Author Topic: fuel indicator slow to respond - bad fuel or fault with indicator?  (Read 1412 times)

Offline candywhite12

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hi all

i filled the car up last night by about half its capacity.  However the fuel indicator on my dashboard barely moved when i re-ignited the car and it started to do so gradually after more than half an hour of driving.  It didn't reach the level it should have until today when I drove for about an hour.  It's the first time this happens to me.

Could slow indicator response be due to bad/messed-up fuel or should I be looking at car fault?

thanks
Wife's: mk8 TSI 1.4 RL, 5dr atlantic blue, DSG, Norfolk 17", pan s/r, leds
Now: mk7.5 TSI 1.4 RL, 5dr tornado red, DSG, Singapore 17", pan s/r, leds
Before: mk6 GTI 5dr candy white, DSG, Monza Shadow 18", s/r, bi-Xenons, DCC
Even before that: mk5 GT 5dr tornado red, manual, s/r

Offline Ratski

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i have this problem, and it seems to be only now and again.

the first time it happend i went back into the station as i thought the pump was faultly. Put in another tenners worth and gauge came good.

it happens to me about once a month but gauge always catches up after about 15 minutes driving!

Offline candywhite12

  • Here all the time
  • ****
  • Posts: 365
i have this problem, and it seems to be only now and again.

the first time it happend i went back into the station as i thought the pump was faultly. Put in another tenners worth and gauge came good.

it happens to me about once a month but gauge always catches up after about 15 minutes driving!

without knowing too much about how bad fuel may mess up the gauge, my initial thought was that if fuel is mixed with water (which however illegal seems to be a practice of some petrol stations here) then the gauge takes time to read the level of fuel since petrol and water are split in the tank - i guess one is heavier than the other.  Don't know if this is the case though
Wife's: mk8 TSI 1.4 RL, 5dr atlantic blue, DSG, Norfolk 17", pan s/r, leds
Now: mk7.5 TSI 1.4 RL, 5dr tornado red, DSG, Singapore 17", pan s/r, leds
Before: mk6 GTI 5dr candy white, DSG, Monza Shadow 18", s/r, bi-Xenons, DCC
Even before that: mk5 GT 5dr tornado red, manual, s/r

Offline andyr

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Had a similar thing with my old MK III Gti, after a bit of digging around I found that it was due to leaving the ign key in the ign whilst filling with fuel!!! It was actually mentioned in the owners manual  :embarrassed:
Having said that, I know I've done both with the GTD (ign key in and out) and the gauge reads true after a minute or two.
Mk VI Black Pearl GTD.... No Frills, replaced a Black Pearl PD150 Bora, which in turn replaced a Dragon Green VR6 which followed a Dusty Mauve MK III 8v Gti.