Out of Petrol...???

[wbd]

Driving along this afternoon and without warning, the car just petered out to a complete stop. Wouldn't restart. So I rang the RACV and the first thing the guy said was "out of fuel"... He put $10 worth in and sure enough the car started first go.
Sounds like me just being stupid and not checking the fuel gauge, but no!!! there was 1/4 of a tank left according to the fuel gauge (the trip computer was saying 180km to empty).
The RACV guy said it was common with the Commodores. I've had the VX for 2.5 years now (and a VT for a couple of years before that) and this is the first time it's happened.
Just wondering if anyone else has heard of antyhing similar. If so, can anyone shed some light on what the problem is and is there something that can be done to fix it?

[rattattack1313]

There is a thread on it in here somewhere,mate..... a common problem with the newer commos, apparently.......

[wbd]

There is a thread on it in here somewhere,mate..... a common problem with the newer commos, apparently.......

Thanks, I found a few threads on this topic actually, all had different solutions (go figure) LOL.

Recalibrate gauge and sender, software upgrade, fuel pump... take your pick I guess.

Oh well, I'll give Holden a call and see what the deal is (pity I'm out of warranty). Thanks once again.

[Cal.oz]

similar thing happened to me, was driving along and the car stopped and wouldnt start again, called the NRMA guys, first thing he said was got petrol, and i am like yeah why, he said he gets called out to heaps of people that run out of fuel even though still says its got quarter tank.

turned out to be fuel pump

[wbd]

turned out to be fuel pump

Hmmm, interesting... thanks for the info.

[Spyper]

I've got a similar problem and just wondering...
I bought the car at a dealership and am covered under 10000km 3 month warranty. Would it cover a problem like that? If so, I'll go get it fixed. If not, I'll just keep re-filling at about 450kms.

[tropical^fish]

my mate had a honda accord (1986 model) and he pulled up in my driveway to drop some stuff off... went to start the car and it wouldnt turn over - RACV guys showed up and asked if the car had fuel... just above empty, but parked on the driveway - so my thoughts would be the fuel pump couldnt reach the fuel.
Anyway the racv guy put 10 bux in and it started. This happened after he took the carbie off and was playing with it spraying fuel from a can in there, started conked out... tested the fuel pump, working ok... THEN he added the petrol and she lept into life!
RACV guy left, my mate left (we assumed he went to get fuel) but no - he went to the servo and got a pack of smokes... no fuel just smokes.
I dont know if he made it to work the next day or not!!!

[Pretender]

I had the same problem on my first VN which was a wagon. I was told (by the RAC)that in the tank the fuel pump sits on or in a cup shaped receptacle that in time comes loose. When this occurs the fuel pump is not in the fuel unless there is more than a quarter of a tank. He said the only solution is to either get a new tank or live with the "new" empty mark. Sounds odd but I have also heard this from other sources so I believe it to be correct even though it does not sound logical.
Or tropical^fish it could be because you replied to my post regarding my fuel problem and it has turned out to be contagious.

[minux]

This is ONE of the reasons why it is reccomended to not run under 1/4 tank. That and it tends to pick up a little crap. Surprising what you find in a fuel tank when you split it

[Trevor 062]

It's about time HOLDEN did something about this F***ing problem..
They must be making millions from poor suckers like myself forking out hundreds to fix this problem only to reappear months later...My VT's fuel gauge has been stuffed since I bought it 5 years ago..

[VX_GIANTZ]

same thing happened to me without notice still showing 50 or so k's. called up a friend who is a mechanic for RACV and he basically said it is a problem with the commodores. he also had the same problem with his

[INSINR8R]

my trip gauge has this problem where before a trip, a full tank is equalled to 500Kms, and after about 5 km it drops to like 450Kms.

[spikeu]

Driving along this afternoon and without warning, the car just petered out to a complete stop. Wouldn't restart. So I rang the RACV and the first thing the guy said was "out of fuel"... He put $10 worth in and sure enough the car started first go.
Sounds like me just being stupid and not checking the fuel gauge, but no!!! there was 1/4 of a tank left according to the fuel gauge (the trip computer was saying 180km to empty).
The RACV guy said it was common with the Commodores. I've had the VX for 2.5 years now (and a VT for a couple of years before that) and this is the first time it's happened.
Just wondering if anyone else has heard of antyhing similar. If so, can anyone shed some light on what the problem is and is there something that can be done to fix it?

i got a vx 2 about 12months ago
it was a ex company car, i was going down a hill and the car just stopped
i checked the fuel gauge, it said 1/4 of tank left. it woudnt restart, i called the nrma. they came and put 10 lt in it and off it went, so it looks like i am not the only one

[lafin]

same problem with my VX Equip, gauge has been replaced several times, along with the sender unit.
Last time it happened the holden service guy tried to tell me there was nothing wrong, and after a few tank fulls, it would recalibrate itself. he even had a printout of this crap from GMH.
I asked him what was the point of having a low fuel warning light then.
I've never been stranded by this problem as I always have DTE showing and have realised the when its started to read incorrectly. Once after having already travelled 350kms, and with 350 DTE showing, I stopped the car, restarted it and the gauge went back to full and DTE went up to 700kms.
I've lived with it now for 12months (since warranty ran out) but am keen to try the litres left in the tank readout available in the hidden trip computer menus.

[Ian Pitt]

Have had similar problem with my VX Lumina. It is probably a faulty MRA unit fitted in the fuel tank. Dealers want $460+ to replace a $97 (approx.) part.The trick is you need a special tool to remove and refit and I cannot find out what this tool is.

Regards
I Pitt