Don't trust your 'gas gauge'-Your gas tank bladder might be bad

correct. as it stands, you don't know if the gauge is measuring lower or higher than expected.

 

Inside the metal tank there is a smaller plastic tank and a bunch of different pipes to control the fuel vapor recovery system and fuei pump.

 

Instead of a gas gauge we have a "guess gauge". I just stop and fill up when it's convenient after the gauge hits two bars or the miles on the trip meter hits 300 miles for the current tank. Absolutely no stress that way.

 

That's not the bladder that's allowing or not allowing that The bladder is just there on top of the tank to help control fumes and outgassing of said fumes and vapors into the atmosphere The check valves and associated plumbing could be fubar and any of those valves that are closed when they should be open and so forth will cause this low filling The blinking business is possibly not related and is you're sending unit for the gas gauge they can blink for numerous reasons I'm guessing you're 12 volt and everything else is perfect so on the six and a half gallons you're going whatever the mileage you said above? Usually when this has happened to me and two of these cars I got under the car with a rubber mallet and banged on the bottom of the tank all around the bottom of the tank boom boom boom we're not trying to put huge dents in the tank or any dents in the tank or anything like that just trying to dislodge any garbage or crap that may be on the slider or whatever works the gas gauge float mechanism

 

you'll never know if you filled up too soon, or ran out too soon.

 

or it said it was empty when there were still 5 or 6 gallons left

 

That's why I fill up at two bars OR 300 miles. Fill quantities are very inconsistent with these cars.