can also intercept them at the frame rail by the charcoal canister. One is Blue with White trace, the other is Black with Blue trace. The red interlock slides towards the back of the truck.