Gentlemen,

I have a 99 civic coupe ex automatic and as the title says, my fuel light is not coming on. I've swapped bulbs within my instrument cluster so it's not the bulb. The fuel light still wouldn't come on in the ignition position along with the other lights in the instrument cluster.

I swapped the fuel sending unit with another one that I scavenged from pickapart, but I still couldn't get the fuel light to come on in the ignition position with the other lights. It could be another bad fuel sending unit, but I feel like it's unlikely. The fuel gauge itself works okay. I returned the fuel sending unit I scavenged since it didn't fix the problem and stuck with the one that was already in the car.

When I do insert a paper clip in the ends of the connector to the fuel sending unit as shown in this thread https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-...-00-a-3131993/, I do manage to get the fuel light on.

What am I missing?

Thank you all in advance.

 

What were you testing to verifying if the low fuel light works or not?

 

I first swapped the fuel bulb in the instrument cluster with another working bulb and the fuel light still didn't come on when I put the key in the ignition position.

I then swapped the fuel sending unit with another one that I scavenged from pickapart, but I still couldn't get the fuel light to come on with the key in the ignition position.

The light does come on though when I put a paper clip in the connector to the fuel sending unit (see right above step 10 here https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-...-00-a-3131993/).

 

So the light is working

 

It's not working because if it was working it would come on during ignition with the other lights. It only comes on when I stick the paper clip in the connector. In the years that I've had the car, it's only come on once during normal driving and it's never come on with all the other dash lights.

 

Interesting, never noticed mine coming on. Yours must be special.

 

I don't believe it actually comes on with the normal 2 second "gauge/indicator" test immediately after you rotate to the "key on" IG2 position. I think it only comes on when you are really low on fuel.

 

I was hoping he provided proof cuz I never saw it come on either...

 

the fuel light only comes on under 2 circumstances
1. You're actually about to be out of gas
2. The sensor is bad (which usually isn't the case)

 

That sensor normally fails with the light off... I've never personally seen one fail with the light on. Also, in my experience, that sender normally fails. So the chances of you getting another bogus sending unit from the junkyard are actually pretty high. There is a test procedure in the service manual if you really want to confirm the issue.

 

Since I've only had the light come on once, I was under the impression that it was supposed to come on during ignition as well and it was just my light that wasn't working. I checked a few videos on youtube of the dash during start up and it didn't come on so you guys were right...it doesn't come on during start up which is odd considering all the other lights come on.

Few questions on this:

1) Where is this sensor?

2) Can and should I replace the sensor?

3) Would you be to share the test procedure please?

 

1) On top of the fuel tank, under the rear seat
2) The part is ~$100, if the gauge itself works I wouldn't bother (I'm in the same boat)
3)

 

Great, thanks for sharing this. I'm not very electrically savvy or inclined, but what would an open in the wire tell me? How can I address this?

 

An open is effectively a broken or cut wire. Use a multimeter to test for continuity across the ends of the designated wire.