flashing/blinking gas gauge

I have a 2008 and the fuel gauge is blinking to a three count. Blink on then off, blink on then off, and stays off for the third count then repeats the whole sequence. Does anyone know what this might mean?

 

Hey friend,
The most importand info is that my fuel gauge is blinking. If I thought that other facts were pertinent I would have put them in. But what do I know.....If I knew it all, I wouldn't be here looking for answers

 

Thanks for that info Dogfriend,
That must be out of the manual...which I haven't recieved yet. I have been seaching online for info about this car. I did have my car into a dealer. They changed the airbag computer, instrument cluster computer, smartkey computer and battery. The gas gauge only started doing this after I got it back. There was a sheet left in the car about setting the Inclination sensor. I called and emailed them to see if I was supposed to do that or if it was already done...no answer yet I went ahead and set the inclination sensor as per the instructions, but no help. I will take it back to a dealership at some point, I would like to have some idea of what it might be before I go back.

 

Thanks for all your help:rockon:
I am a little gun shy from the last experience I had at the dealers. Let me tell you "The rest of the story".
The car was in a front end collison. I had the front end repaired at a cost of $4,282. Since there was codes showing, it was taken to the dealer. They did some work $3,500 and it appears to not have fixed much. I asked the dealer to email me a list of the codes that were showing and they just replied. They are as follows.

B1207 Smart ECU stop (replace ECU)
P0010 Camshaft position "A" actuator circuit (repaired wiring and replaced solenoid)
C2318 low voltage error Power supply - (replaced battery)
B1200 MPX body ECU stop (no repair)
B1271 combination meter ECU communication stop (replace combination ECU)
P3107 air bag ECU communication malfunction. (replace air bag ECU)

After they replaced these computers, they were still having problems. They asked what collision repairs were done to the vehicle. We told them that a frame rail air bag sensor was replaced and since the connector was damaged, it was replaced with one from recycled from another Toyota. When they heard that, they wanted to replace the whole wiring harness because they said the wires couldn't be spliced. That is when I heard that there was a loss of communication with an air bag module. Since the wiring harness is $5,000 plus installation, I told them I would pick up the car and decide later what I was going to do. After calling other repair shops, everyone I talk to said there is no problem splicing the connector into the air bag wiring harness. I also asked the dealer to send me a list of codes the car was showing after the computers were changed. They didn't give me codes, but did supply this explaination.

Loss of communication with air bag module. Cannot clear other codes until air bag sensor malfunction is repaired.
Cannot program inclination sensor until master warning light code is cleared. New wiring harness required.

I wonder, if there was a loss of communication with an air bag sensor, why wasn't that investigated before they changed the computer? Did the computer need to be changed?

It seems the only thing they were able to fix was the smart key. The gas guage wasn't blinking before I took it in. But it was after I got it from the dealership.

I also wonder if the battery needed to be replaced. Could this code be be caused by the car sitting and the battery getting low? The car only has 6,000 miles on it. C2318 low voltage error Power supply - (replaced battery)


I emailed them again to see if they will send me a list of codes the car was showing after the computers were replaced. I am going to take the car to another dealership when I find one that I think I can trust.

Wow! Lots of technical stuff! Boy, am I every learning lots! If anyone has any ideas if I'm barking up the right tree, please let me know.

 

You folks have been a comforting help:mod:. It is great to get some anwers.
I'm not sure what "off network" means, but the car does drive well. Everything seems to work (although I haven't had occation to try out the air bags I drove it from the dealership home (+/-200 miles) and got over 40mpg. When I drove it in town, I got over 50 mpg. The worst part of the drive was the blinking gas gauge. Any idea what would cause the gas gauge to start blinking after the computers were changed?

Is it possible for the voltage to drop from say a door being left open and set the code DTC C2318 "Low Voltage Error" and yet the battery to recover and still be OK? Are these batteries load tested the same way a normal battery is load tested?

Patrick, I have learned a lesson about buying newer model complicated salvage title cars. I have successfully bought vehicles that have been in the US and had accidents for the last 10 years or so. This is the worst mess I have had. I guess I can count myself lucky After I bought this car, and had purchased ticket to fly down and pick it up (it was supposed to be able to be driven) I found out it had more damage than I first thought. Someone had already bought it from and insurance company and replaced one fender and the grill. There was no rad support, the left headlight was held in with tape, it only looked good in pictures. Financially, the best thing to do would have been to just put it back in the auction and let the next unaware person deal with it. Something about my Momma's upbringing wouldn't let me do that. I told my wife that we now just fix and drive it til it doesn't owe us anything. We have kids that would love to have a beautiful car like this if I can just get it all figured out. Besides, it could have been worst.....it could have been a backhoe or something. Man, what would I do with that?