faulty fuel gauge!!

I have just bought my used 156 and the fuel gauge is unreliable. It doesn't seem to go passed the quarter tank mark and the reserve light comes on and then goes off whilst driving. The dealer has given excuse of 'delayed time logic' but I'm pretty sure it's a fault.

Has anyone else had similar problem? What did you do? Still under warranty. If as appears, an inherent problem, how do you manage to know when to refuel?

Well Depending on what engine you have- find the Litres/100Km fuel consumption figures- depending on the engine (The fuel tank size differs with engine size) this should tell you how much many kms the car will go on one tank- thus you could fill up every xxxKm- Of course you shouldn't have to put up with this problem- and while they usually fix themselves- you should have an honest mechanic look it over- because most Alfa Romeo tech teams are hopeless :smile:

Thank for the reply Jimster.

My car's a 2 litre engine. Have you ever come across any one in the forum who has had similar problem? Is it an easy problem mechancially/electrically to solve?

I've no idea how much fuel is in the tank now. Your solutions is fine if I know I've got an empty tank. Do modern fuel pumps at petrol stations cut off to prevent overspilling?

Originally posted by AndyG
Thank for the reply Jimster.

My car's a 2 litre engine. Have you ever come across any one in the forum who has had similar problem? Is it an easy problem mechancially/electrically to solve?

I've no idea how much fuel is in the tank now. Your solutions is fine if I know I've got an empty tank. Do modern fuel pumps at petrol stations cut off to prevent overspilling?


Yep- well at least the ones in Italy, Switzerland and New Zealand (The only countries I've really filled up with petrol in that have 156's) do- So I think wherever you live the cut off petrol pumps would exist.


It is an easy enough problem to solve- but unfortunately- Alfa often try to avoid responsibility for these types of things- Personally I would wring my tech-team by the neck if they did that- but there are Alfa dealers out there who are like that

I have a problem with my gauge not reading anything at all sometimes when I start up, then someway through the journey, or when I start again it'll read out properly.. not really dangerous because it only seems to happen when the tank is relatively full.

I look rarely at my gauge but it's going down slower under 1/2.
But I look at the kilometers : I know that at 500km I've to think to refill my car ! :D

Hi my 2.5 did it too I find that when I to put it mildly thrashed it I did the trick for me.