Gas gauge needle stuck under little pin. need to know how to take clear panel off to grt needle back where it belongs.

The majority of cases with a faulty gas gauge reading is caused by a bad sending unit in the gas tank. But I see what looks like a black stopper pin that the needle rests on? How could the needle get on the wrong side of that pin? So I won't tell you to drop the tank and replace the sending unit, until you know for sure it is a bad gauge or a bad sending unit. Is that a little rubber pin that the needle slipped over? All I could say is rap on the face of the dash a little, rap pretty solid on the bottom of the gas tank, unplug the connector at the tank and plug it back in-maybe you will jar something loose and get the gauge back. If no help, I woulde have it diagnosed at a garage.

previous owner had drilled a 1/16 size hole on the clear plastic directly in front and align with the gas needle at the area where the needle located ( usually below the empty post). use a paper clip the size of the drilled hole, bend one end slightly so it will catch the needle and drag it over the post. i did this couple times already. Do not overfill your gas tank (top-off), which will cause this needle to bounce off and go under neath the empty post. i hope this will help

The instrument cluster is a sealed unit, do not recommend taking it apart for that. What I would do is drill a small 1/16" hole near where the stop pin is through the plastic outer cover and use a paper clip or sewing needle to move the fuel guage needle back to the other side of the stop pin. Reseal with a drop of super glue to keep dust out of cluster.

Try giving the gauge pod a solid hit with your hand. This may jolt the needle back.

Otherwise,

• remove the gauge pod.
• remove the front clear panel from the pod.
• move the needle back the zero position.
• reassemble.

See if the speedometer now works.


SD

Use a strong magnet and drag the needle back around to where it belongs.

Adam, I like your solution, but this is easier:
1. Get a strong magnet
2. Use the magnet to move the needle into the top half of gage (don't take anything apart)
3. Test it by turning the car on.

If it was the sending unit, it is accessible through the trunk floor. A problem I have with my Park Ave gas gauge is when I get a dead battery and try to start the car, the needles will twitch and it sends my gas gauge needle to the far right side. This causes it to rotate/fall under the proper gauge are and come up under the rest pin on the left side. When that happens, I have to pull my whole instrument cluster and rotate it around so the needle goes back up to the top.
Check where you needle is the next time you turn the key to run. If its under the little rest pin at the empty position of the gas gauge, then this should be the fix.

I had the same problem. I carefully removed the dash panel around the dash board (it just snaps out), undid the dash board mounting screws, took out the dash board assembly, disconnected it, removed the plastic lens, and gently turned back the needle. To make sure it didn't happen again I drilled a tiny hole opposite the little post already there (next to the full side) and screwed a tiny screw into it. I then put it all back together and it has worked ever since. While I had it a part I also put a tiny screw on the temperature gauge side so it wouldn't have the same problem. Good luck.

The easiest way is to drill a small hole in the cluster use a small metal wire to pull it up and over the pin. Or remove the two screws on the trim around the cluster the part that hangs over the cluster pull it of carefully. There are a few 8 or so screws that hold in the cluster and some real small screw that hold the glass on the cluster. Take those screw out and remove glass. flip needle. Use this time to clean the area reinstall all. Note the trim around the cluster is held in by push in clips and screws.

We use a magnet wrapped in a soft cloth [so as not to scratch the dash] to turn the needle completely around again. No special tool needed