Hi all,

I recently picked up my 04 crossfire with 50k miles. It had a full tank when I got it, and drove with no problems the whole tank. I didn't let it drop low enough for the light to turn on before I filled up. I used chevron 91 and filled up the tank. About 50miles in, my gas light started flashing. I wasn't able to pull over for a good 5 minutes (was at night on the backroads and didn't want to break down out there). After I pulled into a gas station, I took out my phone to record a video to show you all. During idle, As soon as my camera focused the gas light stopped flashing. It has not come back on yet and I'm about 1/4 of a tank now.

I found it very weird that after filling up, and I went thru about 50miles of a tank already. Has anyone experienced this before? Is it something I should be concerned about? Maybe a foreshadowing to a bigger problem on it's way?

Thanks in advance!

 

What did the gauge read during the flashing?

 

A little over 3/4 of a tank

 

It can happen if gas gets in the vent tube by trying to squeeze a little more in after the pump clicks off when it's full. I had it happen when I first bought my car. Hasn't happened again since I stopped trying to squeeze some more in when it's full.

 

That's about when mine would come on if I tried to put more in when the pump clicked off.

 

Ah, interesting. My last car was a 98 saturn SL, and when I did it with that car, never had a problem. I guess I'll just have to not try and squeeze in a little extra. Thanks guys!

 

I always squeeze a little extra into my cars and this has not happened on my two Crossfires. The indicator light must work in conjunction with the fuel level sensor so I cannot see why it would be tripped at the upper end of its travel. With an independent flap that prevents excessive overfilling I cannot see this is a designed event.

 

The fuel indicator flashes for a evap leak when the evap system tries to check tank pressure. This only happens at 3/4 of a tank and 1/4 of a tank of fuel. Could be as simple as the fuel cap is not tight, or a evap line is leaking.

 

Or because gas gets in there when you over fill it.

 

That is good to know, so I read the Service Manual.
Here is partly what it said.
PVLD test
The leak test consists of three successive tests that are dependent on the previous test passing. If one test fails, the
next test will not be run. The major leak test begins by closing the Charcoal Canister Shutoff Valve and opening the
EVAP Purge Solenoid to allow engine vacuum to build to 6 mbar (2.4 inH2O), as measured by the Fuel Tank Pressure
Sensor, in the fuel tank within approximately 12 seconds. If there is no vacuum buildup in the fuel tank, there
is a major leak present, the leak test is aborted, the Low Fuel Warning Indicator is illuminated in the instrument
cluster and a DTC is stored in the PCM.

Says illuminated not flashing but I guess that is what it means.
If you learn something everyday then the days are not wasted.

 

That for a test procedure. The check engine light comes on for a EVAP leak or a loose gas cap, not the low fuel light.

 

Maybe I missed something?
Maybe you missed something?
Read the Service manual, what I quoted from is an automatic test done by the car, not a technician.