2001 Mercury Cougar Fuel Gauge Not reading Properly

MDSIDE71

MEMBER
2001 MERCURY COUGAR
4 CYL
FWD
MANUAL
86,000 MILES

The problem is I can fill up the tank, and the LCD will show that I have 450+ Miles, when it gets to 1/4 Tank if I make any sort of sharp left turns the engine will bog down, or cut out completely, and now even without making any turns when it gets to 1/4 tank it will go from having 100+miles on the LCD to having 60-50 miles, to the Low Fuel Warning light coming on and it having only 2 Miles left on it.

I am wondering is this a bad fuel sensor, or maybe something is just loose inside the gas tank. I know the access panel for the fuel pump and what not is under the rear seat.

Thanks for the help guys.

2 Replies

BLUELIGHTNIN6

MECHANIC
16,542 POSTS

There is a recall on your vehicle stating that contamination of the filter in the fuel delivery module (FDM) can reduce, and eventually block, the flow of fuel to the engine. This could cause the engine to hesitate, lose power, and even stall. I would suggest talking to your local Ford dealer about this and have them fix it if needed. It is recall ID# 52070. Check to see if it affects your specific car by VIN#. If it doesn't or if it has already been fixed by a previous owner, the fuel pump is another thing to look at. Getting at or below 1/4 of gas can cause some problems on certain models/makes due to its location in the tank. Once the fuel level is low, the pump works overtime if it has been poorly located.