Hey guys, I posted something a long time ago but never got a response. I bought a 99 dakota sport 4x4 manual about a month or two ago. The manual/spec sheet that came with it says that it should have a 22 gallon gas tank, and the gas light will go on with 3 gallons left. Everytime i fill up, i drive for about 10 more miles after the light goes on, and the most it will take is about 15. once it took almost 18 though. Do i just have an 18 gallon tank?
Also on a side note, there are 2 switches underneath the dashboard by my knees, one is the aftermarket fog lights that the previous owner put in, but the other is an orange illuminating switch that i can not figure out what it does. Any ideas on how to figure it out? Thanx

 

The orange Light may be to deactivate the passengerside airbag. The fuel problem might be the same as I am having. I have a faulty fuel sender unit, this is responsibel for telling the fuel guage how much gas you've got left. If it's the same problem it's going to cost you about 300 to get a new fuel pump modual, where the sender, filer and pump are all combined into one unit. sorry for the bad news.

 

whats the best way to tell if i have a 22 or an 18 gallon tank without taking it off? i mean, when the gas light goes on it only takes about 14-16 gallons usually, but the spec. sheet that came with my truck says it has the 22 gallon tank option, any ideas? i rather not drive it till i run out of gas, isnt that bad for the truck?

 

measure the tank, height width and link, convert the cubic inches to gallons
http://www.onlineconversion.com/

 

it should be a 22. buy a 2 gallon gas jug and carry it around (strapped down) in you truck bed. let it run out, once won't hurt it. the other switch is a passinger ejection seat switch. becareful with it though, i had a divorce over that switch.

 

I have the same thing with my 99 Dak. It came with the tow package, heavy duty alternator and 22 gal tank. However, since new, I can drive it til the DTE says 0, low fuel light is on and guage is past E but the most to fill is 18.5 gallons. I know there is still gas in the tank cause I can hear sloushing around in the tank if I rock the truck. Guess I'll try the run it til it's totally out suggestion one day just for the heck of it.

 

Just a hunch, but that switch might be for some old neon underglow. I know older neon kits come with a switch like that. Thats the only thing i can think of? Was the previous owner somone you think would put UG on the truck?

 

when my gas light goes on, i'll drive it another 100+ miles. sometimes untill the needle will go below the E, and it will still drive. if the needle is half way down on the E you still have at least 2-1.5 gallons left(4 gallon reserve). i've tested it many times but always chicken out and refuel before the truck even begins to start stuttering(needle below the E!!). so if this tell you any thing don't be afraid to test it, it'll suprise you.

 

*think to self* Would rather it read "E" and have 4 gallons left than it read "E" and have 1 ounce left. *stops thinking to self*
For quite sometime, they had a 15 gallon and 22 gallon tanks.
I guess at some point they switched to 22 and 24 gallon tanks. (2001 shop manual says 22 gallon for 2 door, and 24 gallon for 4 door models).

 

good point. when my gas light goes on i in the 22 gal tank, i stll have half a quarter tank left, a light foot and a v6.