A Jeep owner sparked discussion over the brand’s dependability after complaining of fuel gauge accuracy on TikTok. The driver, who goes by Stargo on the popular social media application, uploaded a video delineating his issue.

The clip begins with him recording the exterior of his car, where he focuses his camera’s lens on the open fuel cover. He then guides his finger to the fueling entry point on what looks like an indented piece of metal that folds inward.

“My Jeep won’t let me fill the tank. Says it’s full but the gauge shows half,” a voice can be heard narrating as the TikToker (@stargosworld) presses down on her car’s fuel cover. While pressing down on the component, the TikToker reveals that his car is indeed topped off.

However, upon transitioning to an image of her dashboard, the fuel gauge indicates it’s less than half full. Which indicates there’s a problem with his vehicle’s ability to accurately represent how much gasoline is actually in the car.

Commenters Sound Off

Numerous folks who replied to his video were rife with Jeep slander. One person bluntly wrote: “first problem. It’s a Jeep.”

While another echoed the aforementioned sentiment. “It’s a jeep there’s a lot worse problems you’ll run into,” they remarked.

Several other folks pointed out that the tire on Stargo’s car looked bald and in need of replacement. But there were some who surmised as to what his issue was. “Get new tires, those are baaaad 2. gas gauge is broken, don’t overfill your tank like that.”

Some people argued that his fuel sensor/gauge may’ve been damaged due to overfilling his tank. “Once you hear a click after pumping gas stop, any more pumps and clicks after that will do damage,” another penned.

Another thought that the issue could be a malfunctioning “fuel sending unit.” Indeed, there are other Jeep owners who’ve opined about improperly working gas gauges online, too. One person on this Wrangler TJ forum discussion provides some insight on Stargo’s woes.

They wrote that if a fuel gauge is only intermittently giving correct readings, “the fuel level sending unit … [is] going bad in the tank.” Redditors in this post also shared their own Wrangler fuel gauge issues regarding incorrect level evaluations.

Jeep Fuel Level Sending Unit the Culprit?

And then there was another Wrangler owner who posted on Wrangler Forum about having an identical problem to Stargo’s. They said that despite having a “full tank of gas” that their “fuel gauge still reads low fuel.” Someone else referenced another Wrangler owner in the same forum who experienced the same problem.

Upon consulting with a dealership service center, the driver was told that their fuel level sending unit was out of whack. A diagnostic reading of their car’s systems read that the “fuel level sending unit [was] out of calibration.” The fix? An entirely new fuel pump module.

Furthermore, the Wrangler Forum participant indicated there was a “temporary fix” for the problem. They stated in some instances, temporarily disconnecting and reconnecting the battery terminals could give accurate readings. Although they wrote this isn’t a permanent solution to what is more than likely a more glaring issue. “This may only resolve the issue temporarily. If the problem persist, replacing the fuel pump module is likely necessary.”

Jeep’s Nagging Fuel Pump Issues

MotorSafety.org highlighted in November of 2022 that Stellantis issued a recall for 60,413 vehicles. The reason: “premature failure of the high-pressure fuel pump.” Complaints were directed at 2021-2022 Jeep Gladiator, and 2020-2022 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. 2020-2022 RAM 1500 trucks were also named in the recall.

But these weren’t the only fuel pump related recalls geared at Jeep vehicles. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles published an April 2019 report delineating a Safety Recall for Fuel Pump Modeuls on the 2017-2018 Jeep Renegade. Specifically, for models “equipped with a 2.4l engine” according to the automaker.

The 2021-2023 Gladiators with 3.0L EcoDiesel engines also received a high pressure fuel pump recall. Affected vehicles were purportedly at risk of stalling out in the middle of driving. Subsequently, Stellantis issued a recall that pertained to some 175,000 vehicles in April of 2023.

More recently, 32,863 Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators were recalled for instrument panels that would suddenly blank out. Torque News wrote in 2024 that models manufactured between 2018-2024 were part of this recall.

Jeep: Distrusted Brand?

Commenters who replied to Stargo’s video may be a microcosm of a negative brand recognition that has fomented around Jeep over time. Once labeled a “cash cow” by Detroit Free Press, the outlet reported Jeep’s earnings have drastically precipitated.

It’s a problem the publication says was unavoidable had the company read the writings on the wall and focused on customer satisfaction. Which certainly seems to be the case, when one considers that in 2025, Jeep became the number one least-trusted brand among auto dealers. A year prior, Ford held that dubious honor, which Kerrigan Advisors writes now belongs to Jeep.

A series of publicized NHTSA recalls may have dimmed brand perception regarding dependability and quality. It certainly doesn’t help when social media posts like Stargo’s show how basic car functionality, like accurate fuel gauge readings, go haywire.

Then again, it could be that he was overfilling his tank, as some commenters pointed out. After all, car owners from other brands, like this Hyundai driver, report having this issue. A JustAnswer poster wrote that their vehicle from the Korean automaker got stuck on empty after an overfill.

MotorBiscuit has reached out to Stargo via TikTok comment for further information.