"Check Guages"

[Jim T.]

Anyone experience a "Check Guages" illumination light on the dash and the gas guage not working with a full tank of gasoline on a C4? My C4 is a 1996 LT4 coupe that has this problem. Occured today, first time to use the car since August 21, 2011 when I filled it with gasoline.

[Arland D.]

Re: "Check Guages"

Jim,

I drove the 94 until the tank was down to fumes and got a chime and check gauges message. I believe the other gauge readings were all zero's because the car was desperately trying to tell the driver to get some gas. Me thinks your sending unit is telling the ECM it is empty or close to it.

Arland

[Ken A.]

Re: "Check Guages"

Gauge functions are sent thru the BCM, not the ECM.

[Edward J.]

Re: "Check Guages"

Anyone experience a "Check Guages" illumination light on the dash and the gas guage not working with a full tank of gasoline on a C4? My C4 is a 1996 LT4 coupe that has this problem. Occured today, first time to use the car since August 21, 2011 when I filled it with gasoline.

Hi Jim,
The check gage warning will come up anytime a any gage goes out of the normal working parameters, A gas gage that is sitting on empty, or a temp. gage showing overheat, low oil pressure. will give you a warning on the dash. and some years you will get a chime warning also.

[Keith B.]

Re: "Check Guages"

when the gas gauge reads low below two bars it should say reserve. I had it down to one bar before and the check gauge light never came on. this is on my 94 LT-1

[Pat M.]

Re: "Check Guages"

when the gas gauge reads low below two bars it should say reserve. I had it down to one bar before and the check gauge light never came on. this is on my 94 LT-1

Yup, same on my 96 LT4.

[Arland D.]

Re: "Check Guages"

The gas gauge generally won't set the check gauge warning until it is less than one bar and almost completely out of gas.

[Jim T.]

Re: "Check Guages"

Took the 96 on a long trip Monday the 19th, after insuring the tank was full on the 18th. The gas guage was not showing any level, the "reserve" was showing, and the "check guages" was illuminated when I left. About 28 miles down the road the "check guages" went out and the guage read a full tank. The guage was very slow moving from full on the trip. Put 280 miles on that tank of gas and the guage was showing about 3/4 of a tank. Put 9.7 gallons of gas in and drove 288 miles today. The working guage showed full starting the trip and was down almost to 3/4 full after 288 miles and took 9.8 gallons to fill up. Strange to drive almost 220 miles on a fill up and the cars computer saying you can go 512 more miles.

[Edward J.]

Re: "Check Guages"

Took the 96 on a long trip Monday the 19th, after insuring the tank was full on the 18th. The gas guage was not showing any level, the "reserve" was showing, and the "check guages" was illuminated when I left. About 28 miles down the road the "check guages" went out and the guage read a full tank. The guage was very slow moving from full on the trip. Put 280 miles on that tank of gas and the guage was showing about 3/4 of a tank. Put 9.7 gallons of gas in and drove 288 miles today. The working guage showed full starting the trip and was down almost to 3/4 full after 288 miles and took 9.8 gallons to fill up. Strange to drive almost 220 miles on a fill up and the cars computer saying you can go 512 more miles.

Jim. sounds like a fuel sender thats gone aray, The newer ethanol fuels tend to do something to the older GM senders.The wiper board must have something that the ethanol will break down.

[Bill H.]

Re: "Check Guages"

Jim. sounds like a fuel sender thats gone aray, The newer ethanol fuels tend to do something to the older GM senders.The wiper board must have something that the ethanol will break down.

That may be possible, Edward but, just to note, I've been running ethanol in my 92 for 6 years with zero problems.

[Edward J.]

Re: "Check Guages"

That may be possible, Edward but, just to note, I've been running ethanol in my 92 for 6 years with zero problems.

Bill, some of the new fuels contain sulfur that are attacking the 2006 and older fuel senders, GM does sell a additive to help with the problems.this was a GM bulletin.

[Bill H.]

Re: "Check Guages"

Bill, some of the new fuels contain sulfur that are attacking the 2006 and older fuel senders, GM does sell a additive to help with the problems.this was a GM bulletin.

Understood and and I wasn't disputing your origional point. just making an observation.
I hadn't heard about the TSB, good to know.