# Should I Turn Off the Engine While Pumping Gas? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2004, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089 "2004-06-01T16:13:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/101 "2014-09-05T00:34:42Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > we used JP4, don’t know if that is another name for Jet A. No, JP4 is much more volatile. My ex was a fuel systems specialist in the Air Force. His main qualification for the job was his size. He was small enough to crawl inside the fuel tanks of B-52s. They had to wear cotton coveralls with bone buttons, rubber booties, caps that covered his hair and NO respirator?! They couldn’t stay inside the tank for more than 15 minutes at a time, so for big leaks, they ran relays. The reason was longer would cause disorientation. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/102 "2014-09-05T02:50:38Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > Yes, I was referring specifically to the Model A (I had a '29 tudor in college). The big worry wasn’t the (copper) strips - properly installed, they were secured by the nut on the spark plug (yes, old spark plugs had threaded posts with a nut on them) and the spring in the metal kept it against the post on the distributor body (which was long enough to have a post for each of the 4 cylinders a the same distance - the copper strips were all the same length). Never had one come loose and spark. > > Whew. After all that - the worry was the exhaust manifold and exhaust line which had all of maybe 10-12" from the filler. A splash would find it. Fuel hitting the head would run off - all of it running down the starboard side would find the manifold. > > Don’t know when the fuel tank was moved aft - it required the development of a super-reliable fuel pump. The tank-at-top-of-cowl provided a gravity-fed system. Actually if gas fumes get under the hood those copper strips are way more dangerous than the exhaust manifold IMHO. If gas vapor gets between the copper strips and cylinder head it reduces the insulating properties of the air. The gas vapor will then arc causing a fire.\* The exhaust manifold at idle probably isn’t hot enough to ignite gasoline. Note I said probably. Again IMHO Either way there is no way in hell I would fuel a running Model A. \*Water vapor will do the same thing. An A must have a pain to keep running in a rain storm. ---
**Author:** ![Contemplation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Contemplation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contemplation)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/103 "2014-09-05T03:49:28Z")
your car can explode if you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/104 "2014-09-05T04:13:18Z")
> [@Contemplation](#): > > your car can explode if you don’t. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/105 "2014-09-05T04:20:09Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Cite? His join date is his cite! ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/106 "2014-09-30T20:09:31Z")
This happened locally just the other day: > **[Video | Watch Breaking News and Live Coverage | CTV News Toronto](https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.2029571)** > > Watch video and live coverage of breaking news and other top stories in Toronto and the GTA. Caused about $1 million damage – $100K to the gas station, the rest to the car. That being because the car was a Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid, only a month old and worth about $900K, and was completely totaled in the fire. Not clear if the engine was actually running, but the gas overflowed and came into contact with hot engine components at the rear of the car. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/107 "2014-09-30T21:41:04Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > This happened locally just the other day: > [Toronto Video | Watch Live | Today's News](http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.2029571) Video not working for me. Is it just me? ---
**Author:** ![sbunny8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@sbunny8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sbunny8)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/108 "2014-10-01T01:41:50Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > Video not working for me. Is it just me? Video won’t play for me either. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/109 "2014-10-01T02:21:28Z")
Video still works for me – it might be one of those xenophobic/copyright-paranoid sites that limit accessibility outside the country. Anyway, if you Google “Porsche 918 fire” there are lots of hits, some of them with video, though the particular one I linked had some good news coverage in addition to someone’s iPhone video. Bottom line, one of the local TV celebrities had just bought himself a brand new Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid about a month ago at a cost of around $900,000, and while gassing it up the tank overflowed. It appeared he was trying to squeegee the excess off the car body when some of it apparently got into engine section toward the rear of the car and ignited. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/110 "2014-10-01T02:32:08Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > It appeared he was trying to squeegee the excess off the car body when some of it apparently got into engine section toward the rear of the car and ignited. The fool was squeegeeing the overflow towards the rear (where the engine is) and right into the engine cooling intake. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/111 "2014-10-01T03:38:11Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I feel like I’ve wandered into some alternative universe in this thread. In 35 years of living in the United States (Ohio and Virginia) during which I’ve travelled to probably about two-thirds to three-quarters of all the states, and 20 years of filling my own gas, I have never, _never_, seen _anyone_ pumping gas with the engine running. Doing so has never even crossed my mind. Have I just been shockingly unaware of my surroundings? I was just going to say almost the same thing…I’ve been driving since 1974 and can’t recall ever, ever seeing anyone leave their car running with pumping gas. And I’ve lived in Ohio, Georgia and Colorado, and traveled to many other states…except New Jersey. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/112 "2014-10-01T03:45:18Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > My thoughts on it is that the most chance of maulfunction of the car will happen while trying to start it as opposed to idling it, and if I am going to get stranded, I’d rather be at my destination (hopefully home) then at a intermediate stop (gas station). So…by that logic you are leaving your car running when you stop at the grocery store and run in to The Home Depot and probably all day long while you are at work…? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/113 "2014-10-01T05:57:09Z")
I have pumped fuel with the engine running many times. Even with an airplane or three and helicopters. Watch for props & over head blades. I admit I would not do it on a machine where any overflow would run into an engine compartment with a glowing hot turbo pipe or exhaust manifold. The trick is to not spill any. Just like hand starting a reciprocating aircraft engine. Do not leave your head or any body parts within the propeller arc. You do not make that mistake but once. So don’t spill any. If you are not paying attention to everything around you, hot fueling can be deadly. Much safer now because smoker numbers are greatly reduced. Now there a a lot of people I will not to this day let them fuel an airplane I am using. They are not ignorant, they are just stupid. Of course I do not hot fuel very often but I have done it more than three times. My Millage Is Just Fine ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/114 "2014-10-01T12:17:55Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I feel like I’ve wandered into some alternative universe in this thread. In 35 years of living in the United States (Ohio and Virginia) during which I’ve travelled to probably about two-thirds to three-quarters of all the states, and 20 years of filling my own gas, I have never, _never_, seen _anyone_ pumping gas with the engine running. Doing so has never even crossed my mind. Have I just been shockingly unaware of my surroundings? > [@kittenblue](#): > > I was just going to say almost the same thing…I’ve been driving since 1974 and can’t recall ever, ever seeing anyone leave their car running with pumping gas. And I’ve lived in Ohio, Georgia and Colorado, and traveled to many other states…except New Jersey. At this point, we can add TEN YEARS to the numbers in my post and its still valid. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_York](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_York](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_York)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/115 "2014-10-02T01:08:34Z")
I don’t think it’s a fire risk, but I remove the key and lock the car before walking over to pay the cashier. There a plenty of cases where cars are driven off, or property stolen, while left unattended with the keys in. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/116 "2014-10-02T05:35:28Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_York](#): > > I don’t think it’s a fire risk, but I remove the key and lock the car before walking over to pay the cashier. There a plenty of cases where cars are driven off, or property stolen, while left unattended with the keys in. When traveling or driving alone you do not carry an extra key on your person which makes locking you car while it is running so you can slip in for a latte??? Boyscout, Boyscout… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jbaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/59ef9b/32.png) [@jbaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jbaker)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089/117 "2014-10-03T18:50:45Z")
According to the National Fire Protection Association, in the period from 2004 to 2008 there were about 100 vehicle fires caused by backfire from an internal combustion engine, which constituted about 3% of all vehicle fires at gas or service stations. The statistics do not discriminate between fires caused by fueling a vehicle that was running and fires caused by vehicles that were not currently being fueled. Most of the fires were minor: there were only two resulting injuries, and the total property damage for all 100 fires was about $0.1 million (so about $1,000 per fire, roughly). See Table 10 (numbered page 25 and PDF page 36) of the report at [Page Not Found](http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/Files/Research/NFPA%20reports/Occupancies/osservicestations.pdf). So, in answer to the original question from 2004, there is a risk of fire when you fuel a vehicle that is left running, although the risk is small and the fires tend to be small and manageable. The NFPA’s first recommendation for vehicle safety at a service station is “Turn off your vehicle’s engine when refueling,” [http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/vehicles/service-station-safety](http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/vehicles/service-station-safety), although the report shows that the biggest risk is electrical arcing. (You should discharge yourself by touching your metal car before refueling.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-turn-off-the-engine-while-pumping-gas/248089.md?page=5)