# Toyota Highlander 2002 non working gas gauge **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [July 15, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-highlander-2002-non-working-gas-gauge/1761 "2007-07-15T20:02:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![judi\_berkowitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@judi\_berkowitz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/judi_berkowitz)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-highlander-2002-non-working-gas-gauge/1761/1 "2007-07-15T20:02:37Z")
I have a 2002 Highlander with about 57,000 miles, Last week when I filled up, I noticed that the gas gauge will not go above 1/2. When I turn the car off, the needle drops to empty quickly, When I start the engine, it slowly raises to about 1/2, and stays there, no matter how much gas I have. For now, I just fill up every week. This car has been great - can anyone tell me what might be the problem? Thanks so much Judi ---
**Author:** ![judi\_berkowitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@judi\_berkowitz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/judi_berkowitz)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-highlander-2002-non-working-gas-gauge/1761/2 "2007-07-15T20:03:13Z")
me me ---
**Author:** ![Craig58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3da27b/32.png) [@Craig58](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Craig58)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-highlander-2002-non-working-gas-gauge/1761/3 "2007-07-15T20:10:10Z")
My best guess would be that the sender unit inside the fuel tank is sticking, not unusual. Depending on the car, it may take a fair amount of labor to replace it. ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-highlander-2002-non-working-gas-gauge/1761/4 "2007-07-15T23:00:56Z")
I agree with Craig58. There may be two senders in the tank and one of them has a problem. The senders can be removed from the tank and sometimes repaired by cleaning the contacts on them. This may involve dropping the tank or there may be access ports through the floor to get at them. I’m not sure on your vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![americar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/americar/32/42_2.png) [@americar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/americar)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-highlander-2002-non-working-gas-gauge/1761/5 "2007-07-15T23:10:14Z")
a lot of times the sender is integral with the fuel pump. and needs to be replaced as a unit. Don’t know about the Toyota. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-highlander-2002-non-working-gas-gauge/1761/6 "2007-07-16T17:32:35Z")
Thanks so much for your help. Aside from having to guess how much gas I have, is there any urgency to get this fixed/replaced? ---
**Author:** ![jsutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@jsutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jsutter)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-highlander-2002-non-working-gas-gauge/1761/7 "2007-07-16T21:29:08Z")
That is how it was n my 98 blazer, all one unit. It was an expensive fix so I drove on it until the fuel pump died, about 35k miles later, and then had it towed to a shop to have the pump replaced. You can spend the money on a new pump now if you want, but I highly doubt that it is any danger to the car.