Fuel guage and tailgate lock faulty

[nikirushka]

The fuel guage on my 2001 1.9D forte has been faulty since I've had it (nearly 2 years now). It sits just over 1/4 of a tank higher than the fuel actually is, and every now and then will move again - maybe just a mm or two - but no warning and I'm unaware until I run out, thinking I have more fuel than I actually do!

The fuel sender unit was replaced with a brand new one last year but this made no difference at all. Can this be repaired or is it a new cluster job? And if it is, where can I find one? I have yet to find a breaker's yard or anyone on ebay selling parts that fit my model (I seem to have picked an uncommon one!).


As for the tailgate - when I bought the car, it didn't open at all; I took the trim off to look and the metal bar connecting the lock to the opening arm was absent. Replaced it so I could open the tailgate, however since then it's opened twice by itself without warning (I now have it bungeed from the inside just in case, as this is a dog car). I can also open it when the car is locked - it will open and a couple of seconds later, the central locking unlocks. The rear wiper also does not work - I can hear it buzzing but it doesn't move (screenwash works though) and sometimes, when I put the car into reverse there is a loud buzzing noise (the lights work fine). Could this all be related?

[Andre]

This seems to be a common fault on this vehicle, and could be one of a couple of things; your fuel sender unit, bsi or instrument panel (according to the dealer).

This happened on our Berlingo (sometime after a shunt actually) and we played the very expensive guessing game with no results. The van would read above full, and would be bone dry yet still showing fuel in it. It spent a good amount of time (for such a fault) at the dealer and was never repaired; had a new sender unit and a new BSI (for another fault), we never changed the clocks though.

Unless you are willing to fork out, might be something just best lived with.

[jamesf]

I once had a dodgy fuel gauge too and I got round it by taking note of how many miles, roughly, a full tank did then zeroed the trip meter each time I refueled and refueled within 50-odd miles of that mileage. Became quite easy to do and indeed to this day I tend to still zero the trip every time!

Tailgate - wouldn't have thought the buzzing and the broken lock are related.

Regarding the wipers - there is a buzzing noise when reversing because normally when you reverse, with the front wipers on, the rears flick-wipe across automatically, and the noise you're hearing is the motor trying to do just that.

These wipers motors aren't the most reliable units - indeed we've just changed ours. Not terribly expensive (c.£35) but worth solving if you can.

Tip - while you have the rear panel off sorting out the lock and rear wiper, it may pay to replace the number plate lights as these (on ours anyway) are released by gently squeezing together the little tabs at the rear of the holders and pushing outwards. If you're rough you'll break them and they won't fit very well afterwards - ask me how I know.....!

Good luck.