I just bought a 2000 Chevy Z71 pickup and the gas gauge has been acting crazy. It fluctuates a lot and most times when I start the truck it says the tank is empty and the low fuel level light comes on when it is really completely full. Anyone know if there is a recall for this or what needs to be done?

 

there's no recall, but you do need to replace the level sensor, there's an updated unit with a harness you need to wire in, and a connector to install to the sender.

 

i had to do the same thing with mine. got to replace the whole fuel pum n all

 

My 2000 was doing the same thing. This is what I did.

Drop the tank (of coarse if it is close to empty). Take the sending unit/fuel pump out. Take the sending unit off of the fuel pump assembly. Now BEING VERY CAREFULL, take some good electrical cleaner/brake cleaner and a nylon brush and some Q-tips/pipe cleaners whathaveyou, and clean the "rehostat". The area where the float level arm contacts the sending unit and moves across. Try not to bend either the arm itself, or especially the little "tin" fingers on the assembly. If you do happen to bend them where they won't make contact any longer, you can drill a 3/8" hole in the plastic from behind those "fingers" and use a small screwdriver to "bend" form them back into place.

It worked for me, only cuz I got a sending unit off of a 2002 and the wiring/plugs were completely different between the two different years. So I decided to clean mine. The fuel deposits on that rehostat causes mixed "signals" from the sending unit to the gauge. I cleaned mine over 2 years ago and it has worked ever since. Just take your time and be gentle it will work for you in the end.

Laters.

And unfortunately I didn't take any pics of the items or what to clean or how I did any of this. I keep forgeting to do that!!!

 

Very commen, had to fix several of them, they had a little misshap in the engineering that year, lol.

 

its on the 02's as well

 

just out of curiousity, but when you fill up with gas. When the pump shuts off, do you squeeze trigger again to get more in tank?

 

I recently replaced my pump because it was getting noisy and it came with the newer style harness and a new pigtail complete with heat shrink connectors.