Fuel level signal while off roading

[Lardener]

I don't normally go off road. The best I usually manage is dirt roads. However, last week I went on some forest service roads that had some interesting ruts and holes to navigate. After getting back to camp I had the check engine light come on and I panicked because I thought I must have broken something on that little excursion. The manual wasn't any help. However when we got back into cell service I got a message on the app: "The powertrain control module has detected that the fuel level signal has repeatedly moved in and out of the normal operating range". Given how much we were bouncing around it makes all the sense in the world for that to happen. It took a long time to clear by itself even though I was driving on flat paved roads. It wasn't until the next day after driving about an hour for 30-40 miles with the light on.
My question is for those that drive off road frequently, is that a common occurrence or was I in a particularly bad area? Other than the app telling me was there another way I can tell what the error was and clear it myself? If I didn't have a trailer to tow back the next day I might have driven back to the dealer for something that was a non-issue.

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[Wang.S]

Pics of this off road excursion please

 

[AzScorpion]

I've been on some steep and very rough/bumpy terrain and I've never had that happen.

 

[Lardener]

I've been on some steep and very rough/bumpy terrain and I've never had that happen.

That looks much worse than what I was on (FR062 in Strawberry Valley south of Duck Creek Village, UT). No pictures, but I'm glad to see another cyber orange truck. Mine is not any kind of off road model though. Maybe I should take it to the dealer for a checkup after all.

 

[AzScorpion]

That looks much worse than what I was on (FR062 in Strawberry Valley south of Duck Creek Village, UT). No pictures, but I'm glad to see another cyber orange truck. Mine is not any kind of off road model though. Maybe I should take it to the dealer for a checkup after all.

I'd have them look at it just for peace of mind. That was my '19 Ranger which I had off road often and have never had any messages. I now have a '23 Tremor which I've only had on a few FSR up in South Dakota with no messages either.

 

[Wang.S]

by chance, have you had your truck undercoated?

 

[TremorPNW]

I don't normally go off road. The best I usually manage is dirt roads. However, last week I went on some forest service roads that had some interesting ruts and holes to navigate. After getting back to camp I had the check engine light come on and I panicked because I thought I must have broken something on that little excursion. The manual wasn't any help. However when we got back into cell service I got a message on the app: "The powertrain control module has detected that the fuel level signal has repeatedly moved in and out of the normal operating range". Given how much we were bouncing around it makes all the sense in the world for that to happen. It took a long time to clear by itself even though I was driving on flat paved roads. It wasn't until the next day after driving about an hour for 30-40 miles with the light on.
My question is for those that drive off road frequently, is that a common occurrence or was I in a particularly bad area? Other than the app telling me was there another way I can tell what the error was and clear it myself? If I didn't have a trailer to tow back the next day I might have driven back to the dealer for something that was a non-issue.

My Tremor does that when I fill it up with gas. It turns off about 3/4 of a tank. The dealer says u need to bring it in with less than half a tank so they can drop the tank and install a new part. It's been that way for over a year. I just don't fill it up.

 

[UnregistredHypercam2]

This is not normal for off roading. I wheel my Ranger very often on steep trails with lots of bumps, off camber, etc. and have never gotten this warning. Definitely get it checked out.

 

[9zero1790]

id get it checked out. ive never had that come up on mine. mines seen a lot of bounces bumps and ruts no wrench light.
i did have a small accident where i spun out of control and up and over a median into a sign post. warning lights i never knew existed lit up after that. I think when the trucks computer gets a good zap of info it finds unusual it sorta flips out for a minute and then catches up after turning the truck off for a minute.

 

[Dahveed]

I’ve my fuel level sender in my 2020 be odd every now and then. One time I was sitting in a parking lot waiting on my wife and all of the sudden I watch the fuel gauge slowly fall from 3/4 tank to empty. Warnings came on at 50 miles to empty. Turned off the ignition, panicked, got out of the truck to make sure it wasn’t pissing fuel somehow. It was fine. Got back in and it went right back to 3/4 tank.

A couple of times since then I’ve had Forscan show a “fuel level A circuit fault”. But it’s so few and far between I’ve never bothered getting it checked out. It was only real weird that one time.

 

[Frenchy]

So I myself have done a bunch of OffRoad on more than just a basic dirt road(BTW Forest roads is a horrible description because they can vary from extremely mild to extremely difficult). With all that time I had the Ranger OffRoad I never had a check engine light come on for that. What would possibly cause the issue you ask? Junk in the tank(get some Barrymans B12 and put it in the tank) or possibly wiring harness issue.

 

[lazynorse]

I don't normally go off road. The best I usually manage is dirt roads. However, last week I went on some forest service roads that had some interesting ruts and holes to navigate. After getting back to camp I had the check engine light come on and I panicked because I thought I must have broken something on that little excursion. The manual wasn't any help. However when we got back into cell service I got a message on the app: "The powertrain control module has detected that the fuel level signal has repeatedly moved in and out of the normal operating range". Given how much we were bouncing around it makes all the sense in the world for that to happen. It took a long time to clear by itself even though I was driving on flat paved roads. It wasn't until the next day after driving about an hour for 30-40 miles with the light on.
My question is for those that drive off road frequently, is that a common occurrence or was I in a particularly bad area? Other than the app telling me was there another way I can tell what the error was and clear it myself? If I didn't have a trailer to tow back the next day I might have driven back to the dealer for something that was a non-issue.

Just happened to me, engine light and Ford Pass message identical to yours. This was just driving around paved roads. Engine light hasn’t turned off yet, only drove 10 miles.

Did your engine light turn off eventually? Dealer look into it? Any updates?

 

[Utope]

Sounds like a loose/broken wire or connector where bumps cause a loss of signal

 

[Lardener]

I don't think it had anything to do with the trail. Last week I had the light come on and get the same message while I was driving a basically flat road in town. I'm going to take it to the dealer to have them look at it but they say they're backed up for weeks, and they haven't exactly been proactive in the past.

 

[Squatchranger]

I don't normally go off road. The best I usually manage is dirt roads. However, last week I went on some forest service roads that had some interesting ruts and holes to navigate. After getting back to camp I had the check engine light come on and I panicked because I thought I must have broken something on that little excursion. The manual wasn't any help. However when we got back into cell service I got a message on the app: "The powertrain control module has detected that the fuel level signal has repeatedly moved in and out of the normal operating range". Given how much we were bouncing around it makes all the sense in the world for that to happen. It took a long time to clear by itself even though I was driving on flat paved roads. It wasn't until the next day after driving about an hour for 30-40 miles with the light on.
My question is for those that drive off road frequently, is that a common occurrence or was I in a particularly bad area? Other than the app telling me was there another way I can tell what the error was and clear it myself? If I didn't have a trailer to tow back the next day I might have driven back to the dealer for something that was a non-issue.

I have done a lot of crazy stuff with my truck including some high speed driving on some very bouncy trails where my passenger and I were literally hitting our heads on the headliner we bounced so high (I am 6'3" so not a ton of room to go up but shes like 5'4" so she had a long way to go and she even hit) and while we won't get into the two reasons I was sending it on said trail (if you know you know) I have never seen that warning in all of the many times I've gone offroad, I would get it looked at cause that isn't right

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