5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003) Learn more about the 5th Generation Maxima, including the VQ30DE-K and VQ35DE engines.

Fuel Gauge...

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Old 04-14-2007, 10:01 PM
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Fuel Gauge...

...how does yours work? Mine stays at it's fuel level when you shut the car off, but I have seen that some other 2000's when you shut the car off the gauge drops to empty, turn the key to on and it jumps up to the correct fuel level. The way mine works is a little annoying, if the car is low on fuel and I go to the gas station, shut the car off and fill it up then start the car it takes the gauge like 3-4 minutes to finally reach the full mark.
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Old 04-14-2007, 10:15 PM
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mine drops down and back up when I start it...
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Old 04-14-2007, 10:43 PM
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I wonder if there is a way that I can change it so that mine drops down and then back up...
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Old 04-14-2007, 10:54 PM
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Hmmm.... Mine always stays at the position it was whenever I turn the car off. IMO, it shouldn't matter unless the gauge was reading the level wrong.
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Old 04-14-2007, 10:55 PM
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Originally Posted by LA02MAX
mine drops down and back up when I start it...


10char
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Old 04-14-2007, 11:22 PM
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I want to know why some 2K's stay in the same position and some 2K's drop down and back up when started, I would rather mine drop down and back up when started... so that I don't have to wait forever for it to go back up after I fill the car up with fuel, plus I think it looks better like that.
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Old 04-15-2007, 05:04 AM
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mine stays in the same position, but when i fill it up, it will jump up the the full mark in about 10 seconds. who knows.
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Old 04-15-2007, 08:28 AM
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The early production 2k’s have a different cluster then all other 5th gens. The early cars that have the gas gauge that says up when you turn the car off also has an "air bag" light, whereas the later models that have the gauge that goes down have a picture of an air bag going off near someone’s face.
I talked to Dave Burnette about this very same thing ~4 years ago, and that is what we came up with.
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Old 04-15-2007, 09:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Ephraim
mine stays in the same position, but when i fill it up, it will jump up the the full mark in about 10 seconds. who knows.


If that is all it took I wouldn't mind, but it takes my gauge forfreakingever to get to the full position.
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Old 04-15-2007, 09:35 AM
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Have you checked your fuel level sender, maybe it's shot. Maybe you can also swap gauges and see what happens. At least that way you can rule out your cluster being defective.
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Old 04-15-2007, 09:44 AM
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Well Said Armor

Originally Posted by armor_dan
Have you checked your fuel level sender, maybe it's shot. Maybe you can also swap gauges and see what happens. At least that way you can rule out your cluster being defective.
Exactly my thought. The fuel has to drop below a certain level before the float starts to drop, however in some instances, the float can reach the bottom of its travel even if there is still fuel in the tank. This happens typically when the sending unit’s measurement will be empty while in fact there is still gas left in the tank. Making it an obvious mis-read.
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Old 04-15-2007, 01:08 PM
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There is no misread or anything like that, the gauge is accurate. I would just rather have it drop down and then back up, just because it seems to take so long to get back to the full position after I fill up.
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Old 04-15-2007, 03:46 PM
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My guage sits above full for the first 40 miles, then drops to the full mark about 60 miles, and then drops like an anchor after that. But yeah, mine goes down when the car is turned off.
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Old 04-15-2007, 04:10 PM
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Everyone with an 01, 02, or 03 has a gas gauge that goes down.
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Old 04-15-2007, 04:14 PM
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I have an early 2000. It goes down when off.
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Old 04-15-2007, 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Stardust
The early production 2k’s have a different cluster then all other 5th gens. The early cars that have the gas gauge that says up when you turn the car off also has an "air bag" light, whereas the later models that have the gauge that goes down have a picture of an air bag going off near someone’s face.
I talked to Dave Burnette about this very same thing ~4 years ago, and that is what we came up with.

^^^answer to the thread . . . BTW mine goes down. .
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Old 04-15-2007, 05:18 PM
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Mine goes down when I shut off too. Put up a poll.

Originally Posted by Stardust
have a picture of an air bag going off near someone’s face.
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Old 04-15-2007, 05:20 PM
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Originally Posted by MaxBoost925
I have an early 2000. It goes down when off.
Then its not that early of a 2000
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Old 04-15-2007, 06:55 PM
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Mine stays at the same level.
Mine was manufactured in Nov 1999.
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Old 04-15-2007, 08:10 PM
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So I take it there is no way to change that? Not even with a Consultant II? Or can I swap clusters and have it work?
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Old 04-16-2007, 08:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Stardust
Then its not that early of a 2000
My car was made in 10/99?
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Old 05-08-2010, 10:54 PM
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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!!!
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Old 05-26-2010, 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by wamld
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!!!
i just purchased an 03 gle and have this exact problem.. Anybody out there that can shed some light on this problem. for me it has happened three times so far in one day. first time parked uphill. second time stalled while on flat highway. third time downhill residential. fuel gauge will go from half to empty and dte will flash. after shutting down the car for at least 2 minutes it will go back up and start fine.. Sender Unit?
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Old 07-03-2012, 12:15 PM
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I have the same problem. Nissan service recomended to change the fuel sending unit. Does anyone knows the location of the fuel sending unit. Is it under the back seat?
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