We picked up Franny's Passat yesterday and Jesse and I drove it home today.  I filled it up about 20 outside of Johnson City, TN and headed home . . . all was good and it seemed to be sipping fuel.  Jesse was driving and just before we got to Hamilton Place, I ask him where the fuel gauge was sitting . . . he said a little over 3/4.  A couple of minutes later he said, something is wrong . . . we've only got a half a tank now.  I leaned over and watched the fuel gauge dropping.  We got off at Cloud Springs Road and stopped at the BP, by now, the low fuel light was on.  I couldn't find any evidence of a leak, so I topped off the tank.  It held 4.2 gallons.  The gauge came back up to 1/2 a tank, but within a couple of miles was on empty.  Everything else seems to be working fine.  It sounds to me like the tank float has sunk.

Any other ideas on what the problem might be?

I've got a non diesel parts car I could let you borrow the float or the cluster to see if it would work,

If the float sank, would it refloat again when you filled it up? That's the only thing that makes me think it wouldn't necessarily be that.

Seems like it would more likely be electrical, but I don't understand why it would have made it 3 hours back and then start causing problems.


Could the bulbs be in upside down? Doubtful, but when I replace my scooter bulb, the low beam beam lit about 5' off of the ground all around and then the high beam shot to the sky (high and low filaments were reversed).

41.9 sounds awesome!

I have seen the housing break loose inside the headlight assembly,   Most fuel gauge issues are the sender that I've seen,  the electrical part

I have seen the housing break loose inside the headlight assembly,   Most fuel gauge issues are the sender that I've seen,  the electrical part

Our 96 Passat has an access pannel in the floor of the trunk behind the back seat . . . does the 2005 have one?  If so, is that where the sender is located?  If so, about how much does one cost?

I'm sure the problem is electrical.  Twice it went back to full and worked fine.  It worked fine going to the meeting last night, but dropped to half a tank on the trip home.  I don't see how it could be the float.  After Travis's comment on the sender, I would almost be willing to bet that's the problem.  Travis, can that be changed, or do you have to replace the whole float (and possibly the pump) assembly.  If it's an expensive fix, it's going to stay broke.  If you are driving 1000 miles a week, getting 20 MPG and have a 10 gallon tank, you NEED a working guage.  If you are driving 25 to 50 miles in a typical week and getting over 40 MPG and the tank holds over 15 gallons, I would think that you can get by without a guage.

I'd check the wires.