2001 Dodge Caravan Gasoline sensor malfunction.

PEDRO BASAURE-FORGUES

MEMBER
2001 DODGE CARAVAN

2001 Dodge Caravan 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 80.000 miles

The gas sensor (indicator) is dead; as a consequence thereof, the "check engine" lights permanently.
The van is functioning without any other failure.
Service people confirm that there is nothing wrong with the gas sensor, and that the problem is likely to be produced by a failure in the main computer, and recommend to replace it at a high cost of over $ 2.000; however, they do not guarantee that the problem will disappear as computers -they say- ". Tend to indicate what they are told to indicate.", And are not willing to take any responsibility if I buy the main computer and the problem remains unchanged.
I live in Bolivia, (S.A) and its reasonable if I don't accept such a position.
Please forward your kind comments about the relation between the gas sensor and the main computer, and what should I do about this problem.

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,916 POSTS

Do you have a Chrysler dealership you can go to? They will have a computer to try if they think that's the problem. If they're wrong, they should take it back. Also, a used instrument cluster or body computer from a salvage yard should be relatively inexpensive.

To verify, your mechanic should have shorted the sending unit wire to the body, (a metal part), at the fuel tank. That should cause the gauge to read "full" if everything else is working. If the gauge stays on "empty", the sending unit in the tank is the problem.

Caradiodoc