2005 Freestar SEL 4.2L - OBD DTC P0463

[klancf51]

Two days after filling up with Sunoco 87, the fuel gauge suddenly went from "Full" to "Empty" and the cluster low fuel indicator came on. Simultaneously the CEL came on. The dealer pulled DTC P0463: Fuel Level Sensor Circuit High Input.

The dealer gave me a copy of Ford "Special Service Message" SSM 19098:

MULTIPLE VEHICLES - SULFUR BUILD-UP ON FUEL LEVEL SENSOR - ADD "CHEVRON TECHRON PLUS FUEL SYSTEM CLEANER" TO FUEL AND FILL WITH FRESH FUEL GASOLINE OR DIESEL. VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT ERRATIC FUEL GAUGE READINGS, ILLUMINATED MIL AND DTC P0463, P2068 AND/OR B1202, B2627 MAY BE PRESENT. THIS CONDITION MAY OCCUR DUE TO SULFUR CONTAMINATION FOUND IN SOME LOCAL FUELS WHICH MAY CAUSE TEMPORARY CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL SENDER CARD. BEFORE REPLACING ANY COMPONENT, CLEAR DTC'S, DRAIN FUEL TANK (IF FACILITIES PERMIT), ADD TECHRON CONCENTRATE PLUS FUEL SYSTEM CLEANER AND ADVISE CUSTOMER TO USE AN ALTERNATE BRAND OF FUEL. THE CONDITION SHOULD CORRECT ITSELF IN A FEW MILES. ADVISE CUSTOMERS TO UTILIZE THE TRIP ODOMETER TO MONITOR FUEL CONSUMPTION. REPLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS OR PCM REPROGRAMMING MAY NOT FIX THE CONCERN. IF CONDITION PERSISTS PERFORM NORMAL DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. OBTAIN THE NEW TECHRON PLUS FUEL ADDITIVE FROM YOUR LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE CHEMICAL SUPPLY SOURCE OR AUTO PARTS STORE. EFFECTIVE DATE: 02/22/06

The bill was $70 for the diagnosis. I bought and poured the Techron - I'll try to follow-up with the result. BTW, no more Sunoco. Hope this helps.