Fuel guage needle moving crazy jumping side to side?

Tiny
HELLOHIWELCOME
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 238,700 MILES
The fuel gauge needle is jumping side to side. The fuel pump is new. I replaced the old one in 05/2011. When I'm driving, the fuel gauge jumps from "from full to empty to half gallon mark to full to 1/4 gallon mark to empty etc and so on", so is not giving me an accurate reading. It gives me a false reading so I don't know how many gallons I have. I know it's not the float (hope not) maybe an electrical issue. Need help! Thanks alot!
Thursday, October 11th, 2012 AT 6:58 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
I would be suspecting the tank sender unit, the gauge will not move about on its own like that, I would get the sender out of the tank and tested first.
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Thursday, October 11th, 2012 AT 8:15 AM
Tiny
DMCCRACK
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Mine does the same thing. Not wildly, but like a constant, very fast shaking side to side - the actual distance it moves is slight. The pump bit the dust so I replaced the whole assembly (including the sender). The fuel gauge still does the same thing.
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Friday, October 12th, 2012 AT 3:57 PM
Tiny
DMCCRACK
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  • 8 POSTS
I haven't checked mine, but there is a frame ground back there by the tank. I doubt it is the problem, but it wouldn't cost anything to make sure that connection is good!
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Friday, October 12th, 2012 AT 3:59 PM

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