# Gas guage **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** chevrolet, 1500\ **Created:** [November 27, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-guage/40020 "2009-11-27T00:20:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sherman50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19adc/32.png) [@Sherman50](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Sherman50)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-guage/40020/1 "2009-11-27T00:20:04Z")
I own a 2001 Chevy Silverado and the gas gauge malfunctions inermittently. It only seems to happen when the truck is not moving for 30+ seconds. The gauge needle goes to empty and the empty light comes on, then when the truck continues in motion the gauge returns to normal. Can this be fixed or do I need to live with it? ---
**Author:** ![dodgeRam98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@dodgeRam98](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dodgeRam98)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-guage/40020/2 "2009-11-27T01:48:10Z")
it is probably a loose connection or probably a bad sending unit. Check the connections on top of the sending unit on top of the gas tank to see if anything is loose. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-guage/40020/3 "2009-11-27T02:11:04Z")
If you want to fix it, it shouldn’t be too complicated on your truck. I had a guage malfunction on a Volvo V70XC wagon (1998) and found the car had two gas tanks that were somehow linked and fixing the guage was about a $1,200 job and most of it labor. I lived with my problem and used a trip odometer to track when I needed fuel. Get an estimate and then you can decide on how important a properly functioning guage is to you. ---
**Author:** ![edb1961](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/edb1961/32/122_2.png) [@edb1961](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edb1961)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-guage/40020/4 "2009-11-27T02:24:12Z")
The gas gauge on my 2000 Blazer quit working 2 years ago. The sending unit is part of the fuel pump so it’s an expensive fix. Supposedly sulfur in the gasoline contaminates the sending unit. GM sells a gas additive that cleans the sending unit. I suspect it’s relabeled Chevron Techron is 3x the price. I’ve tried Techron, the GM cleaner, and Sea Foam at various times. Didn’t fix the gauge, but the truck runs very smoothly. Since your problem is intermittent, you might have better luck than I did. Ed B. ---
**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-guage/40020/5 "2009-11-27T02:24:23Z")
Hope it’s not the sending unit as that is part of the fuel pump unit inside the tank. IIRC the whole thing is over $250 at Autozone, and probably more at the dealer. The tank will have to be dropped to install it. Setting the trip meter with each fill up is a cheaper option. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-guage/40020/6 "2009-11-27T14:56:57Z")
I Bought Just A Sender (Fuel Level Sensor) For A Chevy Truck From A Chevy Dealer For Under 50 Bucks. GM Made Them Available When They Started Replacing Lots Of These Under Warranty. You may have to replace just the wiper portion of the sender (sensor). That’s the piece that goes bad. The little metal “fingers” on the wiper disintegrate. You should not need to replace the pump, but you do need to remove it. CSA