I have no idea how much gas I have- Now with VIDEO EVIDENCE!
 

I've done my homework, and it really doesn't seem to be the sending unit. however, SOMETHING is wrong. Doesn't seem to make sense that after a day, a half a tank of gas is gone, and I was barley driving the thing. Sometimes, i start it up, it says its pretty much empty, then after driving for a little bit, it goes to where it should be (i assume, but I have no freakin idea anymore). then other times, its like a freaking metronome, just back and forth, up and down.
Anyone have ANY idea to what this possibly could be

Fuel tank sender, or fuel gauge...etc.
Do Search: it ain't the first time it's come up here
on the JukeBox.
GL, mD

on our bmw 323ic, it was the connection in the back of the gauge cluster. a bit of tinfoil and it was fixed...

sprocket, where did you put the tinfoil? between the connections?

just out of curiosity, how long would you guess, just a general guess, say $40 (89 of course, at 3$/gal) would usually last? A day or two doesnt seem to make much sense, unless I was redlining every gear and driving for hours on end

How many "days"? No idea...
simple arith suggests even at an ugly 13 mpg = ~170 miles plus.
GL, mD

i just wrapped the foil around the pin that fit into the back of the gauge cluster. as for how far on a tank, just fill a can of gas to take with you and let it nearly run out...

I guess I can give the tin foil a try. But today, I was in a rush, put 15$ in just to get to where I had to be, then drove home. Was a total of 6 miles maybe from when I filled up. Just went out right now down the street, maybe .02 miles, and it read empty, then gave me the - - - reading. Drove down the street for a little bit, maybe a mile, and the gauge started to go up. Now says maybe 25 km (i have no idea why it says km). This is getting to the point where I feel like its maybe a fuel filter, pump, or some air/fuel ratio of some sort. I'm lost....

You clearly have a problem with either the sending unit, wiring, or gauge cluster. The problem is the fuel level indication, not the fuel pump, or air/fuel ratio, or fuel filter, none of which have anything to do with the fuel level indication.

Just fill it up, reset the trip odo, and don't drive more than 400 miles (or 350, or 300, or whatever you pick) as a limit before you fill it again.

Or put a can of fuel in the luggage compartment.

And then take it to a shop to get it fixed.

if it says kms, I suspect a computer style malfunction. it could be a Canadian made vehicle that is not used to the heat and humidity in FL. try putting it in a temperature controlled garage and see if that works. I would suggest a temp of 7C (45F) as a comfortable environment. if this works, it is definitely Canadian!

Probably should have mention that earlier lol, but yes I know its in fact a Canadian model. So that is the issue then?

:popcorn: some one on another thread wants to make the X5 look cooler so will you go there and advise them how to make it cooler .:thumbup:

too funny!

lol good one.
Going to let it go till it runs out today. right now its fluctuating between - - - and 15-40 km... Setting trip to zero, will see what happens. Hoping that maybe somehow it running all the way down will somehow "wake it up" or reset it, but then again, who am I kidding... no fix is free....

So I don't want to jinx myself, but did the little test yesterday, and actually ran out of gas conveniently right next to gas station and it stopped driving right at the pump lol. But, after I put some gas in, it now seems to work! The amount of money I put it is about where I think it should be, and it doesn't fluctuate up and down anymore, just goes down normally. So maybe there was some sort of nasty-ness somewhere in there thats now gone...
Problem fixed. (as of now)

I was able to catch the gas gauge poltergeist in action. anyone got anything on this?
near the end you'll see it move a lot

so yes, I did jinx myself, and its not fixed.

Did you get it fixed ? i have same problem. i filled up my tank with 16 gall only when it stopped by it self, i was little surprised and when i put key in ON position it was still low. and now it says RANGE --- MLS ...