Fuel Computer Data error

[1965cobra427]

Maybe some of you have experienced this or similar. While driving my '04 LS V8 with the computer display showing approximately 50 miles to empty, the fuel guage dropped to the extreme "E" position and the display said "Fuel Computer Data Error." Knowing that it had said 50 miles to empty only a mile or two before, I continued at highway speed, expecting to gas up in about 10 miles.

After about 6 miles, the engine caughed and acted as if it was out of fuel. I pulled to the shoulder, expecting a 2 mile walk. The engine continued to run, however, but would not go above 2,000 rpm. I made my way up the shoulder with the engine running roughly any time I tried to accelerate, but made it the 2 miles to a station and gassed up.

Once the tank was full, the display went back to normal and the engine ran fine. On the next tankful, the display repeated the error at about 120 miles to empty and I wnet directly to a gas station. Third tank, repeat performance at about 70 miles to empty. This is the third tank of gas since the car was new.

My Lincoln dealer service tech is mystified. Any ideas?

Sorry about the fuzzy picture. Taken with my PDA at night at about 80.

 

[mikepietras04]

I have never had this happen before, but I have an idea of what is going on. It look like the fuel level sender is intermitent for some reason, either the sender is going bad, or there is a bad connection. You dealer should be able to determine this using the Datastream feature on thier diagnostic tool. As for the engine reducing power, id say it is part of the LS's adaptive strategy to prevent an over lean condition. When you car sees that it will soon run out of gas, it reduces engine power, richens up the fuel, and increases pressure while at the same time limiting speed and rpm. The LS engine will also do this if it ever overheats for any reason, in this case it is a fail safe cooling method.

The dealer will take care of the issue however they feel it is necessary, but if it were my issue, i would do the following: I would drive the car with low fuel (whatever lever you see this happening at) with my OTC Genysis logging datastream durring the entire run. When i see the error message come on the cluster, i would look to see if the fuel sender was active on datastream (i am able to read both a sender voltage, and a level percentage) if no signal, i would replace the sender. If there is a signal, i would look into a computer problem. Now, assuming you do not have test equipment at your disposal, you might want to offer this tip to the dealer, and see if they could do something like this for you.

Hope this helps you fix your problem, let us know how it turns out.

 

[Quik LS]

Also check that the fuel cap is on tight - believe it or not - it can cause alot of issues.

 

[mikepietras04]

Also check that the fuel cap is on tight - believe it or not - it can cause alot of issues.

A loose gas cap on the LS will throw a "EVAP Controls" MIL, and realy wouldnt effect the fuel level computer

But it wouldnt hurt to check anyway

 

[1965cobra427]

...you might want to offer this tip to the dealer, and see if they could do something like this for you.

Hope this helps you fix your problem, let us know how it turns out.

Thanks Mike. I will probably take the car in next week if I can run that much gas out by then. I'll post a reply once the issue is resolved to share with the Group.

 

[drdave19]

1965cobra427: I am currently having the same problem. When the tank gets to 1/4 and the display says I have 90 miles to go until empty, the "Fuel Computer Data Error" display comes on and the gas gauge quits working. I have a 2004 LS V8. Last Tuesday this happened. About 15 or so miles later, the engine stalled and would not restart. The dealership said I was out of gas (what a laugh!), but I wasn't. They put enough gas in to get it above 1/4 tank and guess what -- the car started and the problem went away. They said they couldn't duplicate the problem, so I picked up the car yesterday. It read 84 miles to empty. ONE MILE from the dealership, the problem recurred. I insisted a mechanic come and look at the error. He did. He knew there was gas in the tank (since he put it in) and saw the error message and the fact that the gas gauge wasn't working. It's back in the shop until it's fixed. It's unsafe to drive the car in that condition, since the engine could stall (like mine did) and the steering doesn't work very well. It could be fatal on a curving, mountain road! I'll keep you posted with what the mechanic says on Monday, 8/22/05. -Dave

 

[hrlincoln]

I had the exact problem. It is fixable. Lincoln knows about the problem, your machanic just needs to call them.


Search for the thread "Bug in 05 fuel gauge"

 

[BIGTSLS]

I'm Having The Same Problem With My 2000 Ls. With Power Loss. Can Anyone Help Out. Because My Lincoln Techs Say They Have No Clue.

 

[beaups]

it's the fuel pump that shoots the gas from the one side of the tank to the other. It's either intermittent or failing. this has been covered here a few times.

 

[2001LS8Sport]

it's the fuel pump that shoots the gas from the one side of the tank to the other. It's either intermittent or failing. this has been covered here a few times.

+1

It can also be the controlling module for the transfer pump.

 

[Spike]

Hello, new here. I have this same Fuel Computer Data Error on a 2000 Windstar with a 3.8 and this is the only thing Google found about it, so if you don't mind what was the resolution? I didn't realyy see anything that looked like finally solved the problem and I hate to take it to a dealer without trying a few things myself first. With my van it runs ok and filling up has not seemed to help and the gas cap is on tight. My fuel gage works but my digital odometer and analog speedo do not. And a few things on the hvac system are not functioning correctly. Any Ideas about where to start? I don't believe it has 2 fuel pumps as it's a van not a hot rod Lincoln, although the kids in it have driven me to drinkin'! Thanks

 

[Jim Henderson]

I had this same problem with my LS. The fuel guage would stick and when it let go it sometimes would drop below what the computer thought was correct so it would send an error.

The dealer replaced the sending unit in the tank under my warranty. I think I read the fuel sender and pump can both be accessed by removing the back seat.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

[Spike]

Yea I was asking at another site and was told to check the sender first, although my fuel gauge seems to work ok, only the speedo and odometer don't work. I think, based on a brief look underneath yesterday and at a shop manual from the local library that It may require droping the tank as the fuel pump and sender seem to be one unit that drops in from the top, unless there's an access hole through the floor. Thanks for the update.

 

[Jim Henderson]

Yea I was asking at another site and was told to check the sender first, although my fuel gauge seems to work ok, only the speedo and odometer don't work. I think, based on a brief look underneath yesterday and at a shop manual from the local library that It may require droping the tank as the fuel pump and sender seem to be one unit that drops in from the top, unless there's an access hole through the floor. Thanks for the update.

As mentioned in my previous post, I believe I read on this website that the fuel sender and pump are accessable under the passenger seat. I think they said push the back of the seat cushion down and back and it will come out, or vice versa. Then I think the tank has an access there. Hope one of the other guys can state with experience that this is true. Kind of makes sense since I think our really deep trunk takes up the space where a normal tank might be. And when the dealer fixed mine they "pinched" a seal and I had a strong gas smell in the backseat.

If you have to drop the tank try to get as near empty as you can. It wouldn't hurt to have a buddy standing by with an extinguisher to put you out incase you have problems. Also if you have a lot ofstatic in the air, try to ground things to dissipate the charge.


Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

[Quik LS]

just to be clear....

There is only one pump in the LS - the other saddle tank has a funny looking fuel pickup and sender - so the one pump does both sides - feeding and balancing between them.

You do not have to drop the tank.

 

[Spike]

my problem is with a windstar van,

I do have to drop the tank.

 

[Quik LS]

well - the shop manuals say you do for the LS as well.

As long as you are careful - you do not - on the LS. All the connections are at the top of the pump and you can get to them in plain site

 

[Spike]

Oh ok now I understand. On my Windstar I can barely get my hand above the tank. Anyway I finally got smart and checked the fuses, duh. Found the one that protect the following is blown:

heated back light relay(coil), speed control module, abs module, cluster (whatever that is), front temp blend door actuator, brake shift interlock solenoid, power train control module, power sliding door module rh and lh, reverse sensing system, and front a/c control head.

This explains why all those things aren't working! Of course as soon as I put in a new fuse it blew too but at least I know what components to start looking at. I'm guessing that when it says fuel computer data error what that may mean is that because the speedo and odometer are not working that the computer can't calculate MPG, emies to empty etc. as it seems to run fine. I'm going to try and rig up a manually resetable circuit breaker ans see if I can isloate which component has the short and replace it. I'll let you know what I find out. I also stopped by the local advance auto to have the battery check but it was ok.

Bottom line I guess is when something stops working and definately when several things stop working, check the fueses first. Would have saved me a lot of unnecessary fiddling.

 

[Spike]

Woo Hoo got it fingered out. The leaking brake pressure switch was the culprit. I stopped by the Ford dealer last night and got a new switch. The parts guy said that Ford actually had a recall on the switch on the trucks so he got my VIN number to see if there was also one on Windstars. There wasn’t but he said it was something he’d seen on Windstars before. The new switch.(which the parts guy said was they same new one they were putting on the trucks!) and a short pig tail to go between the new switches connector and the old style connector on the wiring harness was $30 bucks. Then I stopped by the auto parts store but they didn’t have any 10 amp breakers so I just decided to try the switch first and get a breaker only if the switch didn’t fix things. Anyway replaced the switch and put in a new fuse and everything is working again. I then took it out and tested the cruise control and it’s now working again also, so that switch, even before it shorted out was what was keeping my cruise from working. That switch is also almost directly above the transmission selector switch that I replaced in the last year because it went bad and makes me wonder if the break fluid was getting into it and caused it to fail. So if you have a newer Ford that develops a slow brake fluid leak check to see if you have a brake fluid pressure switch that is leaking. I’ll try to get a picture of the old and new switches and post them later.