Petrol light stays on all the time

driving_all_the_time · 26 Dec 2008, 02:14

As of tonight, my petrol light has stayed on since filling up at my local garage. I was driving along earlier tonight in my Renault megane 1.6 16v 2001 model, and was running low on petrol, then my petrol light came on so i went to my local petrol station and put about 10 litres in the tank. When i started the car up and started driving, instead of going off as usual, the petrol light stayed on despite the needle being way above the red line mark. I have tried switching the ignition on and off to try and fix this but I have had no luck.

Does any one know why this has happened and how it can be fixed?

Any help greatly appreciated!

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 26 Dec 2008, 12:31

Thats a weird one.

Try your owners manual to look for any description of this lamps function.
It may have an extra function, i.e. fuel filter water contamination warning or such.

The lamp is switched on by either a switch in the tank sender unit, or by an electronic module in the instrument panel, sensing on the fuel level transmitted by the tank sender unit.

Hard to tell exactly what could cause a hanging lamp.
A first try would be lifting up the rear seat and check the wiring under the carpeting all the way up to the instrument panel.
Any sharp edge may have shorted out exactly the lamp wire to chassis earth.

driving_all_the_time · 26 Dec 2008, 20:39

Thanks for the help. I went to the petrol station this morning though, put about 20 litres in, needle went up to about 3/4 of a tank and the petrol light has went off.

Really confused as to why the light stayed on when there was over a notch of fuel in the tank.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 26 Dec 2008, 20:50

driving_all_the_time wrote: Really confused as to why the light stayed on when there was over a notch of fuel in the tank.

French fuel gauges have never been noted for their accuracy

sparky33 · Unread post by **sparky33** » 28 Dec 2008, 12:33

It's just because you let it get so low, if the car would have had a trip computer it would have read --.-- too.

Next time just remove the battery neg terminal and it will reset it. But make sure you have the radio code and know how to enter it.