Car shudder during fill up..

[ScottM]

Funny guys, but here in NJ we can’t pump gas ourselves, against the law. Driving for 33 years and owning over 20 cars in those years and I always leave the car on while filling up. Only a few places actually ask me to turn it off. However, the vast majority of people leave their cars on and I haven’t seen or heard any cars blowing up or catching fire. In any case, just wanted to see if anyone had the same issue. Based on the comments I assume not.

With all due respect, doing something unsafe for 33 years and with 20 different cars doesn't make it right.

 

[Erock1800]

I'm surprised the car doesn't throw a CEL when it detects the loss of pressure when it's running with the fuel cap off.

Every Audi I've owned says right on the fuel cap to turn off the engine before refueling. In the owners manual, my Toyota Highlander states that a CEL will appear if the cap is opened while the engine is running.

It's just not a good idea and the sound you're hearing is probably the engine reinforcing that for you.

Edit: I don't even refuel my riding lawn mower with the engine running so doing so on a $40,000+ car is lunacy.

Lawn mower is totally different in my opion. I never do that as well.

 

[Erock1800]

I get it, it’s a law...and so are speed limits. I’m sure everyone here doesn’t exceed speed limit laws either...

 

[Flameangel]

Well you have now, haven't ya?

And it is said that confession is good for the soul: Until I had a dispenser nozzle stick on me, flooding the pavement under my Stinger with fuel before I noticed it (was facing the pump watching the numbers fly up), I had been in the acquired habit of leaving my engine running. Don't smoke, don't get staticky, and the fumes are non existent in the area of the fuel tank: the nozzle is in the pipe and if you can't smell gas then there isn't anything to get lit up, is there! So for years I had been leaving the engine on. Then, in Texas last April, I gassed up at a real "dive" of a gas station; and the damned nozzle jammed on me, and gas went under my car, clear past the passenger side. I reached in and killed the engine. The proprietoress fetched several five gallon buckets of water and flushed the area of the spill and apologized. Big, deal! I bet she never got that pump handle fixed. And sooner or later, somebody will come along in a car that is sparking in some of its workings, and the gas will go under, and the fumes will go up, and BOOMFF!!! And you will have heard about it here, first, like a prophecy.

Don't, do, it.

My hubby is a Fuel Tanker Driver, the amount of times when he is refuelling the underground tanks for the Bowsers and people mill around him with cigarettes is unbelievable.( even though he's coned off the tanker ) he ends up telling them " put it out or do you want us to be blown to kingdom come ?" ( obviously fire starts first, and explosion later when fully engulfed )

 

[Flameangel]

It does seem there are some younger folk showing up, including existing forum-goers...

I've not only seen but heard and know people who leave their engine running while filling up to either save time or keep the cabin at their desired temperature. It's not at all recommended, and is completely foolish as there are signs everywhere reminding people to turn their cars off.

Oh, and whoever said "boom": you've watched too many movies. Cars don't explode when the gas goes on fire, the entire car just goes up in flames starting at the back. There is no boom or explosion, lol

Haha, that was probs me, yes maybe I do watch too many action movies, being female I don't know much about cars, I just assumed if the petrol tank catches fire there is a following explosion...I'm bad, however having my car's ass on fire doesn't sound like fun

 

[BlaydeX15]

You can probably get away with leaving it on during fueling for your entire life, tbh. It's more dangerous, but statistically the risk is super insignificant. Something like 3,000 gas station fueling fires a year in the USA, and there's no statistically significant correlation between running and not. Static shock is the cause of 99.9% of fuel fires, so getting in and out of your car even once is something like 20x as likely to cause a fueling fire than leaving it running. Even smoking at the pump is (statistically) less dangerous than getting in and out of the car a few times.

Now, that being said: I always turn my car off when fueling. Might as well not add any risk, even if insignificant. I did leave my wife's car on while fueling, but that thing is DEAD silent when the fan isn't running. Lol. Was an oops, but I didn't rush to the emergency shutoff or anything.

It's one of those things like setting the parking brake in an automatic, except the risk is an explosion instead of transmission wear. Lol.

 

[POS VETT]

What is with this place, people filling up running cars, braking with 2 feet, saying to active launch control during slow cornering...are Stinger owners all car noobs or something. Ive never seen stuff like this on other car forums.

You haven't seen that one thread about using run-flat tires to eliminate spare tire and ultimately to save weight on a 2-ton car ...

 

[MerlintheMad]

Oh, and whoever said "boom": you've watched too many movies. Cars don't explode when the gas goes on fire, the entire car just goes up in flames starting at the back. There is no boom or explosion, lol

I did not write "BOOM". I wrote BOOMFF!!! Fire suddenly appearing always makes that sound. And if it starts under the car from spilled gasoline, it's likely to envelope the entire car not just where the tank is.

 

[Flameangel]

I did not write "BOOM". I wrote BOOMFF!!! Fire suddenly appearing always makes that sound. And if it starts under the car from spilled gasoline, it's likely to envelope the entire car not just where the tank is.

It was me who wrote " boom " , iv'e since replied as above.

 

[app_master]

Wow I'm actually flabbergasted to read this thread is a legitimate question (or is it?) and as ridiculous as the OP sounds, it is evident people do it or can do it. Perhaps the fuel lid or cap should only be unlock-able when the engine is actually off. Although I am sure there is a technical reason behind why this "feature" can not be added. In any instance surely common sense should prevail when handling any fuel in any scenario. Again ... wow

 

[AV8R]

As a pilot we don’t leave planes running whilst we refuel. I would presume the same safety precaution would be common sense with cars. It’s the static electricity that could cause an issue. Despite a person doing it to their car without issues, what about others safety if it did happen. I think the answer is very clear. It’s a bit like changing a light switch with the power on, you can do it but are you willing to risk getting electrocuted?
As to your engine stalling I think the answer has been given already.
I’m just wondering how many posts it will take for it to sink in....?

 

[DCBStingerGT]

Reading this thread since it was posted, and i am still left speechless, just shaking my head, can't believe there are drivers out there that see a positive too leaving a car running while filling the open tank with, and in Australia we use the word PETROL , not so much FUEL, and not GAS, unless we are talking about AutoGas / LPG.

SAFETY is the number one priority when filling up your tank, as we all know, so leaving the car engine running to maybe keep the air conditioning on, or even thinking it's cheaper to keep it running compared to shutting it off , then starting it again is madness, and don't tell me some drivers do it out of being lazy, doesn't matter if a driver has done it this way for years, it only takes one time too change lives forever, and for the worse.

I can't imagine ever filling up my car while the engine is running, SAFETY FIRST , but also if your alone as the driver, that means you have too go into the petrol station shop to pay while your car is out there running , imagine how high the risk of someone jumping in , and taking off in it.

Almost Finally, the lack of concern for others around you , the risk you put on innocent people around you doing the right thing, unaware of the potential danger of fire and explosion.

Finally, Question for @Erock1800: Please tell us why you have always kept the car engine running in 33 years of driving, when you fill up, you must have a specific reason for it, i would really like to know , so we all know how you justify this practice of yours ?
Said my Aussie $1 dollars worth , DCBStingerGT....OUT.

 

[eflyguy]

If I wasn't assigned to help promote a friendly, welcoming community, I'd propose a "wall of shame" for some of the "habits" that have cropped up here recently. Like the old Top Gear "cool car" board..

 

[ZyroXZ2]

As a pilot we don’t leave planes running whilst we refuel. I would presume the same safety precaution would be common sense with cars. It’s the static electricity that could cause an issue. Despite a person doing it to their car without issues, what about others safety if it did happen. I think the answer is very clear. It’s a bit like changing a light switch with the power on, you can do it but are you willing to risk getting electrocuted?
As to your engine stalling I think the answer has been given already.
I’m just wondering how many posts it will take for it to sink in....?

Eh? Air Force One is refueled while in the air, and many other large aircraft intended to stay in the air for extended periods of time are refueled while flying...

Of course, they're DESIGNED to be able to do that and cars are not. Especially considering a CEL is thrown if the gas cap is loose and pressurization isn't achieved when the fuel pump is pulling fuel. Of course, as some people know, this is not immediate: the fuel pump draws so little fuel at a time that it takes about 4-5 miles before the system notices the pressure in the tank isn't right. So for those wondering why it doesn't happen while at idle, the fuel pump is sipping so little fuel during that short span of time that the loss of pressurization isn't outside of normal parameters, yet.

 

[ScottM]

Eh? Air Force One is refueled while in the air, and many other large aircraft intended to stay in the air for extended periods of time are refueled while flying...

So you're saying why do we even stop at a gas station when we can have the fuel truck pull up along side of us as we drive?? Interesting!! I joke, just picturing the madness that would ensue in my head.

 

[ZyroXZ2]

Haha, that was probs me, yes maybe I do watch too many action movies, being female I don't know much about cars, I just assumed if the petrol tank catches fire there is a following explosion...I'm bad, however having my car's ass on fire doesn't sound like fun

Ayyy no worries, plenty of people think cars explode when the fuel tank catches on fire, lol... Humans and fuel have been around a long time, movies just want to make the impossible or nigh highly unlikely a regular thing just for excitement, hahaha! It takes a very specific set of events and conditions in order to cause an explosion with fuel, and that generally requires a completely sealed, highly pressurized, large reserve of fuel.

Sorry, just nerding out on this even though I enjoy how movies and videogames portray every fuel-consuming vehicle as a potential bomb... I always shoot the red barrels in videogames wholeheartedly knowing that nothing like that would happen in real life

 

[ShannonC]

Eh? Air Force One is refueled while in the air, and many other large aircraft intended to stay in the air for extended periods of time are refueled while flying...

In no way related to on the ground refueling where a static line is attached to aircraft prior to fuel delivery.

 

[Mike04SVT]

What is with this place, people filling up running cars, braking with 2 feet, saying to active launch control during slow cornering...are Stinger owners all car noobs or something. Ive never seen stuff like this on other car forums.

Everyday i leave this forum thinking the same thing. My Favorite thread it "What did you do in your Stinger today"....i mean really?!

 

[Jimmer]

Eh? Air Force One is refueled while in the air, and many other large aircraft intended to stay in the air for extended periods of time are refueled while flying...

Back in the late 80s, I had an incentive flight on a KC-135 for an in-air refueling of an SR-71. I was in the boom pit when it all happened. AWESOME!

 

[ShannonC]

Back in the late 80s, I had an incentive flight on a KC-135 for an in-air refueling of an SR-71. I was in the boom pit when it all happened. AWESOME!

Awesome!!