Fuel Gauge Level Issues

drroddey76 · 01-02-2020, 10:54 AM

please delete..too many forums open when I posted.

Hi, guys.
I have a 2011 N51 328xi that is having fuel level issues. My wife has ran out of gas twice since we bought it in February (I have since convinced her to fill up at 1/4 tank). We are still seeing the gauge act wired (not going to full after a fill-up, drops, DTE changes).

Went on a trip Tuesday (150 mi) through mountains, was at 5/8 tank at destination. Car sat for 8 hours. Started car, gauge went to 1/2 tank (parked on flat ground). Stopped to fill up before heading back, put in 10.5 gallons, which roughly corresponds to 5/8 tank. Gauge stayed at 1/2 for the next 110 miles with a stop along the way. After the second stop, it went to 7/8 full.

Yesterday, I pulled the seat and measured the resistance of the right and left sensors after we filled up to run an errand. One this trip, I used the OBC to monitor the resistance levels before and after the fill up and during the trip. The left was ok. Right was high on the OBC (1200+ Ohm), but was good by DVM (920 ohms). Left side matched. It seems the OBC will not display data above 1200 ohm, as it displayed ***.* until value was below 1200. I could see the value when we went around a curve or up/down a hill. This would explain my wife running out of gas, being the car thought it had 3 gallons or so more than it did.

The sensors are electrically good and are not mechanically stuck.

From TIS, I do not see any module between the sender and the cluster, other than the JBE. But this being my first BMW, I am still learning the ins and outs of the control systems. Is there some coding or flashing that the cluster or JBE use to calculate or calibrate these values? Can I replace the JBE A4010a?

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...module/XhflKCR

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...-dials/uRyQoQz
Thanks guys.

bluewater328 · 01-02-2020, 02:59 PM

Dunno, if you checked the regulator float, then not sure what it could be. Maybe the servo in the back of the cluster has gone bad? Maybe there is gunk in the needle spindle area?

Have you tried simply taking apart the cluster and taking a look at that needle and motor/servo? ie. I did a tach face swap and when I got it back together the needles didn't work. Turns out I had just wedged them too far down so they had to much resistance to spin. Those are all still run by tiny worm drives, so there is a potential to get gunked up or even fail over time. You could swap the fuel and the mpg/oil temp motors and see if it starts to work normally.

01-02-2020, 10:54 AM	#1
drroddey76 Registered 1 Rep 2 Posts Drives: BMW 328i Xdrive N51 Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: South Carolina iTrader: (0)	Fuel Gauge Level Issues please delete..too many forums open when I posted. Hi, guys. I have a 2011 N51 328xi that is having fuel level issues. My wife has ran out of gas twice since we bought it in February (I have since convinced her to fill up at 1/4 tank). We are still seeing the gauge act wired (not going to full after a fill-up, drops, DTE changes). Went on a trip Tuesday (150 mi) through mountains, was at 5/8 tank at destination. Car sat for 8 hours. Started car, gauge went to 1/2 tank (parked on flat ground). Stopped to fill up before heading back, put in 10.5 gallons, which roughly corresponds to 5/8 tank. Gauge stayed at 1/2 for the next 110 miles with a stop along the way. After the second stop, it went to 7/8 full. Yesterday, I pulled the seat and measured the resistance of the right and left sensors after we filled up to run an errand. One this trip, I used the OBC to monitor the resistance levels before and after the fill up and during the trip. The left was ok. Right was high on the OBC (1200+ Ohm), but was good by DVM (920 ohms). Left side matched. It seems the OBC will not display data above 1200 ohm, as it displayed **. until value was below 1200. I could see the value when we went around a curve or up/down a hill. This would explain my wife running out of gas, being the car thought it had 3 gallons or so more than it did. The sensors are electrically good and are not mechanically stuck. From TIS, I do not see any module between the sender and the cluster, other than the JBE. But this being my first BMW, I am still learning the ins and outs of the control systems. Is there some coding or flashing that the cluster or JBE use to calculate or calibrate these values? Can I replace the JBE A4010a? https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...module/XhflKCR https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...-dials/uRyQoQz Thanks guys. __________________ 2011 328xi N51 2011 Mazda RX8 1997 Pontiac Trans Am Last edited by drroddey76; 01-02-2020 at 03:03 PM..
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01-02-2020, 02:59 PM	#2
bluewater328 Colonel 645 Rep 2,098 Posts Drives: 2011 bluewater 328i LCI sedan Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Hawaii iTrader: (0)	Dunno, if you checked the regulator float, then not sure what it could be. Maybe the servo in the back of the cluster has gone bad? Maybe there is gunk in the needle spindle area? Have you tried simply taking apart the cluster and taking a look at that needle and motor/servo? ie. I did a tach face swap and when I got it back together the needles didn't work. Turns out I had just wedged them too far down so they had to much resistance to spin. Those are all still run by tiny worm drives, so there is a potential to get gunked up or even fail over time. You could swap the fuel and the mpg/oil temp motors and see if it starts to work normally.
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