Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Help with fuel gauge

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 17, 2014 | 09:52 PM
  #1  
kryingame's Avatar
kryingame
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 90
From: Charlotte
Default Help with fuel gauge

I had to remove my tank in in order to run some speaker wires.

Today, I finally got a chance to ride. After about 30 miles , I noticed that the gauge was still on F. When I got home, the gauge was still on F. Looking into the tank , it seems like I have about half a tank of fuel left.

I was wondering:
1- could it be a blown 15 amp fuel fuse?
2- could it be one of the harnesses in the dash not plugged in properly?

I pulled off the fairing and checked the connection to the fuel gauge and that's not a problem.
I didn't see anything in the troubleshooting section of the service manual.

Guys please help me figure this out.

Thank you
 
Reply
Old Sep 18, 2014 | 01:00 AM
  #2  
mkguitar's Avatar
mkguitar
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
Default

pull your dash for a do-over.

year and model would help but on the 09 a 4 pin connector is used for the gauge and the fuel pump- the yel/wht wire is for the sender and the blk/grn is the sender ground. orn/gy and black are for the pump.

if the fuse is blowed, none of your other instruments will work

mike
 

Last edited by mkguitar; Sep 18, 2014 at 01:04 AM.
Reply
Old Sep 18, 2014 | 06:30 AM
  #3  
kryingame's Avatar
kryingame
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 90
From: Charlotte
Default

Originally Posted by mkguitar
pull your dash for a do-over.

year and model would help but on the 09 a 4 pin connector is used for the gauge and the fuel pump- the yel/wht wire is for the sender and the blk/grn is the sender ground. orn/gy and black are for the pump.

if the fuse is blowed, none of your other instruments will work

mike
Thanks, it's a 2012.
 
Reply
Old Sep 18, 2014 | 07:28 AM
  #4  
sanman4ever's Avatar
sanman4ever
Club Member
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,461
Likes: 329
From: Rhode Island
Riders Club Member
Default

Bad gauge?
 
Reply
Old Sep 18, 2014 | 09:00 AM
  #5  
mkguitar's Avatar
mkguitar
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
Default

Originally Posted by kryingame
Thanks, it's a 2012.
2012 uses same wiring code for fuel gauge.

I just checked.

Mike
 
Reply
Old Sep 18, 2014 | 10:42 AM
  #6  
Frank the Real Biker's Avatar
Frank the Real Biker
Road Master
10 Year Member
Top Answer: 3
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,053
Likes: 982
From: Kansas
Default

My bike is a 2005 Electra Glide. After about a year the fuel gauge became erratic and eventually just sat on "full." Or was it "empty?" Regardless, after many attempts at trouble-shooting and repairing I gave up and took the gauge out of the fairing. In its stead I re-installed the air temp gauge that I had removed years ago when I put in an oil temp gauge. I put the air temp gauge back primarily to fill the hole, but as everyone knows...without the air temp gauge a person can't tell if they are cold or hot when I'm riding. (A little sarcasm there.)

Now I watch the odometer/tripometer to determine when I need fuel.

FWIW, I used the Service Manual and many on-line articles to trouble shoot the system from the float in the tank to the gauge itself. Every single aspect of the system functions within normal parameters, but the dang needle still sat on empty/full. Obviously the bike is haunted, so why fight it?
 
Reply
Old Sep 18, 2014 | 12:41 PM
  #7  
Joe12RK's Avatar
Joe12RK
Seasoned HDF Member
10 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 2,568
From: CT/FL
Default

Electrical problems are usually caused by bad grounds; maybe the harness ground wire is damaged? Or maybe clean the connector and add dielectric grease?
 
Reply
Old Sep 18, 2014 | 12:42 PM
  #8  
kryingame's Avatar
kryingame
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 90
From: Charlotte
Default

Originally Posted by Frank the Real Biker
My bike is a 2005 Electra Glide. After about a year the fuel gauge became erratic and eventually just sat on "full." Or was it "empty?" Regardless, after many attempts at trouble-shooting and repairing I gave up and took the gauge out of the fairing. In its stead I re-installed the air temp gauge that I had removed years ago when I put in an oil temp gauge. I put the air temp gauge back primarily to fill the hole, but as everyone knows...without the air temp gauge a person can't tell if they are cold or hot when I'm riding. (A little sarcasm there.)

Now I watch the odometer/tripometer to determine when I need fuel.

FWIW, I used the Service Manual and many on-line articles to trouble shoot the system from the float in the tank to the gauge itself. Every single aspect of the system functions within normal parameters, but the dang needle still sat on empty/full. Obviously the bike is haunted, so why fight it?
Thanks but I don't want to take the chance and guess when I'm low on fuel. I ride through the mountains a lot and gas stations are spread out. It was working fine before I removed the tank, my guess is a harness in not plugged in tight. Worse case, I'll stop by the local dealership. I bought the extended service plan and never used it. So, If I can't fix it, I'll have the service dept fix it.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-5

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
Old Sep 18, 2014 | 03:19 PM
  #9  
TUCCI's Avatar
TUCCI
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 10,216
Likes: 224
From: Glendale AZ
Default

If I went by my gauge to determine where my fuel was I'd be filling up 2x more often than I do. Once I've got good documentation of my MPG, I use the trip mileage. When I used to go by my gauge I would fill at approx 140-150 mi point, now I just do the math and go till I'm at 180-190 mi and at times even 200 mi. I always have approx 1 gallon left in the tank.
 
Reply
Old Sep 18, 2014 | 03:35 PM
  #10  
roadking2014's Avatar
roadking2014
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,468
Likes: 4
From: South Carolina
Default

only being on the harley davidson for about 30 years now, the fuel gage is still in its infancy with lots of room for development and improvement.
when they work, its better than the time to switch to reserve hickup.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:39 AM.

story-0
6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

Slideshow: From military-inspired singles to scooters and three-wheel utility vehicles, these Harleys took the company far outside its comfort zone.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-02 18:34:10


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-2
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-6
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-7
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-8
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE