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2020 Acadia Fuel Gauge

9K views 46 replies 12 participants last post by  speleos 
#1 ·
I know a few members have bought the '20 Acadia and wanted to know if anyone else is having an issue with their fuel gauge. Ever since new I have filled up when the light comes on and the most it has ever taken was 14.1 gallons. They come with a 19.5 gallon tank so after 6 months I am starting to think either they lied about the tank size or my fuel sending unit is miscalibrated in the tank. Yes I know there is a reserve but that is typically 1-2 gallons, not 5 !!! Is anyone else able to use more of their tank? I have come to deal with the horrific mpg of 16-17 city and 20 highway but only going 250 miles or so a tank is terrible in and of itself.

Yes I could take it to the dealer to have it checked out but with this virus thing going around I am trying to keep people out of the vehicle. Once their is a cure or an antibody, I will be more open to visiting the public again. But until then, mask when outside and avoid all humans!

-Mike
 
#33 ·
Well, I completed a test this weekend and found that the Fuel Range is completely wrong. When the fuel light came on, I had 46 miles left. When the Fuel Range changed to "Low", I had 37 miles left. But I ended up driving another 61.5 miles from that point before I ran out of gas. (This was planned, as I had a gallon with me.) After adding that gallon and driving 4.5 miles to the gas station, I added another 18.5 gallons, stopping at the first click. So, it appears that the top of the 19.4-gallon fuel tank is at the first click.

However, the fuel light comes on at about 4 gallons left and the Fuel Range changes to "Low" about 0.5 gallons later (these are from calculations, not confirmed through subsequent fill-ups, which I plan to do later). IMO, this is way too large a reserve for a 19.4 gallon tank (and my regular mechanic agreed).

I checked with my local dealership to see if this can be re-calibrated at all and they said "no". Not surprising, but thought I'd try. So, I'll just have to note that the Fuel Range is underestimated and that I've got another 1-2 gallons before I really hit empty. I'm planning to write a letter to GMC about all of this at some point (not that I expect it to do any good), but it'll make me feel better.
 
#38 ·
Do you have an AWD or FWD? If AWD the fuel tank has 2 sides and a transfer tube in it. The Jet pump in the main side creates a vacuum and fills the main side from the sub side which also has a second level sender. Sometimes the Jet pump can become plugged and fuel does not transfer resulting in excess unusable fuel.
Dave
 
#39 ·
Do you have an AWD or FWD? If AWD the fuel tank has 2 sides and a transfer tube in it. The Jet pump in the main side creates a vacuum and fills the main side from the sub side which also has a second level sender. Sometimes the Jet pump can become plugged and fuel does not transfer resulting in excess unusable fuel.
Wonder why there's such a major difference in fuel tank design between the two?

FWD Fuel tank:
Camera accessory Gas Auto part Gadget Machine

AWD fuel tank:
Camera Camera accessory Digital camera Camera lens Reflex camera


(pictures courtesy of eBay)
 
#41 ·
That makes sense, except I think you mean the FWD tank doesn't require relief. I also wondered if the picture orientation is the same. Doesn't appear to be according to the GMPartsDirect diagrams.
FWD:
White Organism Mammal Rectangle Font

AWD:
Organism Font Motor vehicle Line Automotive exterior
 
#45 · (Edited)
OK. The linked document mentions a transfer line between the fuel pump chamber and chamber where the level sensor is mounted. It's not a separate 'transfer pump' as the post suggests. That makes way more sense.
 
#46 ·
Jet pumps have been used for filling fuel delivery modules since the late 1980’s. Basically high pressure from the fuel pump is sent to a small orifice and fuel is entrained with the vacuum created by the expansion at the nozzle exit. In this AWD system there is a Jet pump that fills the main side module located under the electric fuel pump and a second Jet pump located in the main side module that sucks fuel from the sub side of the tank. Some configurations take high pressure to the sub side and then entrain fuel for transfer. You would see 2 fuel lines from main to subside in those application. This patent shows basically same configuration as Acadia AWD. US6907899B2 - Saddle tank fuel delivery system - Google Patents
 
#47 · (Edited)
Jet pumps have been used for filling fuel delivery modules since the late 1980’s. ...
Your link confirms my thought, then. The 'jet pump' utilizes the fuel pump motor in order to operate. It's just one modular system - not two separate entities. I'm familiar with jet pumps used in the water well industry. They're actually very simple devices.
 
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