I’m putting this here because it’s fairly mundane and may not have a ready factual answer.
Lately I can’t pump gas without the nozzle constantly cutting out. I can barely get a gallon into the tank before the thing clicks off like it’s full and backing up. Yesterday I lost count of how many times I had to squeeze the handle (not a euphemism) before I was done.
This only started in the last couple of months and I can’t see how it could be a problem with my car, but I also can’t see how nozzles at different stations would exhibit the same behavior, so it seems like it must be something about my car.
FYI, I drive an '05 Ford Escape (Green).
Has anybody else had this problem lately? Is the gas too frothy? Is that even possible?
The only thing I can think is that lately, for whatever reason, you just aren’t putting the nozzle in all the way. I know a lot more stations are upgrading to “even better” nozzles to prevent fumes from leaking out, and the result is that unless it is in as far as it can go, it will click off.
Nope, with me, it’s the crappy old style nozzles. When the anti-fume types click off because it isn’t in far enough, there is no tiny puddle on top of the lip around the fill tube, or bubbles.
However, you may be on to something . . .
It’s always the crappy old style. Could it be a batch of old pressure sensors in the nozzle that aren’t dealling well with summer blended gas? Age, manufacturer, something has suddenly affected the switch?
That wouldn’t explain the tiny puddle or bubbles – Nevermind.
Even with the nozzle all the way in, there’s a bit of wiggle room. How the business end of the nozzle rests against the inside of the filler neck could make a difference. Squeeze the lever, but press down on the handle. If it still cuts out, lift up on the handle.
Apart from that, it could be a bunch of different factors. You said it has happened at different stations, but maybe they all got their pumps from the same manufacturer. Maybe the summer fuel formulation forms a better head.
My Jeep Cherokee has the same problem - but the fix is the opposite. There’s some gas stations where it will click off if the nozzle is all the way in the filler hole. If I only put it in an inch or two (Why am I reminded of Vince Vaughn and his game called ‘just the tip’?) it will fill up fine.
My old civic would cut out all the time if the handle was just put in. I think the fuel tube was at a sharp angle to the flow and it’s create a little wave back at the nozzle and trigger the cut-out.
If I lifted up, the flow and the tube lined up more, the gas went in without backing up, and it would fill to the top.
Bitch that I couldn’t wander while the tank was filling but it beat spending half my time re-squeezing the handle.
The thing is, I’ve tried holding the nozzle at different angles, putting it in halfway or just to the tip, not pulling the lever all the way up, just letting it pour slowly, or opening it all the way for a fast pour. None of those have had any effect!
My WAG is that it is not your nozzle or filler tube, but the problem is due to the fact that the person before you topped off their tank. If the person before you tries to get their tank as full as possible, and they click the nozzle several times after its full, they get gas in the vapor return line, causing problems for you. If you point the nozzle to the ground and shake it a bit, this usually fixes the problem, at least it did 15 years ago when I worked at a gas station.
Maybe because gas prices are rising daily, people are trying harder than usual to get their tanks as full as possible, thereby getting as much ‘cheap’ gas as they can?
I need to remember “google first.” I just found this notice about the problem I’m having. So I guess I can go to a dealer and get a repair, but I wonder if this is a free repair or not?
That was going to be my suggestion. I had the exact same problem with my '06 Scion awhile back. The gas station attendant said it was some kind of incompatability between the older gas pumps and the newer cars. Put the nozzle all the way in and the gas cuts off. Pull the nozzle out a bit and the gas will pump without interruption.
Edited to add: OK, it looks like photopat tried that already. I’m all out of ideas.
Ok, an 06 car probably has a vapor capture system for refilling. On a modern car the vapors that are displaced by filling the tank with gas are captured in the car’s charcoal canister, and then run through the engine. Volvo called this system on-board vapor recovery or ORVR.
If there is a plugged line, a spider’s egg case in the vent line, or some other issue, the car will be very hard to put gas into.
From the OP it sounds to me like there is an issue with the vapor system on the car.
I’ve had the same problem with my last two cars–a '97 Camaro and '06 Altima. The trick of pulling the nozzle out a little bit seemed to work fine with the Camaro, but doesn’t seem to work on the Altima.
