Ok so i posted this in the 4th gen forum but not gettin anything over there, i know how awsome my fellow 5th geners are sooooo.........

My mom has a 97 max. Her SES light bulb was out so i pulled the cluster out and changed the bulb. Put all the plugs back in put it together and now the fuel gauge is reading full when she knows it should be at like half??? Already pulled it back apart and checked the plugs.....idk guys maybe a fuse...anyone ever have this type of issue b4....

any ideas are appreciated!!!

 

I have some sort of issue with my 03 maxima as well. I was on a drive out of town, and the suddenly shut off, I tried to start the car again, it started and shut off again, it happened few times, but I could not be able to move the car. I checked the fuel, the fuel gauge was showing there was still 1/4 tank of gas. Though I had to tow the car to mechanic, and found out I was out of gas but the gauge was still showing 1/4 tank full of gas.
I was told something wrong with the fuel sending unit, have to replace the whole, around $700. Though I came across one person selling the complete sending unit. I bought that one, I got it installed, but the problem persists. I got in touch the person I bought the sending unit from he told me that it was working when he sent me that. He told me to take the sending unit out, and try to move the float up and down and see how the cluster and look at the fuel gauge, and I was really amazed when I did that the fuel gauge was working fine. I installed the sending unit back into the tank.
But
I still have the same issue, the gauge move/functions fine, and as soon as it comes near to the 1/4 level, it doesn't come down to show me the accurate amount of gas in the tank, so I have to keep the tank nearly full all the time to avoid break down.
so the question is, has anyone come across this issue, what one has done to correct it. any advice for me, so that I can get it done at reasonable budget!!!

 

Just had the same problem a few weeks ago on my 03. Its the fuel sensor. Had knight from here help me replace it. Its very easy to do it yourself and you can get the part from dave B for the cheapest price. $79 if I remember correctly.

 

In any chance do you have the part number or so, will help or the link will help me in locating that part!

 

Don't sound like a fuel level sensor to me. Sounds like something shorted or not plugged in correctly on the cluster.

 

I may try to diagnose that, but when I pulled the sending unit out and i moved the float up and down, the gauge in the cluster was moving accordingly, it was only when the sending unite inside the tank works incorrectly.

 

Make sure your mom hasn't sent you on the wild goose chase by >forgetting< how much gas should be in the tank.

 

I am actually experiencing the same problem on my 04 Infiniti I35. Have been for the past 3 yrs.Had the cluster replaced, the sending unit twice..and the problem still persists. My gauge actually rests right above the half way mark...I'd love to know how to fix this as well..

 

my mechanic told me that it could be the cluster issue, but i tried moving the float of sending unit, and the gauge moves accordingly.

 

Seems like fuel sensor was a temp fix. The same issue has returned. Getting inaccurate readings again.

 

o hell

 

See post #5

 

Wow thats crazy mine just started now gets stuck right at the 1/4 mark so does anyone really have a direct answer on how to fix this problem

 

replace your fuel sender (fuel pump).

 

i replaced it yesterday still doing the same now people saying it might be my cluster today i even sat in the parking lot waiting for it to just die out from no gas and its so funny cause the gas gauge climbed from almost empty to half tank ugh blower what you think guys the fuel sender unit is a direct replacement from nissan paid about 102.xx for it

 

hey so are you going to replace your cluster by any chance

 

Okay everyone i ordered a replacement cluster the brandnew one at the dealership is about 400.00 so i ordered one on ebay for about 80.00
but i took my car to the dealership yesterday and they worked on it for a good 4 or 5 hours and they came to the conclusion that its the cluster cause the sending unit is working properly

 

Hey i bought a cluster from ebay bout 60 bucks seems to work very well now wow all these issues from 1 damn needle but hey i have extra set of gauge rings any suggestions on what color to paint them

 

I know I'm reviving a dead thread, but .....
I am having a similar issue, I pulled the fuel pump and measured the resistance as I moved the float rod and I got an accurate resistance in accordance with Nissan's specs. I am now thinking I need to replace the cluster, I am going to pull it next weekend when my led's come in. I am wondering if anyone has found a fix to the problem without having to replace the entire cluster.

I hear that the unified control module could be the issue, how would I go about getting one for teh cheap?

 

I tried to do the same thing didn't work so your best bet is yo find a gauge on eBay or so and put it in drive it for about 3 days and make sure it works then put the old one in go to the dealership and tell em you wanna put the right mileage on the cluster they will send it out and you'll get it and be happy with it

 

I fixed the gas gauge problem in my 03, replaced the fuel filter, fuel sending unit and nothing. I had to purchase new cluster from nissan and problem fixed .

 

Yeah my fuel pump was replaced less than a year ago, but the previous owner didnt pursue why the gauge wasnt indicating correctly. I guess ebay it is.

 

This is common issue. The instrument cluster has bad solder joints. If comfortable with electronics you have to take apart cluster to the board and solder all major points including all large square resistors. The tiny components do not need to be bothered as you might damage them..

 

I think that everyone appreciates that you offered a possible solution, but in this case you probably just wasted your time. This guy posted this problem 3 years and 2 months ago in March of 2010. Gotta look at the posting dates.

 

I was puzzled, 2021 and your information helped me on my 1999 maxima. Thank you!

 

I changed all that as well on my 03 Maxima and it's still reading inaccurate. I'll be doing some pin to action and looking for a connector or dirty ground that's got some corrosion.

 

I'll try that after I check my wiring continuity and my ground! I had replaced the fuel filter/ and Fuel pump when this problem showed up! So I went back in and installed a new quantity fuel sending unit, fuel temp sensor assembly (upper half of the fuel filter/pump assembly) tested the gauge with the fuel filter/pump assembly removed and plugged in to see if the gauge responded properly and it didn't! It was extremely slow to respond, but I also took it out to drive and ran the fuel till the fuel low light came on!
The beginning of this entire issue started when I ran at of fuel at 1/4 tank as well about a month before I replaced upper portion of the fuel filter/Pump assembly. Filled up after running out of gas on I-10 between Beaumont, TX and Winnie,Tx. thank God for some good people stopping to help my push the car for nearly 2 miles. Then a nice young man with a truck stopped to tow us with tow strap I found on the side of the road. What a workout that day! No one would take any money either! The highway is under construction and barricaded on both left and right providing no emergency breakdown lanes. I was brave and scared of my family and I getting hit from behind by some idiot not paying attention!

 

Everybody wastes their time and money trying to fix this problem cuz they don't want to think it's the cluster. IT'S THE CLUSTER

 

I'm sure that's the problem too, but the irony was this all started after I changed the Original fuel pump and fuel filter canister. So I'll try my best not to break any of this plastic crap but I'm a really good at soldering, so I'll break out the 20x magnifying inspection glasses and look over all the solder joints! My 4th Gen has the same issue and once these instrument clusters get some mileage on them they start to reading erroneously.