Gas pump clicks off a gallon early

[mclasser]

Sometimes when I'm filling up my Pilot, the pump clicks off about a gallon early since the fuel gauge reads slightly below full. I make sure to fully insert the nozzle into the filler neck. It happens at different stations, both when I lock the trigger in place and manually press it.

Don't think it's an EVAP canister issue since the pump doesn't constantly click off when I'm pumping, just a little early. Oh, and I never top off.

What do you guys think? Not really a "problem" per se, just annoying since it throws off the MPG calculations I do by hand. I don't find out it's underfilled until starting the car and by that time, I don't want to re-open the gas cap, swipe my card again and put in a little more gas.

 

[Nick1994]

Maybe the gas gauge is wrong?

 

[mclasser]

It's right because I end up getting less miles on one tank. The next time I fill up, the issue doesn't happen, I get an actual full tank and get to drive more miles.

 

[spasm3]

After it clicks off, shake the car back and forth to burp the air bubble at the top of the tank. Then add the gallon.

I try to park at a pump so the filler side is higher.

 

[Robenstein]

Mine overfills...yours underfills.


Don't worry, be happy.

 

[Eddie]

When the pump clicks off, restart pumping at a slower rate until it clicks off. Often times if I fill using a hi flow, the automatic lever clicks off quick because of splashing or pressure build up. Ed

 

[mclasser]

Interesting; never thought about high vs low flow pumps. You'd think a 2013 car's fuel system would be optimized for high flow. My older cars don't fill up just fine.

 

[OneEyeJack]

A different gas station?

The local Costco pumps faster and with one of my cars it shuts off a couple of times while filling.

 

[Rand]

Epa siphon fume pumps FTL!

 

[Pop_Rivit]

It happens with some vehicle/pump flow combinations. Rather than run the pump wide open, put it on the one of the middle notches and let it fill.

 

[jacky]

try pulling the nozzle out an inch or so, then resume fueling

 

[gabriel9766]

My malibu did this when it was brand new. Took it in at 3k and told them it wouldn't fill all the way up and they replaced i think the fuel lever sensor. It should be covered under the 3yr 36k b2b warranty if you still fall under it

 

[Whimsey]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
It happens with some vehicle/pump flow combinations. Rather than run the pump wide open, put it on the one of the middle notches and let it fill.


From new, my 1996 Contour needed to be filled at a slower pace otherwise it would click off. Older style pumps seemed worse than newer pumps. I just always fill it slower and don't have a problem then.

Whimsey

 

[DBMaster]

I seem to have had poor luck with my last two cars related to the fuel filler neck angle. I can use the third notch on the pump handle until it gets close to full and then scale back to the second notch and listen to the filling sound to make sure the shut off happens before gas splashes out. Even with that I still grab a couple pf paper towels and jam them inside the filler door to catch the small amount of fuel that inevitably splashes out (to keep it off the paint). I must not be alone with this issue because I see plenty of cars with messed up paint in a dribble pattern below the filler door.

 

[mclasser]

Update: I've filled up 3 times using the tip about setting the pump to fill slower and it's worked like a charm. Needle at the full mark each time.

Good stuff. Thanks a lot, fellas!

 

[DriveHard]

Originally Posted By: mclasser
Update: I've filled up 3 times using the tip about setting the pump to fill slower and it's worked like a charm. Needle at the full mark each time.

Good stuff. Thanks a lot, fellas!


Another interesting point...a study was done on gas pumps a few years back. They are more accurate at metering the amount of gas you get at high flow rates. At low flow rates they are more likely to measure low, meaning they give you slightly more gas than you are paying for.

 

[ecotourist]

Had something similar happen on the last fill of a Nissan Sentra rental car. It clicked off at maybe 3/4 full. I caught it as soon as I started the car and so was able to finish the fill up.

Considering how much they charge in Canada to fill a rental, that could have been very expensive. So I now check the gauge on that last fill before I leave the pumps. If it's somewhere around full, that's close enough.

 

[surfstar]

Most fuel pumps are required to pump at 6-10 gpm.
I never had issues with 90's cars, but my 2005 Saturn Vue and my 2016 Golf required slowing to the slower speed setting for the last couple of gallons to get a better fill up. More consistent and "fuller". Really seems car dependent. Once you figure out what your car "needs", then you'll know. For my Golf I do one "top off" which is always 0.3g and that seems to be correct with my miles driven / mpg calcs and fuel tank size.

 

[y_p_w]

It really depends. If it's a rental car and I'm just trying to get the fuel gauge to get to the top, I'll insert it in fully. If it's my car and I actually want it as full as possible without overfilling, I'll insert it a little less than all the way in. The other thing I do is put my hand on the handle since I've had it stop and eject before, where the nozzle scratched my car.

I've heard some people insert the nozzle upside down, even though every pump seems to have instructions that it could keep it from stopping (since the sensor isn't designed to work that way) and spray fuel.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: surfstar
Most fuel pumps are required to pump at 6-10 gpm.
I never had issues with 90's cars, but my 2005 Saturn Vue and my 2016 Golf required slowing to the slower speed setting for the last couple of gallons to get a better fill up. More consistent and "fuller". Really seems car dependent. Once you figure out what your car "needs", then you'll know. For my Golf I do one "top off" which is always 0.3g and that seems to be correct with my miles driven / mpg calcs and fuel tank size.

Every been to a gas station where the water filters needed to be replaced? It's taken 4 minutes to pump 12 gallons.