# DIC: "Fuel Gauge Error - Contact Dealership"



## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

Ok, so I have an interesting story...

I knew I was very low on gas, the DIC was showing "4 mi" remaining range, and I had about a 10 mile trip to the gas station. I thought I'd run the tank down low because I'll be storing in any day now. I decided to get some more gas and go for a drive today because it was so nice, but I knew I might not make it, so I brought a small can of 87 with me. I thought, since I had it down this far, I'd see just how accurate the computer was.

I was on my way (rolling on the freeway), and the DIC eventually said "0 mi". I figure I got 3-4 miles further than that point before the tank ran dry. I pulled over, and gave it a splash of gas. Upon system check, the message "Fuel Gauge Error - Contact Dealership" came up. I didn't know what to think of it, so I continued the next 3 miles or so to the gas station, and filled it with 93. Again, during the DIC system check, the message "Fuel Gauge Error - Contact Dealership" came up. The fuel gauge moved a hair, but still read empty.

So I stopped at my dad's place not far away afterward for a beer, and scratched my head about it for a while. Best I could figure is that the fuel sender unit somehow got stuck on the bottom of the tank or had grounded against something (I had a problem similar to this in my GP years back). So my first thought was to pull the negative battery terminal. I left it sit for about 2 minutes, hooked it up again, and... no error message, and the gauge worked again! :confused 

I'm not sure why it worked, other than that perhaps there's an electromagnet of some kind in the sender that was demagnetized upon cutting the power? So, if you get a message on the DIC that says "Fuel Gauge Error - Contact Dealership", try disconnecting the battery.


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

You should be fine, I think you ran it so low it freaked out.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

I think so too. I thought I'd post my experience just in case somewhere down the road someone else ran into this message/problem. :cheers


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## MJGTOWISH (Jun 15, 2006)

*She (or he) Was like "Oh NOES... I'm low why want you feed me!! i needs GAS!!! Imma play a trick on you now."

Anyway give that baby a bottle full of that N2O formula and she (or he) will be real happy .

Heres my take on it, I'm betting you barley ever have that young lady on empty right?, There just a dead spot on the float and when it gets that low it can't read it anymore.*


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## mercdoc (Aug 12, 2010)

I am having this issue now. It mostly does it when its warm outside, lately its been in the upper 90s so it has been a daily thing. I can have a full or almost empty and it still will do it. I have also noticed that when I get the gauge error that it turns my TC off and soon afterwards I get an oil preasure error, airbag error, and etc.... The errors vary but they come as a cluster. Any ideas out there guys?


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## AlaGreyGoat (Jul 6, 2006)

Possibly a battery/alternator going bad or wiring problem to the ECM/BCM. Low voltage to the computer can cause all kind of weird things. The 04 had a problem of the wires to the BCM behind the glove box grounding out on a brace.

Larry


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Pull into a former Pontiac Dealer and ask them to reflash the computer with their scanner. It only takes a minute or so. This should reset it.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

AlaGreyGoat said:


> wires to the BCM behind the glove box grounding out on a brace.


:agree

Sounds like a wiring short, if you're getting different errors at the same time.


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## Tron (Sep 26, 2012)

mercdoc said:


> I am having this issue now. It mostly does it when its warm outside, lately its been in the upper 90s so it has been a daily thing. I can have a full or almost empty and it still will do it. I have also noticed that when I get the gauge error that it turns my TC off and soon afterwards I get an oil preasure error, airbag error, and etc.... The errors vary but they come as a cluster. Any ideas out there guys?


Did you ever get this 100% fixed? if so, what did it. I'm having this issue and need the help. Thanks.


Poncho Dan said:


> Ok, so I have an interesting story...
> 
> I knew I was very low on gas, the DIC was showing "4 mi" remaining range, and I had about a 10 mile trip to the gas station. I thought I'd run the tank down low because I'll be storing in any day now. I decided to get some more gas and go for a drive today because it was so nice, but I knew I might not make it, so I brought a small can of 87 with me. I thought, since I had it down this far, I'd see just how accurate the computer was.
> 
> ...


Did you ever get this 100% fixed? if so, what did it. I'm having this issue and need the help. Thanks.


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## Tron (Sep 26, 2012)

mercdoc said:


> I am having this issue now. It mostly does it when its warm outside, lately its been in the upper 90s so it has been a daily thing. I can have a full or almost empty and it still will do it. I have also noticed that when I get the gauge error that it turns my TC off and soon afterwards I get an oil preasure error, airbag error, and etc.... The errors vary but they come as a cluster. Any ideas out there guys?


Did you ever get this 100% fixed? if so, what did it. I'm having this issue and need the help. Thanks.


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## rfierro833 (Oct 26, 2021)

Tron said:


> Did you ever get this 100% fixed? if so, what did it. I'm having this issue and need the help. Thanks.


Did u ever get it fixed?


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