I'm going to try my best to explain this. Recently my gas tank / gas needle has been acting up here is the story I can best describe it as.

With my gas tank / gas needle working 100% normal meaning:

the gas tank reads E, low gas light is on.. needle is hovering right on top of the bold empty line... when the gas tank is full, (filling from empty) adding 15.5 to 16 gallons of gas from E, the gas needle hovers a centimeter above the bold line reading full.

I am assuming this is the way everyone elses gas needle behaves.

With that, last week and a half, March 2nd (the last time I drove my car), the maxima read that I had a 1/4 tank of gas. I went to Florida for a spring break leaving my Maxima behind in the driveway. I was gone for 8 days, returned last Saturday, and drove the car the last quarter tank of gas until I just "filled" the tank tonight.

When I filled the tank, (the needle was hovering over the E and the gas light was on... normal symptoms of an empty tank of gas) .. the gas pump stopped filling at 13.56 gallons. I immediately knew this wasn't right so I added a bit more fuel.. but could hear the gas being topped off and everything told me the tank was full. I then started the car, after driving a mile, the gas needle reached a centimeter BEFORE the bold line reading FULL. This has never happened before.

So I'm thinking that when I filled up, the tank wasn't empty like the gas needle was telling me, but when filling up, the gas needle didn't reach its normal height when completely full with gas like normal behavior.

Is there something about the car sitting for 8 days, not driven, on a 1/4 tank.. that screws with the gas needle? I've owned my car for 7 years and it has never done this and I can't remember the last time I hadn't driven my car in an 8 day period before. I'm thinking there is a connection somehow and not a failed part.

Anyone else ever experienced this gas needle conundrum?

 

that's weird. but yeah, when I fill mine all the way up, it's a little bit above the full line.

maybe your system is over pressurized? try relieving some pressure, it's easy enough to do and wouldn't hurt. start your car up and remove the fuel pump fuse in the interior fuse box with the car running. it'll stall out after a second or so. then try cranking it a few times after but don't crank it too long. then open your gas cap. put it back on, put the fuse back in, start the car back up. then see where you are.

hope that helps a little

 

Your gauge cluster or Fuel level sending unit is bad. There is a step by step in the FSM on how to check both and rule out what is the problem.

You cant over pressurize a fuel system (at least in regards to the fuel level). The fuel going through the lines and into the engine have nothing to do with your gauges. There is a physical float attached that has a variable voltage output depending on how high or low it is in the tank. The FSM will tell you what voltage for full half and low so you can see if it is working correctly.

 

well, I tried. lol

 

Another note I should add is that when I unscrewed my gas cap to refill last night, there was absolutely no hiss or pressure release of any kind. I always tighten the gas cap until I hear three or four clicks of the cap. Anything strange about that? I just don't think the fuel level sending unit is bad

 

styliztik may not be that far off then. The gas cap keeps the pressure regulated in the tank (basically it doesn't let the fumes out). If your cap is bad then it effects emissions and ultimately can effect your gas milage. I dont think it would be related to the Fuel gauge....but I may be wrong. Its an cheap/easy replacement from the dealership.

It wont always have pressure and hiss. It depends on the heat/humidity/barometric pressure and how much fuel is in your tank.

 

it's been a while since my gas went that low, but iirc, it never made a hiss either. now I don't go below 1/4 tank to save the fuel pump from prematurely failing. because fuel does lubricate the pump and help keep it cool.