Fiat Ducato 2019 fuel gauge mind if its own (1 Viewer)

[Soozywoozy]

We deliberately upgraded on our brand new mh to 120 litre tank. Last mh also fiat based 80 litre and generally got circa 500 miles per tank. New one is still showing empty after 500 ish miles and all warning lights flashing. Every time we fill up we only get 85 litres in max so it’s only 75% empty. Range immediately on filling shows 680-700 and then goes awry. We are averaging 26mpg and the tank is definitely 120 capacity. Any advice please

 

[Deneb]

Was the vehicle ordered from Fiat with the larger tank, or has it been swapped subsequently (e.g. by the converter) at your request?

If the latter, either the BCM may not have been reprogrammed and/or the tank sender not recalibrated.

 

[Soozywoozy]

We bought direct from the dealer stock as had all the spec we wanted, so presume they ordered it from new. I think you could be right regarding the calibration though - presumably can be checked by fiat hgv centre

Was the vehicle ordered from Fiat with the larger tank, or has it been swapped subsequently (e.g. by the converter) at your request?

If the latter, either the BCM may not have been reprogrammed and/or the tank sender not recalibrated.

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[Deneb]

The tank capacity is configured in the BCM at time of manufacture. I suspect Fiat's stance is that it cannot be changed subsequently, but there is aftermarket software such as AlfaOBD which can read the setting and also change it.

Recalibrating the sender unit is supposed to be done if it is removed or replaced and from memory just involves manually moving it to various points in its range in a certain order. You can get spurious tank readings if not done which would also affect the range displayed by the trip computer.

Don't overlook wiring faults or similar though!

 

[Emmit]

Hardly fit for purpose?

 

[Podney]

I thought all Fiat fuel gauges were like that!
With mine,the top half if the tank seems to disappear in no time at all,and the bottom half lasts so long I think I’m running on air..
I’ve got used to it’s funny ways. Looks like yours is wonky though.
P.S. “Wonky” is a technical term used by those of us whose detailed knowledge of such matters is a little blurred. Although sometimes it may be used as a word to replace another word that is not used in polite company.

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[Soozywoozy]

If hadnt had the last one to compare, which was terrifying accurate ( empty really was empty) @ Podney. Agree with “wonky” on all levels

 

[Ivory55]

Anything on fiat that involved 12v electric is wonky. Haha

 

[peterc10]

Take it back to the dealer and ask them to sort it out under warranty.

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[Steve N Tracy]

I converted our 60 litre tank to 90 litre the tank is the same size, however filling it to 90 litres stopped the gauge from working and it gave the same issues as you have, because the float lifted higher it took the sender contact off the windings, I made a stop out of a couple of cable ties to stop this happening, the gauge now reads full until we have done around 140 miles and then reads as it did before.

 

[Soozywoozy]

Update: Contacted fiat camper assist who have given us a case number and now booked into local Fiat HGV centre for inspection. They hope it will just be a quick software upgrade. Watch this space

 

[Soozywoozy]

Update again: We actually had a faulty fuel tank! It was bowed which they didn't discover until everything else failed and ended up taking the fuel tank out to inspect! We now have a new tank which we get about 650 -700 miles out of !

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[dvd_vlad_home]

I converted our 60 litre tank to 90 litre the tank is the same size, however filling it to 90 litres stopped the gauge from working and it gave the same issues as you have, because the float lifted higher it took the sender contact off the windings, I made a stop out of a couple of cable ties to stop this happening, the gauge now reads full until we have done around 140 miles and then reads as it did before.

Hi Mr Steve. I'm a new member on this forum and I signed in to find and learn more about our motorhome and problems came with it. I have a Swift Escape 696 2016 Fiat Ducato euro 5 based and since we have it , I've never been able to fill more than 65 L of diesel in tank but few days ago I've filled with almost 87 L of diesel and I became scared because I thought that I have a leak or a hole in tank , knowing that my tank can't be more than 70 L. And 1 minute later after payment , when I put the keys in the ignition I realized that fuel gauge was no longer working with red led blinking and fuel level unavailable in dash board. After a small research I've found out that our tank is 90L but limited or I think so. I've seen on this forum that you said something about a 60L tank conversation to 90L .Can I ask more details about this if you don't mind because I would like to understand how we can convert our in a 90L tank to not be anymore limited to 60 or 65L. What procedure should I follow. Thanks in advance Mr Steve and I'm looking forward for your reply







Kind regards: Vlad

 

[Steve N Tracy]

Hi Mr Steve. I'm a new member on this forum and I signed in to find and learn more about our motorhome and problems came with it. I have a Swift Escape 696 2016 Fiat Ducato euro 5 based and since we have it , I've never been able to fill more than 65 L of diesel in tank but few days ago I've filled with almost 87 L of diesel and I became scared because I thought that I have a leak or a hole in tank , knowing that my tank can't be more than 70 L. And 1 minute later after payment , when I put the keys in the ignition I realized that fuel gauge was no longer working with red led blinking and fuel level unavailable in dash board. After a small research I've found out that our tank is 90L but limited or I think so. I've seen on this forum that you said something about a 60L tank conversation to 90L .Can I ask more details about this if you don't mind because I would like to understand how we can convert our in a 90L tank to not be anymore limited to 60 or 65L. What procedure should I follow. Thanks in advance Mr Steve and I'm looking forward for your reply







Kind regards: Vlad

Hi Vlad,
You need to remove the tank sender and remove the white plastic restrictor tube, however you need to set the fuel gauge stops so the float does not take the gauge sender wiper off the windings I did this with a cable tie around the stop, this is what has happened on your gauge presently, the gauge will then only start to drop after you have done about 140 miles it hen reads as normal.

 

[dvd_vlad_home]

Hi Vlad,
You need to remove the tank sender and remove the white plastic restrictor tube, however you need to set the fuel gauge stops so the float does not take the gauge sender wiper off the windings I did this with a cable tie around the stop, this is what has happened on your gauge presently, the gauge will then only start to drop after you have done about 140 miles it hen reads as normal.
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Hi Mr Steve. I relly appreciate for your fast reply.Now i understand what happens to my fuel tank and how to convert it and again I appreciate for your advice and quidance. I will follow this procedures because sometimes is annoying to stop more often in to the gas stations to top up than having a 90L fuel tank and doing more miles. About the fuel gauge , i've found on another forum threads something about changing the fuel tank type settings on ECU (Body Computer) with Alfa OBD computers scan. I brought the AlfaOBD PC and i have found this settings but I haven't been able to test it yet. Do you have any clue if this will work ? I already have the OBD adaptor for this .

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[Steve N Tracy]

It will not work Vlad, without fitting a new 90 litre fuel tank sender, the 60 litre ones are physically unable to work with 90 litres without mechanically modifying them.

 

[dvd_vlad_home]

I understand . And do you have a clue what is the correct part number for the 90L fuel tank sender?

 

[Steve N Tracy]

Sorry no, I did not bother with changing the sender by as I am happy with it reading full until I have done 140 miles then it just reads as it would with the standard 60 litre tank it came with.

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[dvd_vlad_home]

To be honest I think you're right , I will keep this unit Thanks Mr Steve for your time and guidance and I really appreciate

 

[hadders]

To be honest I think you're right , I will keep this unit Thanks Mr Steve for your time and guidance and I really appreciate

Hi Mr Steve. I relly appreciate for your fast reply.Now i understand what happens to my fuel tank and how to convert it and again I appreciate for your advice and quidance. I will follow this procedures because sometimes is annoying to stop more often in to the gas stations to top up than having a 90L fuel tank and doing more miles. About the fuel gauge , i've found on another forum threads something about changing the fuel tank type settings on ECU (Body Computer) with Alfa OBD computers scan. I brought the AlfaOBD PC and i have found this settings but I haven't been able to test it yet. Do you have any clue if this will work ? I already have the OBD adaptor for this .

Hi - old posts but wondered if you did try altering the fuel tank size via the OBD? Did it work or did you modify the sender?