gauge showing 1/4 tank and then the engine shut off?

Yep, you nailed it, the stepper motor inside the fuel gauge is going bad. I have seen kits on Amazon to help you replace the motor but if you don't want to do that, I would find an instrument cluster rebuilder by searching google or eBay.

https://amzn.to/3N4fX6l

or

https://amzn.to/3XXaJ2t

Here is a kit for $30.00 and how to remove the cluster for repairs. Check out the images (below). Please let us know what happens.

Will those work with Toyota?

And is a stepper motor in it, like pic, is that what's going bad? I see them on eBay, not sure that's what is on mine.

Yep, they probably used both at different times, you might need to open it up to see which one it is, they don't say for sure.

So, I should be able to see inside dash and just order one like that .it says it's for Tacoma ? ..or do I need a full kit? That part was 20$ but I wasn't sure if I'd need to redo more.

You just need the one, it is one per gauge. You will need to remove the cluster and disassemble it to see which stepper motor you need.

Okay, is it inside cluster? I see videos of removing cluster an don't see it on the outside of the ones pulled ..is there a step by step OEM guide on opening up cluster an changing it?
Can't find much online on it.

They won't have a step by step, this is considered electronics repair, this is all they give us. You can get a rebuilt cluster by searching Google or Ebay.

Okay, but your 100% sure mine has that part on it? I'll pull out the dash soon.

Yes, there is no way to know unless you look at the stepper motor itself.

Got it out. How does this get removed..side clips?

I opened it up more but it looks like it's soldered on..could readjusting the needle setting help with it staying where it should ,as it gets low .instead of sticking on 1/4 tank .here's what it's reading now..I can move the gauge to be where I want when I put it back on the board also..I set it to off or lowest area as u turn it - at empty .....I guess I will need to let it run till low before I know...Once that part does this is it a always broken issue or can that fee it up ?

It can free up but you will need to try it and see. Also, the stepper motor can be soldered in which would be typical. Let me know.

I filled up today and before I put the 14 gallons in it was over halfway mark at 11 or so gallons. B so it obviously still is stuck Higher.

I think I have a 21 gallon tank? Before filling up-14 gallons- I had only 7 gallons in and it was a bit over mid-way too high like it's still 1/4 of a tank over what I really have..

That means likely it's still too high 1/4 of tank. Question-..If after I've driven about 1/3 to half the tank- I pull off the cluster again an move the gauge just over 1/4 of a turn down,will that keep it at the correct reading as far as that arrow on gauge?

Motor last shut off just over a quarter of a tan.
Thanks

Pic is after putting dash BK in with 7 gallons.(Too highup).Doesn't seem like it's moving down after driving much either ..but it did move to full after I added fuel.

Can I ask if the new fuel pump you installed was an OEM manufacturer? Here are the wiring diagrams for the fuel gauge which is straight into the cluster. So, the wiring could be subject, the sender or the gauge is all to the system.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Check out the images (below). Let us know what you find.

The old OEM pump did the exact same thing. engine shut off at a quarter tank. I'll check wiring .
I want to know, since after 118 miles (should be showing at a tad under 3/4 tank) it just now finally started to move a hair below F. can I pull the clear cover an everything off ,plugging it all back in again..key forward .an physically remove the needle, as I've done before when apart, and push it back in at that mark just below 3/4 of a tank or 14.4 gallons mark?

I pulled needles off the cluster to see inside before to it won't be hard to do .I just am not sure if stepper motor will remain at that reading ..but I'll try it an see if it goes BK up to full after pulling gauge needle totally off an putting on at correct mark as key is at on position.

Yep! I did that repositioned needle to actual reading an after 2 runs and shut off then restart each time it stayed where it should even in off it was at empty mark as it should.

Then after next off an restart it moved way down to just over 1/4 of a tank ( when I got 3/4..)
I re-moved it to 3/4 an it stayed there for a run and restart or 2. and there now still, but I'm not confident on it. What is causing it to move on over from the newly set 3/4 to down to 1/4 now?
Notice how far off it moved to on its own even when off gauge is way past E.

It must be a microprocessor or circuit board is having an issue inside the cluster, I would search ebay for a used cluster.

Is there any interchange dash from other Toyotas that work? I don't care if milage differs .
An would a cluster or computer reset help?

All we can do is try it, the cluster must be from a Toyota Tacoma, same year.

Yep, I tried that cluster reset thing with the key an milage button didn't do anything. I even moved guage back to what I had in the tank. drove twice no change. then on 3rd it went back down again. it went back to a bit over 1/4 and way way past the E.

This odd but I played around with the needle as driving it an even pulled it off an repositioned it to go as close to what I have in tank .an yesterday an today with over 7 or 8 start runs it is staying where it should. Not sure how that fixed it or if it did permanent, but that is odd. any idea what I may have done? I'm still seeing it differ in the gauge on different drive cycles but only a tiny bit more or less than recent start an run..

There is only the wiring, cluster and the sender in the circuit. Please go over the wiring diagrams again to see how it works, if you did the cluster then the sender or wiring must be the problem.

Sender of wiring? Is that the one inside tank?

Yes, the sender is inside the fuel tank.