# Gas Gauge Flying



## Chrisytime (Jan 27, 2009)

Help me please!
1996 Beretta, 3.1 liter
Have had the following repairs in the past two months: new radiator, alternator, pads, shoes, cylinders, thermostat, starter. 

Got the car back and was driving 65 on the freeway. Gas was at a little over a quarter tank. All of a sudden the gas gauge "flies" to over full mark and sits there then eventually comes back down to accurate level. When it did that, the Service engine soon light starts blinking and eventually that just stayed on. I continued to drive it to my destination and the service engine soon light started blinking again, the gas gauge is still flying and all of a sudden the car starts spitting and sputtering. I stopped at a gas station, put 5 bucks gas in it and stood there listening to it. It kept stuttering and spitting just idling and when I finished driving less than 2 miles to my destination it was stuttering the whole way there.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

You really need to take the car to a qualified repair shop to retrieve the codes. The sputtering is probably a misfire and flashing the SES light. With an extreme misfire, you are dumping raw fuel into the exhaust and this *will* damage your convertor $$$. If this is the case, have the car towed.

These problems may or may not be related. 

Good luck


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## Chrisytime (Jan 27, 2009)

Thanks but do you have any idea or suggestion on what it may be? I've had it taken to my mechanic but I haven't heard from him.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

This may or may not be the code you have. If it is a misfire it could be something as simple as a spark plug, wire, corroded coil tower... or it could be something major with the engine.

Anyone can guess as to what is wrong, but without diagnosing, it's only a guess.


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## Chrisytime (Jan 27, 2009)

Thanks. Could it possibly be fuel pump, fuel filter, O2 sensor?


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

It could. If your fuel pressure/volume is low that will cause a misfire.


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## MgMopar (Jul 31, 2004)

If the gauge is jumping up at the same time the engine is running bad. I would "guess" you have a ground issue. The fuel pump requires a ground and the gauge requires a ground. If this is a poor ground nether would function properly. This guess is "not" a diagnoses just a guess based on your desciption


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## frazierdavidson (Jan 31, 2009)

*flying gas gage*

Nothing against your mechanic, but you need to take the vehicle to either your local G.M. dealer or a very qualified independant repair shop.
Local mechanics don't always have access to latest bulletins and revised
diagnosis info..Somebody who works on mainly G.M. products will have better info on common problems with this car. It will cost more for accurate diagnosis, but somebody just throwing parts at it can get real
expensive in a hurry !!!!!!!!!!


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