Slickdeals is community-supported.  We may get paid by brands or deals, including promoted items.
Forum Thread

Can't fill up car tank with gas, what's wrong?

5,063 702 December 21, 2008 at 04:42 PM
Recently I can't fill up gas into my car. Every few seconds during the gas filling, I hear the click, even when the tank is empty.Frown

The car is 7-year-old and made by Toyota.

Anyone here can provide some advice?
Add a Comment Sorry, this thread is closed.
About the OP
Joined Nov 2003 L9: Master
702 Reputation Points
17 Deals Posted
372 Votes Submitted
5,063 Comments Posted

Your comment cannot be blank.

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Dec 2005
L2: Beginner
> bubble2 54 Posts
32 Reputation
freshprincess
12-21-2008 at 04:57 PM.
12-21-2008 at 04:57 PM.
Quote from bestdeal :
Recently I can't fill up gas into my car. Every few seconds during the gas filling, I hear the click, even when the tank is empty.Frown

The car is 7-year-old and made by Toyota.

Anyone here can provide some advice?
I'm no car expert, but maybe it was just a bad gas pump nozzle. Did you ever get stuck with a really slooowwww one.......? EEK! not fun!
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Nov 2008
L3: Novice
> bubble2 103 Posts
16 Reputation
OldRasputin
12-21-2008 at 05:05 PM.
12-21-2008 at 05:05 PM.
gas at the gas station was low?
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jul 2006
CDI gave me free netflix!
> bubble2 51,125 Posts
11,206 Reputation
dzap
12-21-2008 at 05:08 PM.
12-21-2008 at 05:08 PM.
Yeah I agree..have you tried a different gas station?
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Feb 2004
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 6,985 Posts
992 Reputation
mmathis
12-21-2008 at 05:58 PM.
12-21-2008 at 05:58 PM.
Most gas pumps have a safety thing to prevent / reduce vapors from spewing out while tanking up. Some pumps are really picky about how you insert the pump into your gas tank (on some you need to push down). My bet is that you just didn't have a good "seal" and this safety feature kicked in and shut the pump off.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Nov 2003
L9: Master
> bubble2 5,063 Posts
702 Reputation
Original Poster
bestdeal
12-21-2008 at 07:42 PM.
12-21-2008 at 07:42 PM.
I always fill gas in one Shell gas station near my home.

I will try another one next time.

I tried to have it checked by Toyota dealer last week, but they asked for $75 just for the inspect.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jun 2006
L4: Apprentice
> bubble2 471 Posts
177 Reputation
GirlRacer
12-21-2008 at 07:56 PM.
12-21-2008 at 07:56 PM.
I hope it is as simple as the gas pump.

I had a similar situation a last summer - everyone thought I was crazy when I said the pump kept clicking off even though my tank was empty. I tried several different pumps with the same result. I was able to fill it a few drops at a time (since it kept clicking off) - just enough to not run out of gas.

Took my car to Mazda and they couldnt find anything wrong, but it still wasnt fixed. Took it back to Mazda - they had to pull the gas tank - come to find out mud daubers had built a nest in the neck of the gas tank which was preventing it from venting properly and causing the gas pumps to think it was already full - they replaced it and all was fine. Technician said he had never seen anything like that. Thank goodness I was still under warranty - it didnt cost anything to get it fixed.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jul 2006
CDI gave me free netflix!
> bubble2 51,125 Posts
11,206 Reputation
dzap
12-21-2008 at 08:50 PM.
12-21-2008 at 08:50 PM.
Quote from GirlRacer :
I hope it is as simple as the gas pump.

I had a similar situation a last summer - everyone thought I was crazy when I said the pump kept clicking off even though my tank was empty. I tried several different pumps with the same result. I was able to fill it a few drops at a time (since it kept clicking off) - just enough to not run out of gas.

Took my car to Mazda and they couldnt find anything wrong, but it still wasnt fixed. Took it back to Mazda - they had to pull the gas tank - come to find out mud daubers had built a nest in the neck of the gas tank which was preventing it from venting properly and causing the gas pumps to think it was already full - they replaced it and all was fine. Technician said he had never seen anything like that. Thank goodness I was still under warranty - it didnt cost anything to get it fixed.
ugh..had to google it...you could have just said wasps vomit

...they kind of creep me out..you know...with their ability to..instantly kill..hoping that is not your issue OP..I would be freaked out if there was a nest of wasps in my car..
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Nov 2004
L9: Master
> bubble2 5,314 Posts
470 Reputation
rebat
12-21-2008 at 10:10 PM.
12-21-2008 at 10:10 PM.
Make sure you are putting the nozzle in correctly making the seal over the hole.

I had this happen at some gas stations, but I know how much gas fills my tank so I just held down the pump until I got to however many gallons.

Also Dealers are never a slick deal.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Aug 2007
Permanently Banned
> bubble2 13,929 Posts
3,398 Reputation
greenmeansgoooo
12-21-2008 at 11:06 PM.
12-21-2008 at 11:06 PM.
I've found out that if you only put the nozzle half way in when the tank is near empty that it won't click off as much.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Last edited by greenmeansgoooo December 21, 2008 at 11:08 PM.
Joined Oct 2003
Huge Member
> bubble2 4,278 Posts
374 Reputation
Calvy
12-21-2008 at 11:37 PM.
12-21-2008 at 11:37 PM.
Quote from dzap :
ugh..had to google it...you could have just said wasps vomit

...they kind of creep me out..you know...with their ability to..instantly kill..hoping that is not your issue OP..I would be freaked out if there was a nest of wasps in my car..
To be fair, I knew exactly what GirlRacer meant.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jul 2006
CDI gave me free netflix!
> bubble2 51,125 Posts
11,206 Reputation
dzap
12-22-2008 at 12:15 AM.
12-22-2008 at 12:15 AM.
Quote from Calvy :
To be fair, I knew exactly what GirlRacer meant.
laugh out loud Yeah I knowand I'm sure other people did too..I'm just over-generalizing..I don't see too many wasps in my area so I don't know all of their classifications Smilie
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jun 2008
L4: Apprentice
> bubble2 403 Posts
190 Reputation
shadowwar
12-22-2008 at 07:39 AM.
12-22-2008 at 07:39 AM.
This sounds like a venting issue in the tank. With the vapor recovery systems now in gas pumps they provide a tight seal . If the car tank doesnt vent properly it will provided to much back pressure and trip the fill sensor in the nozzle. I would look for a collapsed rubber hose on the fill neck (between the tank and the fill opening under the car.It could also be a purge vent valve on the tank.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Nov 2003
L9: Master
> bubble2 5,063 Posts
702 Reputation
Original Poster
bestdeal
12-22-2008 at 07:39 AM.
12-22-2008 at 07:39 AM.
I tried fill my tank in Exxon this morning, same issue.

Looks like the problem is in my tank.

Quote from GirlRacer :
I hope it is as simple as the gas pump.

I had a similar situation a last summer - everyone thought I was crazy when I said the pump kept clicking off even though my tank was empty. I tried several different pumps with the same result. I was able to fill it a few drops at a time (since it kept clicking off) - just enough to not run out of gas.

Took my car to Mazda and they couldnt find anything wrong, but it still wasnt fixed. Took it back to Mazda - they had to pull the gas tank - come to find out mud daubers had built a nest in the neck of the gas tank which was preventing it from venting properly and causing the gas pumps to think it was already full - they replaced it and all was fine. Technician said he had never seen anything like that. Thank goodness I was still under warranty - it didnt cost anything to get it fixed.
What cause they enter into the tank?

Will tank cleaner work here?
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Last edited by bestdeal December 22, 2008 at 07:39 AM.
Joined Oct 2008
L6: Expert
> bubble2 1,572 Posts
55 Reputation
dsh101
12-22-2008 at 08:12 AM.
12-22-2008 at 08:12 AM.
Quote from greenmeansgoooo :
I've found out that if you only put the nozzle half way in when the tank is near empty that it won't click off as much.
Seconded.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Page 1 of 3
Sorry, this thread is closed.
 
Link Copied

The link has been copied to the clipboard.