Surely, you’ll agree with me that driving a car is fun. The fact that a car will respond almost immediately to your command is one of the many things that makes driving sweet. Another reason why many people enjoy driving is that it offers them independence. However, driving isn’t without its issues.
One of the many things that can frustrate you while driving a car is when you have a flat tire or dead battery. Another common issue that can make driving less fun to do is when you encounter a sputtering engine. Unfortunately, none of the aforementioned issues is as frustrating as having your car die after filling it with fuel.
Overfilling the gas tank can cause your vehicle to stall. Although this issue doesn’t always happen, it could stem up if gasoline overflows from the gas tank to the vapor recovery system of the fuel pump. Apart from that, a faulty fuel pump can also cause your vehicle to stall after overfilling the gas tank.
Is it possible for a bad gas cap to cause your car to stall? What does your car cut off even when there’s gas? Can your car get hurt if you leave the gas cap off? In the rest of this post, you’ll find out the answers to these burning questions and everything else you need to know about the damages an overfilled gas tank can cause your car.
Can a Bad Gas Cap Cause Your Car to Stall?
Yes, a bad gas cap can always cause your car to stall. But how is that possible?
The gas cap, otherwise known as the fuel filler cap, is an important component of the car. Its primary function is to prevent dirt, debris, and dust from coming inside the gas tank. Furthermore, gas caps can serve as a seal for your vehicle’s gas tank, preventing gasoline vapors from escaping.
Several warning signs will allow you to understand whether or not your gas cap is either loose or bad. One of the common symptoms that you’ll get is when you keep perceiving gas around the outside of the vehicle. This issue often occurs because the gas cap isn’t good enough to seal the tank, causing gasoline vapors to escape.
Furthermore, a bad gas cap will most likely allow contaminants, including dirt and debris, to get into the fuel. When this happens, it could cause several different issues to your car’s evaporative emission system.
In case you don’t know, the vapor recovery system is engineered to reduce or eliminate air pollution from your vehicle. That’s not all; the system works by trapping gasoline vapors that mostly escape when filling the gas tank.
Unfortunately, if the gas cap is bad, it could cause the evaporative emission system to misbehave. And if this happens, it can cause your car to stall unexpectedly.
Bottom line: a bad or loose gas cap can always cause your vehicle to stall. To prevent that from happening, check your cars for any of the warning signs mentioned above and fix the issue as soon as possible.
Why Does My Car Cut Off When I Get Gas?
Here’s another frequently asked question; why does a car cut off whenever it gets gas?
To answer the question, I’ll say that a lot of factors can cause your vehicle to cut off unexpectedly after getting gas. One of them is when you overfill your car with gasoline.
I’m sure you know that the gas tank has a maximum level that fuel needs to reach to be considered full. However, some people, to reach more miles, tend to top up their vehicles. One of the issues with topping up the gas tank is that it can cause an overflow of gas.
When the gas tank is overfilled, gasoline will flow to the vapor recovery system of the car’s pump. Since the system is only supposed to hold vapor, traces of liquid can cause damage, resulting in cut-offs when you refill your gas.
Another factor that can cause your car to cut off unexpectedly after getting gas is a broken fuel pump or fuel filter. A fuel pump is one of the most important components in your car. It transfers gas from the fuel tank to the fuel injector system of the engine. However, if the fuel pump is faulty, it can cause your car to cut off every time, even if you just refill the vehicle.
Can Your Car Get Hurt if You Leave the Gas Cap Off?
Here’s a quick question; is it safe to drive your car with the gas cap off?
The simple and direct answer to the question is yes; you’ll most likely hurt your car if the gas is off. However, the damages won’t be as severe as you might have thought.
No doubt, there is a reason why the gas cap is engineered to sit on the gas tank. As previously mentioned, the cap is designed to prevent dirt, debris, and dust from penetrating the gas tank. It also acts as a seal for the gas tank, preventing gasoline vapors from escaping.
Without having the gas cap on, you won’t hurt your engine. That’s not all; you’ll also not lose your fuel without the gas cap on. Well, that’s possible because of the built-in flapper valve, which will prevent the fuel from flowing out of your gas tank.
However, with the gas cap off, debris, dirt, or moisture could enter the gas tank, which is not ideal for your engine performance. Furthermore, if you leave the gas cap off, your car will find it hard to pass emission inspections, which is a must in several different states in the US.
