2006 T&C Fuel Gauge Inaccurate?

Does anyone know of any issues with these?

I have T&C base model with the 3.3. Spec says 20 gallon fuel tank but
even when on empty I've never been able to get even 16 gallons in the
tank. Mileage display shows 19 mpg around town. The most miles I've
squeezed out of a tank (before I chickened out with the gauge so low)
is 260. At that point I was able to get 15.7 gallons in the tank.

Any known issues with gauges or tank underfill on these?

 

Does it go all the way to "F" when you top off the tank?

 

Hi...

Don't know what country you're in with your gmail address, but...

With all respect, is it possible that you're confusing US gallons
with Canadian gallons? The numbers you quote are so very very
close that's it's more than likely

If the spec says you can hold 20 (US) gallons, it'll be full at
15.7 (Canadian) gallons

Take care.

Ken

 

If you take a look at the tank and see how long it is you will figure out
why it is doing that. If you have (say 2 inches) of fuel at the bottom
plus the reserve in the tank it will not take a full 20 gallons. It has
always been this way.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

Thanks for the info Glenn.

So, are you saying that more than 1/4 of the tank's capacity is
unuseable or that I can safely ingnore the fuel gauge for 75 miles
after it shows empty? I also have a 94 Voyager and I easily get over
350 miles on a tank in that old oil-burning thing.

Instead of filling up last night when I hit empty, I waited until I got
about halfway to work this morning. The needle on the gauge was buried
in the red and the low fuel warning had been on since I left the house.
I managed to get 16.07 gallons in the tank with 275 miles on the trip
odo.

4 gallons seems like a lot of gas to be left in the tank with the gauge
showing me bone dry. If that's the only quirk I have to deal with on
this car then so be it. It's a great vehicle otherwise. It's just kind
of a pain to have to stop for gas so often. I get more miles on a tank
in my Miata. A minivan is supposed to be able to haul my butt across
country without stopping every couple of hours for gas.

I'm in the US by the way and the spec is straight out of my US owners
manual and the US Chrysler web site. Good thought though.

 

Yep. It goes up passed the "F" a bit.

 

Im not saying there's a 1/4 tank left, I am using that as an example. The 94
Caravan you had was a different tank, not as long as the one on this new
vehicle. If you really want to know how far you can get on the fuel lite,
tank a 5 gallon tank with you and keep driving until she runs out.

Glenn

 

Snip

I've been told that it is (can be) very detrimental to the injectors if they
are run dry. I assume it has to do with fuel providing cooling.
Are the new injectors better or was I under a misconception (not the first
time)?
Or is this still a bad idea?
BF

 

I don't think that by running an engine out of gas is going to cause
injectors to go bad, That sounds like a myth to me!! Injectors are nothing
but a solenoid that energizes and de-energizes. I fuel pump is cooled by the
fuel in the tank but then again running it out of fuel is not going to
damage it.

My opinion only

Glenn

 

I've been told that it is (can be) very detrimental to the injectors if

Hmmmmmm, remember it being told to me as gospel back in the mid 80's. Can't
remember who or how credible, of course. I never tested it.
Anyone out there who's run theirs dry?
Horror story or NoProblemo?
Enquiring minds want to know!
BF

 

Not many fuel gauges are very acurate.
You just have to learn what yours is doing.
The best fuel gauge is to watch the mileage you drive.
Just be glad the gauge is working.
And I would not count on it being a 20 gal tank.
The only way to be sue would be to drain and refill it.
If you tryed running it untill it runs out of fuel you may burn up the
fuel pump.
To be on the safe side refill about the 15 gal mark.
People that run there cars low on fuel are the people that are always
replaceing there fuel pumps.:grinyes: :lol2: :lol:
MT

 

When the guage my Dodge Dakota, with supposedly a 22 gallon tank, hits
the empty line, it takes just under 17 gallons to fill it up.

Frank

 

There are a few reasons that come to mind....

Like has been previously stated the tank is more long than square.

The fuel pump is cooled by the gas. If the gas gets low the fuel pump
can cook itself. You really should fill up around 1/4 tank to keep
the fuel pump happy in most cars but I never can seem to stop until
the light is flashing and you can hear the fuel pump two cars away :-(

You need enough fuel to be able to start the van even if it is parked
on a steep hill and all the fuel has run to one end of the tank or the
other.

If a perty white woman runs out of gas on the side of the highway and
gets run over by a bus full of pregnant nuns while the gas gauge is
still above the "E" guess who is getting sued?

Steve B.

 

It's misinformation, but the general idea is right. GM for years has
cautioned against running a fuel pump dry, even for short periods. The
fuel both cools and lubricates the pump, and running it dry will
usually sieze one up in short order. I must say I've heard read the
same warning for Chrysler or DC vehicles, however. The injectors
don't care.

 

It sounds like what I'm seeing is pretty normal then so I just wont
worry about it.

Thanks for taking the time to respond everyone!

 

Chryslers Pumps are built inside a bowl that is filled with fuel at all
times, when the tank runs dry, the pump is still sitting in fuel.

 

This sounds so familiar. My warning light will come on after I fill up
a tank and the gauge will drop to Empty. On a good day, the gauge reads
full.

As best as I can reckon, if the gauge is working properly, and that's
always a big IF since who knows?, that on the Empty mark I have 2
gallons left. Maybe a little more, but never more than 3 on the empty.

So I worked out that each mark is 4 gallons, with 2 left at the Empty
mark and 2 more at the above Full mark for 20 gallons.

I gather the sliding pot or resistor must get uneven spots so it is
like a roulette wheel for when it works and when it does not work.

It's really nice on a good day to see the gauge working properly.

But it's like a clock that is running unevenly. I never know for sure
when it's right. I just guess that when it shows Empty and I have
filled the tank all the way or at least more than half, then this will
be a bad gauge day and I have to listen to the warning, spurious
warning, of low on gas.

 

Chrysler superior engineering triumphs again!

 

whoa there big fella- don't believe a WORD that "desertbob" posts- he's
been recently proven wrong about 10 times in the last 24 hours on this
and other sites- he's a POSER

 

What is the deal here?
Every time he post you post right after him?
Are you two the one and same person?
Or how do you Keep up with all of his post?
Hinda of a strange deal here?
Fill us in here.
MT