Gas gauge acting up

[FlyerPoot]

I was in northwest Florida over Christmas and it got down in the low 30s, which my car isn't exactly used to. When I started it one morning, it said I had a quarter tank, which I knew was right. As I started down the road, I watched it go up to almost half, then a few miles down the road, it went back to a quarter tank. Well, I pulled into a parking lot, and while sitting in a spot, it went from a quarter, to a little below a quarter, all the way up to over half, and then back to just above a quarter, in the space of about 30 seconds.

I filled it up later that day, and it took about what I expected (three-quarters of a tank), and the gauge has been fine since. Was the fluctuation just something perhaps caused by the cold weather, or is it a sign that I'll have to have the gauge looked at soon? (Or am I nuts...also a possibility?)

[raroZ28]

That's how these gauges are. I'm suprised you just noticed, they're whacky. I've had mine jump from under 1/4 to almost a half tank. Weird how it stays at the F forever, but once it gets under a half tank it runs out after like 50 miles.

[lt14mla]

i tell you these floating gauges are impossible to get an accurate reading. Nothing is wrong with your car. it might have just be fuel slosh. the way teh gas tank is shaped allows fuel to slide back and forth causing the inaccurate reading. I never go around under a 1/4-1/8 of a tank. serves as a just in case