There’s a problem at the pump: It takes ages to gas up her car

Jan 13, 2024

Question: I have a 1998 Nissan Altima, and every time I put gas in the car, the nozzle clicks off, or the gas splashes back out as if it's full. What causes this? It is so irritating. I have to pump gas into the car very slowly, then stop and wait, and then slowly pump some more. When it's cold outside, I freeze while putting gas into this car. I have taken it to the dealer, and they said they didn't find anything wrong. Duh! I know there is something wrong when it takes me more than 10 minutes to pump $10 worth of gas into the car. It does it every time. Please help me. Lottie

Ray: Gee, I don't know, Lottie. I don't see any problem. Do you, Tom?

Tom: Of course there's a problem, Lottie. We just got a letter from some poor bloke who must have pulled in behind you at the pumps. He complained that he had to stew for 10 minutes while waiting for "some gal in an Altima to figure out how to pump gas."

Ray: This condition is probably caused either by a blockage in your gasoline vapor-recovery lines or a bad refueling-control valve.

Tom: Gasoline vaporizes. How do we know that? Well, when gasoline is spilled, you can smell it, right? What you’re smelling is vaporized gasoline.

Ray: And in the old days, when you filled your tank, all the air inside the tank — the air filled with gasoline vapors — came whooshing out through the filler hole or through a vent at the top of the gas tank.

Tom: But then people in places such as Los Angeles realized they couldn't see the person standing next to them due to smog. And since gasoline vapors contribute to smog, carmakers were forced to install devices to capture those vapors.

Ray: So now each car has a vapor-recovery unit that collects the gasoline vapors from the tank and then, the next time the car is started, sends them to the engine, where they’re combusted. Your vapor-recovery system isn't working, Lottie. One possibility is that one of the rubber hoses is blocked or collapsed.

Tom: Why does that keep you from filling your gas tank? Well, when the air and the vapors can't get out of the tank, there's no room for gasoline to go in.

Ray: The other possibility is that one of the valves involved in the refueling process (the refueling-control valve, the refueling EVAP vapor-cut valve or the one-way fuel valve) is not working.

Tom: In any case, you should go back to your dealership — or maybe find a different dealership that cares a little more — and tell them there's a technical service bulletin that explains how to fix this. Have them look it up under "slow fuel fill." Or you can invest in some nice, fur-lined gloves and a parka before next winter, Lottie. Good luck.

Q: I have an ongoing "debate" with my hubby about whether or not to leave our car windows open slightly when it is really, really hot. One of us says we need to do this to keep the windows and windshield from cracking (especially if there is a drastic temperature change due, for example, to a thunderstorm). The other doesn't think it's necessary and prefers to leave them closed (especially to keep from having to dash outside to close them in case of the aforementioned storm). So, oh automotive gurus, which do you recommend — open or closed? Thanks! Barbara

Tom: It depends on who has to do the dashing, Barbara.

Ray: Actually, there's no need to keep the windows ajar. The windows and windshield will not crack from the heat, nor from the sudden drop in temperature that often accompanies a thunderstorm. After all, if that were the case, your windows would crack every time you got into a hot car and cranked up the air conditioning, right?

Tom: So, if you don't mind getting into a hot car, you are free to leave all the windows closed.

Ray: If the heat is an issue for you, though, you have several options. One is to just open the windows a tiny bit — not enough to let any significant rain in, but enough to allow some hot air to escape. And just to be on the safe side, in case it does rain, open the window next to where your hubby sits (or leave the back windows cracked open, where no one sits).

Tom: If heat and thunderstorms are regular problems where you live, you can even buy some snap-on rain guards, sometimes called vent visors, that cover the tops of the windows. They angle out from the top of the door, deflect the rain and allow you to leave the window open an inch or so without water coming in.

Ray: Finally, we will recommend an old and sadly neglected remedy for extremely hot weather: Park in the shade. Try it. You’ll be amazed what a difference it makes!

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