hi just had a 2001 mk 3 mondeo 2.0 ghia but noticed a prob with the fuel gauge when you first start the car or turn the ignition on it shows half a tank and how many miles left but when i pul off the gauge goes to the bottom and fuel light comes on and also nothing on the range so any idea`s what it could be ? is it a common prob

I noticed today that even when the fuel gauge works its not correct as today it was showing just over 1/4 of a tank but it was really empty as i run out of fuel . Can any1 help with this

I don't know if this is a common problem - mine has always been fine (though none are very accurate)

it is just taken off a float in the tank so it will read differently uphill & downhill , it might look like there is more when you 1st start it then when you have driven for a bit the level drops down - the 1st is a "false" reading and the 2nd a "true" (give or take) reading - you get used to it / know when it runs out

You could always carry spare petrol in a can just in case

Fuel is so expensive now (when im not running veg oil) that im often surprised how little you get for a tenner, and how far that won't get you :)

I would suggest driving your car down a bouncy cobbled road, speed bumps, whatever you can.

This will allow the Fuel Sender Unit to be shook loose, and hopefully if its stuck in place before you start, it will be fully mobile by the time you are finished!

when it works it goes up when you put fuel in but when its saying just over 1/4 of a tank there`s nothing left lol and it only shows there is fuel when you first start then after a min or if you pull off it goes to empty

sounds like the FSU may need replacing. I wonder if when you move its dislodging the FSU and pushing it down in the tank.

Either that or the instrument cluster is struggling to read the signal from the unit...

Well i done the test on the clocks and all working so does look like the sender is at fault . How hard are they to change on these . And is it a tank out job or can you get to it under the back seats

IIRC you lift the seats and you can access the top of the tank from there, its well and truely secure so I cant advise on how your expected to remove it, but if you pop the seats and explore, hopefully all will become clear?

Thanks m8 i suspect its the fuel pump for deffo after reading a few posts as when the fuel is showing under half it wont rev much above 3k at times too but put more fuel in and its fine