2003 Silverado fuel gauge problem

jsl · 04-04-2008, 10:11 PM

My truck is a 2003 silverado 3500 w/ duramax.
I jumped into it to get to work, looked at the fuel gauge. Gauge registered no gas with the low fuel light on. I thought someone had siphoned my 50 gallons of diesel out. Limped to the gas station to pump in another $150. in fuel. Low and behold I pumped only 20 gallons in. Gas gauge defective. No problem, I'll just set the trip meter. I drove 361 miles and ran out of fuel. I usually get 550 miles. Thought, what crappy mpg I got! Again, I limped to the gas station and filled the front tank and continued to the back tank. To my suprise, the back tank was full. So, there must be a solenoid switch or valve that isn't working as well.
Anyone have any idea's?

gmctrucks · 04-04-2008, 10:49 PM

Welcome to the club your going to meet a lot of nice people here. Check to see if maybe there is recall I wish I could help you more. GMC

87c6 · 04-05-2008, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsl

My truck is a 2003 silverado 3500 w/ duramax.
I jumped into it to get to work, looked at the fuel gauge. Gauge registered no gas with the low fuel light on. I thought someone had siphoned my 50 gallons of diesel out. Limped to the gas station to pump in another $150. in fuel. Low and behold I pumped only 20 gallons in. Gas gauge defective. No problem, I'll just set the trip meter. I drove 361 miles and ran out of fuel. I usually get 550 miles. Thought, what crappy mpg I got! Again, I limped to the gas station and filled the front tank and continued to the back tank. To my suprise, the back tank was full. So, there must be a solenoid switch or valve that isn't working as well.
Anyone have any idea's?

i had the same problem with my '00 gaser. i took the truck to the dealership where a trusted mechanic/friend works, he told me that the fuel gauge sensor has "wiper arms" on it which cleaner off the sensor face. the problem is that these wear out and when they do they no longer clean the sensor. this gives you the false readings you are getting. this cost me a pretty penny because you have to remove the box and the entire fuel pump assembly, and replace the assem. if you can get some help to lift the box you will be better off than taking it a dealer, because the man hours cost more than the part which wasn't cheap either. i don't know if the diesel and gas fuel pumps are the same but your symptoms are indentical to mine. hope this helps.

crabtruck · 04-06-2008, 03:03 AM

Welcome to the forum jsl.
Not run into this myself, but this was/is a noticed problem with that run of trucks,
apparently gas or diesel types 2001-05.
Gauge reads empty with fuel in tank, might have code P1172 and/or P2636.

Aux (rear) tank balance line is in same T connection on main tank vent line
as aux tank vent line. Fuel is pumped from aux to main via the balance line.
Fuel is then sucked back into the aux via the vent line rather than going to
the main. PCM doesn't see transfer between tanks and shuts off aux pump.
Gauge goes to zero. That explaination made sense to me.

"Recommend" to avoid this by shutting truck off while fueling and leave the key in OFF
(that's the law BTW)

Seems the suggested fix was to relocated the aux balance line from
the T for the main (old location gets capped) to a new T halfway up
main tank filler neck on the main's vent hose. Seems a little buggy to me,
but that was how I understood it.

pscheers · 09-14-2008, 09:36 AM

I took my 2003 chevy 2500 6.0 liter in to get the pc re flashed and the guy at the dealership told me that chevy had a recall on the dash clusters ...

chankee · 10-16-2008, 08:49 PM

so, they need to clean the wiper motor or those wiper arms or just replace them? That can cause you to spend lots on fuel.

bradrhale · 10-16-2008, 09:06 PM

chankee, you have got me more confused on this one. did you mean to post this to another thread??

87c10slammer · 10-16-2008, 11:45 PM

lol i do belive he messed up... kind of funny if you ask me... i didnt know what was goin on for a sec

jennlynne1987 · 10-29-2008, 11:51 AM

I have an 02 silverado but its a gas motor and am just recently having the same problem. I had the same thought, **** someone siphoned my gas but when i tried to fill it back up it only took $15... common defect with the gage Ive heard this from so many chevy owners, dont know how to correct it. it you figure it out let me know!

JOHN JAY · 10-29-2008, 01:52 PM

it said his friend at the dealer called this broken part a wiper to the senor and it is in the fuel cell to get to the sensor in the fuel cell they had to remove the truck bed.

04-04-2008, 10:11 PM	#1
jsl Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1	2003 Silverado fuel gauge problem My truck is a 2003 silverado 3500 w/ duramax. I jumped into it to get to work, looked at the fuel gauge. Gauge registered no gas with the low fuel light on. I thought someone had siphoned my 50 gallons of diesel out. Limped to the gas station to pump in another $150. in fuel. Low and behold I pumped only 20 gallons in. Gas gauge defective. No problem, I'll just set the trip meter. I drove 361 miles and ran out of fuel. I usually get 550 miles. Thought, what crappy mpg I got! Again, I limped to the gas station and filled the front tank and continued to the back tank. To my suprise, the back tank was full. So, there must be a solenoid switch or valve that isn't working as well. Anyone have any idea's?

10-16-2008, 08:49 PM	#6
chankee Full Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 20	so, they need to clean the wiper motor or those wiper arms or just replace them? That can cause you to spend lots on fuel. Last edited by mudseeker; 10-24-2008 at 04:05 AM. Reason: remove link

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04-04-2008, 10:49 PM	#2
gmctrucks Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Houston,Texas Posts: 4,035	Welcome to the club your going to meet a lot of nice people here. Check to see if maybe there is recall I wish I could help you more. GMC

04-06-2008, 03:03 AM	#4
crabtruck Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: on your 9 Posts: 3,366	Welcome to the forum jsl. Not run into this myself, but this was/is a noticed problem with that run of trucks, apparently gas or diesel types 2001-05. Gauge reads empty with fuel in tank, might have code P1172 and/or P2636. Aux (rear) tank balance line is in same T connection on main tank vent line as aux tank vent line. Fuel is pumped from aux to main via the balance line. Fuel is then sucked back into the aux via the vent line rather than going to the main. PCM doesn't see transfer between tanks and shuts off aux pump. Gauge goes to zero. That explaination made sense to me. "Recommend" to avoid this by shutting truck off while fueling and leave the key in OFF (that's the law BTW) Seems the suggested fix was to relocated the aux balance line from the T for the main (old location gets capped) to a new T halfway up main tank filler neck on the main's vent hose. Seems a little buggy to me, but that was how I understood it.

09-14-2008, 09:36 AM	#5
pscheers Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 97	I took my 2003 chevy 2500 6.0 liter in to get the pc re flashed and the guy at the dealership told me that chevy had a recall on the dash clusters ...

10-16-2008, 09:06 PM	#7
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 8,025	chankee, you have got me more confused on this one. did you mean to post this to another thread??

10-16-2008, 11:45 PM	#8
87c10slammer Banned Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: levittown pa Posts: 2,197	lol i do belive he messed up... kind of funny if you ask me... i didnt know what was goin on for a sec

10-29-2008, 11:51 AM	#9
jennlynne1987 Full Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 35	I have an 02 silverado but its a gas motor and am just recently having the same problem. I had the same thought, **** someone siphoned my gas but when i tried to fill it back up it only took $15... common defect with the gage Ive heard this from so many chevy owners, dont know how to correct it. it you figure it out let me know!

10-29-2008, 01:52 PM	#10
JOHN JAY Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 196	it said his friend at the dealer called this broken part a wiper to the senor and it is in the fuel cell to get to the sensor in the fuel cell they had to remove the truck bed.