Fuel Gauge warning light problem (Mark 4 GTi 1.8T)

[20Benson]

The fuel gauge in my GTi has become increasingly more inaccurate, now the warning light comes on up until it has approx £20 worth of fuel in the tank and over this amount it goes off. The warning light then most times comes on well before the mark at which it should.
It has done this since the car very nearly ran out of fuel. Has anyone had this problem or know of any tips/techniques to fix it? I am sure if I take it to VW there answer will involve some part which costs over a ton!!! Any help much appreciated!

[Sugar79]

do you mean its just the warning light playing up or the actual needle is not registering the fuel and the fuel warning light stays on??

mine did that once, i nearly ran out of fuel, only had a tenner on me so put that in.. the needle hardly raised at all and although it was out of the red the warning light was still on!! i thought the petrol garage had given me petrol fumes or something so i went back in and kicked off lol.. they said there was nothing wrong with the pump!! (how he knew that without going to check it out i dont know..) so i went up the road to another petrol garage and put anther tenner's worth in.. it never done it since.

[20Benson]

Its the warning light only I believe, the fuel needle still moves and doesn't appear to be innaccurate. It just annoys that the warning light has a mind of its own!

[Sugar79]

thats really strange then, maybe its a faulty sender unit or something 

[kniterider]

mines done similar, same as u sugar, light come on, pull into nearest pet station, bung a £10 in then needle moves up to 1/4 maybe and light stays on!!! done it a few times but normally anything will remove light unless youve done like 10miles with the light on!!

where i live petrol is expensive so i often run round with me orange light on till i find a decent priced fuel!! some times 10p a litre difference... one day i will run out.....