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Fuel Gauge, Cruise Control, Slow Throttle

Tiny
FREDBOB
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 SATURN L300
  • 3.0L
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 185,000 MILES
This week the water pump had to be replaced. The car was running superbly prior to this repair. Now the fuel gauge is all the way over on E, with no low fuel light, the cruise control will not engage, and there is about a 4 inch dead spot in the gas pedal from stop, and also when accelerating at speed.

I am presuming that since all of these are somewhat fuel related, there is likely a loose ground somewhere, or some connector that was not reconnected. I have been all over this thing and cannot put my hands on it.

When the water pump failed, the cruise control and fuel gauge were working. This car once had the fastest 0-60 speeds in production for the year model, now I can get up to speed faster on my bicycle. Any thoughts on what would effect all three of these components simultaneously?

Thanks!
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Saturday, July 25th, 2015 AT 12:45 PM

10 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,727 POSTS
The proper thing to do is go straight back to the shop and give the mechanic the opportunity to recheck his work, assuming this all happened as soon as you left the shop. He knows the area he was working in. Some sensors and plugs may be buried under covers where you can't see them. He will also read the diagnostic fault codes to see if there's a clue there.

If you wait a day or two, the shop can rightfully assume this happened later and is not related to the water pump service.
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Saturday, July 25th, 2015 AT 5:28 PM
Tiny
FREDBOB
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
If this was only that simple. The repair happened mid-trip, about 750 miles from home. The car rolled down off the lift at 5:15 pm, by the time I had gotten to the highway and itemized the problems, the shop was closed and way outside of my time line to stay overnight in ho-dunkville to have it rechecked the next morning.

I drove the car home, and am trying to identify the problem myself before taking it back to another mechanic for another huge repair bill, for something that I believe to be a simple reconnect of a wire, or re-attaching a ground or splice.

Do these components ground at the same junction, or some other harness together?

Thanks.
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Saturday, July 25th, 2015 AT 6:23 PM
Tiny
FREDBOB
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Also, it should be noted, that if this had happened anywhere other than I-95, I would have done the repair myself, I can fix it, just can't find the problem and am seeking information from the community on where to look for the solution.

Thanks
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Saturday, July 25th, 2015 AT 6:25 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,727 POSTS
My wiring diagrams do a good job of showing individual circuits, but they leave you hanging when it comes to other circuits that are related. There is no separate ground for the cruise control. Everything goes through the Body Computer which is inside the car, then to ground there. The ground distribution diagrams are also very poor. They spell out the grounds and give a general idea where they are, and almost all of them are inside the car.

I'm going to try to contact another one of our experts. There's a good chance he will know right where to send you.
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Saturday, July 25th, 2015 AT 7:14 PM
Tiny
FREDBOB
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Thanks for looking into it further for me.
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Saturday, July 25th, 2015 AT 9:53 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,727 POSTS
You're welcome. The message went to saturntech9. He specializes in Saturns, and he's way smarter than I look!
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Saturday, July 25th, 2015 AT 10:02 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
So was the battery disconnected at all for the repair?Also did they just replace the water pump or did they replace the timing belt as well?Also does the power locks work keyless entry or any other accessories stop working?It almost sounds like you could have a bad body control module thats the most common reason for a sudden loss of fuel guage. Also is the reduced performance light on the dash while driving?
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Sunday, July 26th, 2015 AT 2:55 PM
Tiny
FREDBOB
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Power was removed for the repair. Everything else on the car works as it should, Power locks, mirrors, a/c wipers, lighter, the temp gauge, speedometer and tachometer all work as well. There are no warning lights on.

This is why I think it is electrical/connection/ground someplace. The car runs great at speed, with these listed problems. I have attempted to reset the throttle to zero, with no change in the performance.

Thanks
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Sunday, July 26th, 2015 AT 3:01 PM
Tiny
FREDBOB
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Sorry, just the water pump, the timing belt and engine timing were checked and verified.
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Sunday, July 26th, 2015 AT 3:02 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
The ground for the gas gauge sending unit would be in the back of the car. For the gauge itself would be the same ground for the cluster would effect other gauges.I have on multiple times seen with disconnecting the battery or jump starting the car the body control modules failing and it could be one thing that stops working the body control module two or multiple things all different combinations no rhyme or reason as to why this happens. Its pretty common for the body control module to go bad on those I have replaced so many I have lost count.I have seen them cause no starts wont come out of park etc. So is the reduced performance light coming on?Also how was the timing belt verified?It takes a special tool kit to set the timing on the engine correctly. Also the fuel sending unit in the gas tank shares the ground with the fuel pump so that ground would be good since its running. The body control module shouldn't have Anything to do with the loss of power.
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Sunday, July 26th, 2015 AT 4:37 PM

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