Mazda Repair: 1997 Mazda MPV, intermittent faults, fuel gauge

Question
I know MPVs are not your specialty, but I was hoping you might have an idea.  At the same time my fuel gauge stopped working my check engine light came on.  I checked the fuses and the car runs fine.

Answer
Not likely connected.  The fuel gauge is not within the operational scope which the MIL is associated with.

The fuel gauge is most likely the sending unit or a connection since they seldom fail.  Sadly the whole assembly is in the fuel tank and is not easily accessed.  An ohms test on the harness to the sending unit would net a failed unit or not.

The MIL (malfunction indicator lamp) can be reset by disconnecting the negative battery terminal and depressing the brake for 10 seconds, this drains all the reserve capacitors and resets the computer.  If the car has a MIL related fault it will come back on within two drive cycles and then the system must be read for a trouble code since this confirms one actually exists or not.  Intermittent faults can signal the MIL.