Fuel Gauge
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2004 Mercury Mountaineer and 2004 Ford Explorer. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The fuel gauge receives its signal from the fuel level sensor, part of the fuel pump module. The fuel level sensor measures variable resistance in the fuel tank depending on the current fuel level. When the fuel level is low, resistance in the unit is low (15 ohms +/-l ohm). When the fuel level is high, the resistance is high (160 ohms +/- 2 ohms). If equipped with flex-fuel, the basic fuel level indication is the same except that the flex-fuel vehicles incorporate the use of a flex-fuel module. The flex-fuel module is a DC-AC-DC interface, used to prevent reactions created by the interaction of DC current with the fuel. The flex-fuel module is part of the fuel pump module and is installed as an assembly.