3440 Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 367-7140
Of all the amazing pieces of technology in modern vehicles, one of the parts that we take for granted most often is one of the most simple: the fuel gauge. The seemingly uncomplicated piece of technology lets us know how much gas we have in the tank, which can keep us from breaking down on the side of the road.
If you’ve noticed that the fuel gauge in your MINI isn’t working correctly, there are a wide range of contributing factors that could’ve caused it. You may fill up the tank and the gauge still reads empty, or maybe you’ve been driving for weeks and the gauge still reads full. Both of these point to a faulty fuel gauge. Let’s look closer at this problem.
The Fuel Gauge System
The fuel gauge system works to inform you of how much gas is in the tank. It’s composed of several different parts, sending information from the gas tank all the way up to your MINI’s dashboard.
The first part of the fuel gauge system is the sending unit, located in the gas tank, which measures the level of the fuel in the tank and sends the information. The information is sent to the gauge through a series of fuel gauge circuits, connecting the battery, sending unit and gas gauge. The gauge itself is the part that indicates to you how much gas there is in the tank.
The Fuse
The fuse box in your MINI can be accessed at which point you can check the conditions of individual fuses. Check the status of the fuses with a multimeter. If one of the fuses is blown, replace it and your problem will likely be fixed.
This is one of the simpler fixes for a faulty fuel gauge in your MINI, so make sure you check this carefully before moving on to any of the other possible problems that may be contributing to it.
The Sending Unit
The sending unit, the part that is located within the gas tank and gains information about how full the gas tank is. To check it, first fill up your MINI’s fuel tank. Next, use a multimeter to test the resistance on the sending unit.
The resistance should read the proper number of ohms when the tank is filled to the brim. You can find this information in your MINI’s owner’s manual. If you are not comfortable doing this, a trusted mechanic will be better suited to help.
A Problem with the Fuel Gauge Itself
While this is not extremely likely, problems with the fuel gauge itself could be causing the issues in your MINI. Once again, get the multimeter and check the voltage of the wiring going to the dashboard’s instrument cluster. Because accessing the instrument cluster varies in different models, look at your car’s repair manual.
The multimeter should be reading 12 volts. If the voltage is good in the wiring but the fuel gauge is faulty, then it is a problem with the fuel gauge itself, which will then need to be replaced.
Wiring Issues
If none of the above are contributing to the problems with your fuel gauge, then it is likely due to electrical wiring issues in your MINI. Wires may corrode or disconnect over time, and all of the wires between the sending unit and the gauge will need to be inspected and repaired visually.
Stop by European Motor Cars in Las Vegas
A trusted mechanic is something that every driver needs to have. Thankfully, European Motor Cars in Las Vegas will always work to get your 
MINI in tip-top shape and keep you in the loop every single step of the way.
EMC is well known for delivering high quality repair and maintenance for over 30 years to European vehicles, including Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes, MINI Cooper, Porsche, Range Rover, Volvo and Volkswagen.
Because we are experts in repairing European luxury vehicles, you can know that all of our technicians will take the best care of your vehicle.
We proudly serve customers from Spring Valley, Summerlin, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Las Vegas, Nevada. We take pride in our state-of-the-art machinery run with high-tech automation systems as well as our unbeatable customer service and relaxing experience. Call us today for a convenient appointment.
