The Case of the Mystery Missing Fuel.....

[V8 00USH]

Been driving the X5 quite a bit over the Christmas holiday period and 2 days ago was no different.

Fuel was running low so I put £20 worth in (around 16 litres/3.5 gallons) on my way home. Gauge registered the additional fuel as normal.

Got home and parked up, alarm on as usual.

5 minutes later my neighbour came out and told me my alarm was going off as the hazards were flashing. Now I know this wasn't my alarm as there was no siren.I also know this as it's an issue I've been fighting for a while with the hazards randomly coming on and the interior light too. So much so that I've pulled the fuse for the interior light as it was draining the battery. I unlock the car, open the door, lean in and switch the hazards off. Shut the door and re-alarm it and go back inside.

3 hours later I come back outside to go back out, try to unlock the doors with the fob....nothing. Car is completely dead. My cigarette lighter voltage gauge is showing 0.22v. Very strange.

However I put it on charge for the night after fighting with the alarm for a bit until it registers some charge in it and go out in my other car instead.

Next day I go to it - voltage is registering 12.8v once I disconnect the charger. I then try and start it. Engine is turning over fine but won't start. At that point I notice the fuel gauge is registering fully empty - emptier than I've ever seen it before - under the white line. Range showing -- miles.

Where has the 16 litres of fuel mysteriously gone? Gauge fault perhaps although it's never ever done that before. Very strange.

So I left it until today when I had chance to get a jerry can of fuel and throw it in. Did this. Gauge crept up ever so slightly. Car started first turn of the key.

So where did the fuel go?

My initial thought was that somehow the fuel pump had stayed on and drained the battery, ignition switch faulty perhaps - but then if this was the case where would the fuel have gone? I would have thought it would have just returned it back to the tank presuming it wasn't a returnless system. No obvious sign of any leaks.I also thought that perhaps the fuel tank has 2 sides and it's been returned to the other side and the lift pump in the other side hasn't sent it back over. But since running it for a few minutes there was no sign of the gauge moving back up again.

Anyone ever had anything similar on their 4.4/4.6is/4.8is ? I'm completely stumped on this one. It's making me a bit worried about taking it back out until I've got some kind of answer as it could leave me stranded. Will have to carry round a jerry can of fuel just incase!