has this happened to anyone yet? i first noticed it last night on my drive home from work. usually, i'll see it drop a notch after 20 miles, but nothing. and on the way to work this morning, it's still at three notches below the half tank mark. i know this can't be right since according to that thing i have about a third of a tank left after going nearly 200 miles (i've been getting 19 mpg).

 

Bonus...you mpg just went up...??? Sorry...never heard it happen before.

 

There was a report on CNN on how SHELL has been using a sulphur additive in their gas and it is causing gas gauges to stick. It happened in my grandfathers dodge dakota. Im not sure where he got his gas or who all Shell supplies. Where did/do you get your gas from?

 

damn damn damn, that's exactly where i get my gas ... shell.

 

Hmmm, maybe best to go fill the tank - to see how empty it REALLY is, and to avoid running out if the gauge is truly stuck?

 

Yeah that's the plan. I'm headed straight to the gas station when I get off work. I'm concerned that maybe I shouldn't use Shell though ...

 

did you recently get the Mflash? because 200 miles with nearly a third left is what i have been seeing since i got the flash. fill it up to make sure you dont run out but i bet you start seeing 230-240 for a normal range.

 

Its the only way Mazda found to increase the mileage. It was installed as part of the M flash. :D

 

haven't had the m flash yet and from what i've seen with my oil gauge i doubt i even have the l flash =/

 

The Shell thing happened 3 years ago i think, i buy all my gaz there and my gauge works fine.

 

No . . . the Shell "thing" happened about a month ago. Not all Shell gas but some out west.

 

OOOPS. I guess it was right here at home.


NEW ORLEANS -- Just before the heavy-driving Memorial Day weekend, Shell Oil Co. has stopped the sale of gasoline at more than 500 of its stations in the New Orleans area, Miami and other parts of Florida because of fuel with high levels of sulfur.

For more information, click here.

Besides getting the false notion that their vehicles have more fuel than they do, drivers who got stuck with the gas may have to replace their fuel gauges -- a small, but complicated device that can easily run from $400 to $600.

High sulfur levels were found this week at Shell's distribution center in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner, apparently after drivers began complaining about inaccurate fuel gauge readings earlier in the week.

Shell officials said problem fuel also turned up in shipments to Miami, Tampa, Sarasota and Fort Lauderdale.

The company said as of Friday, 119 Shell and Texaco stations were closed in the New Orleans area, while 400 were not selling fuel in Florida. The stations in Tampa reopened for business Friday and Shell is replacing gasoline at the remaining stations.

A spokeswoman didn't have an estimate of when all the stations would be pumping again

 

Sunoco 94:D ... my grandfather got his gas at texaco

 

FWIW - it wasn't a sulfer additive, just higher levels than are usually acceptible. Some how the off-spec made it to shipping...

 

I use premium shell always

 

That would explain why I've seen THREE different vehicles on the sides of the road filling their vehicles with gas from a 5 gallon jug. I thought the frequency of these events was kind of strange. Glad I read this thread -- I'll be avoiding Shell gasoline.

 

I guess it was just coincidence...I'm in Texas.

 

There is a class action lawsuit against Shell. To fix this problem it costs about $400 per car. Here is a link to the law firm that has the class action suit:

http://www.becnellaw.com/pages/1/index.htm

Excerpt from their website:

A Class Action Lawsuit has been filed by the law firms listed below to protect the rights of people whose cars were damaged as a result of the high sulfur content tainted gasoline sold in south Louisiana by Shell Oil Company, Motiva Enterprises, LLC, Texaco and numerous independent stations.

Published reports and experts indicate that the gasoline can corrode portions of the sender unit of the fuel gauge system requiring expensive repairs. These reports also indicate that the high sulfur content tainted gasoline can lead to premature wear to car engines.


The undersigned counsel have retained experts in automotive engineering, metallurgy, and petroleum engineering to analyze the high sulfur content gasoline and its effects on automobiles.

The attorneys listed below are pursuing consumers rights against the companies responsible for the tainted gasoline. The claims being asserted include vehicle repair costs, inconvenience, expenses caused by the tainted gasoline and repair, the price of the tainted gasoline, and for replacement gasoline, rental car costs during repair, and the possibility of permanent premature engine wear.

If you want to make a claim for damages to your vehicle, please completely fill out the form below.

 

Shell now owns Texaco.

 

Update Ivy?

I'm really curious if you had a chance to fill 'er up and see how much you had left...?

 

Kay, I filled up last night and put in 9.75 gallons with about 202 miles. So it MIGHT be ok, my mileage just going up a tad. Hopefully, that's the case, but I'll just watch it with this tank and see if it seems to get stuck around the same place.

 

Found a Shell station closed in stinkadena (Pasadena) Texas yesterday, Iwonder if it had any thing to do with sulphur problem. It was 4XXX block of Spencer Hwy. Sign said it would be reopening under new management. HMMMM!