When refilling gas tank, gas overflows before tank is full.

Often times, as I'm pumping gas, the pump will shut off because the end of the nozzle touches gasoline. I then see gas flowing out of the tank, so I stop. I then get back into my car only to find my gas gauge reads half a tank. I know it is not a problem with the gas gauge as I know about how much driving gets me to empty and I know how many gallons of gas my tank holds. I first noticed this during a long trip. I recently took another, and now it is happening again. It doesn't always happen, but it's a major issue and I can't seem to diagnose the problem. Thank you for your tim
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
The most common cause of this type of problem is when the fuel filler neck’s inner tube comes off of the neck itself. You will need to have the filler neck removed to check to see if the inner tube was knocked off from someone trying to get fuel out of tank with a siphon hose and managed to knock the hose off. This causes the tank to not get filled properly and the inner hose can get caught in the fuel sender causing wrong readings.

If you’d like to get this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can help you service your fuel filler neck and ensure that your fuel gauge functions normally. Good luck.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

The most common cause of this type of problem is when the fuel filler neck`s inner tube comes off of the neck itself. You will need to have the filler neck removed to check to see if the inner tube was knocked off from someone trying to get fuel out of tank with a siphon hose and managed to knock the hose off.
When the fuel is not properly ventilated, pressure may start to build in the gas tank. This pressure results in the car spitting to reduce the pressure in the tank when the fuel nozzle is removed.
Some 2005 Mustang vehicles built before 4/26/2005, may exhibit the fuel tank being slow or difficult to fill. The condition may be described as, repeated rapid shut-offs of the filling station pump nozzle, or multiple nozzle shut-offs when attempting to fill the fuel tank.
How do you get your gas tank completely full without letting it overflow? There is an automatic shutoff at standard gas pumps, so you can lock the lever pouring gas & it will shut off at the appropriate time. With a non standard setup, you`d need to add gas slowly towards the end, pausing to manually check the level.
As we discussed, high fuel pressure means that the air to fuel ratio is off-kilter. The causes for this imbalance of fuel pressure typically include either a bad fuel regulator or a clogged return line.
The fuel tank may build excessive pressure due to a blocked vent. This could cause fuel to spray on occupants or bystanders when opening the fuel cap, potentially causing injury. Additionally, if an ignition source was present, this could create a risk of fire, causing injury and/or damage to property.
For best overall vehicle and engine performance, premium fuel with an octane rating of 91 or higher is recommended.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

When refilling gas tank, gas overflows before tank is full.
ANSWER : The most common cause of this type of problem is when the fuel filler neck’s inner tube comes off of the neck itself. You will need to have the filler neck removed to check to see if the inner tube was knocked off from someone trying to get fuel out of tank with a siphon hose and managed to knock the hose off. This causes the tank to not get filled properly and the inner hose can get caught in the fuel sender causing wrong readings.

If you’d like to get this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can help you service your fuel filler neck and ensure that your fuel gauge functions normally. Good luck.

Cannot pump gas except a small amount it will cut off like it is full. Gauge will show half full or full. Later it will show empty
ANSWER : There are a lot of things that can cause what you’ve described: a faulty fuel sending unit in the tank and the tank is actually full, a stick ORVR valve not allowing pressure in the tank to leave when fueling, or a saturated charcoal canister that cannot let the excess pressure in the tank escape. Are you able to fill an additional $10 in fuel after it cuts off? If so, then this may be a malfunction in the evaporative emission system not allowing pressure to leave the fuel tank when filling. If it cannot take more than $10 at all, then the fuel tank may be full and the sending unit is failing and providing a false reading. I strongly suggest acquiring a qualified technician to perform an inspection due to the volatility of fuel. A certified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to inspect the fuel problem and advise you on repairs.

I installed a new fuel sending unit the gas tank is full and it shows empty when u take all gas out it shows full what could it be
ANSWER : It sounds like you put in an incorrect sending unit or it is defective and needs a replacement. The fuel sending unit will vary resistance from low to high resistance controlling the gauge. If the signal from the sending unit is opposite of what it should be then the gauge will work opposite of the way it should. I would recommend replacing the sending unit and make sure the new one works opposite of the one you have now. You may have to get the correct one from the dealer since sometimes the aftermarket ones do not always work. You can connect the sender and check it before installing it back in the tank.

Faulty gas gauge or sending unit?
ANSWER : This is a problem likely related to your fuel tank sending unit. This is a small float type component inside your fuel tank that measures the level of the fuel inside the tank. As the fuel level drops, the float level changes and sends a signal to the car’s computer which then displays the reading on the fuel gauge in your dash. If you need assistance with this, I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose the issue and repair your fuel sending unit as necessary.

Gas tank appears to be full when it’s not and it is difficult to fill
ANSWER : Hello. This happens frequently on this vehicle. It is typically always caused by a bad evaporative system vent valve. This valve needs to allow the tank to vent when filling it with fuel. If it does not open, this will occur. I typically check the solenoid to see if it will open and close and check the hoses for blockage. If you are going to have this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose and repair this.

Gas meter always says full won’t allow me to put full up on gas what can I do??
ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you may have two separate issues going on here. Your fuel tank sending unit is a unit that monitors the fuel level in your tank. When this is not working properly, you may notice erratic readings on your fuel gauge. Secondly, your issue with refueling the tank sounds like you have a problem with what is called a purge valve solenoid which is part of your evaporative emissions system.

The EVAP system prevents fuel vapors from the fuel tank from escaping into the atmosphere, which collects and temporarily stores the fuel vapors in a charcoal canister. The charcoal canister is filled with activated carbon pellets that can absorb the fuel vapors. When the engine is running, the fuel vapors are purged from the canister and burned in the engine. The vent control valve (solenoid) controls the flow of outside air in and out of the charcoal canister. When this is not working properly, you may experience the gas pump shutting off prematurely causing it to take a very long time to fill up your fuel tank. This is due to the excess fuel vapor that is present when the purge solenoid is not working properly by releasing these vapors. The gas pumps at the fuel station have automatic sensors on them (for safety reasons) that shut off automatically when too much fuel vapor is present. I would recommend having an expert from Your Mechanic come to your home to take a look at your car to diagnose your EVAP purge solenoid.

starter switch replaced and do you have the computer to reset it. Also need help to put my new gas tank in. I have taken all bolts
ANSWER : Hello. After replacing the ignition switch on your vehicle you should be able to reprogram it manually. Putting the key into the ignition and leaving it there for a few seconds until an indicator comes up on the dashboard saying “key teach in progress” . After doing that 3-4 times the vehicle should start up as normal. We may be able to get a technician out to you today depending on what area you are in. I will inform customer support of your need for assistance right now but it may be beneficial to call 844-249-6752 and use their call back feature to get the fastest assistance possible.

My car is spitting coolant from the overflow tank
ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting YourMechanic. Check the coolant strength to see what the protection is. A good protection will read 164 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the radiator cap to see if the seal is torn or if the release valve inside the cap has failed or is sticking open. A radiator cap can cause the system to boil and spit out all of the coolant.

If you have good coolant and the radiator cap is new, then the thermostat could be sticking causing your coolant to heat up too much which in turn causes the system to boil. To check if the thermostat is working, start up the vehicle when it is cold and watch the coolant temperature gauge. When the thermostat opens, the gauge will drop a little.

If the gauge does not show this, then, when the upper radiator hose gets hot, right after the thermostat opens, the coolant flows through the hose and you would be able to feel this. Plus, the hose will begin to get cooler as the coolant travels through the hose. If the thermostat was replaced and you still have a boiling issue, then the head gasket has burned on the engine.

If you need assistance, then seek out a professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, to help determine why the car is overheating and why the coolant is boiling out.