How to Fill Up a Gas Tank

Pumping your own gas is simple and easy. There's no reason to pay top dollar for an attendant to pump gas for you at a full-service gas station.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Latex Gloves
• Credit Cards And Loans

1. Find out which side of the car the gas tank fill spout is on.

2. Pull up to the appropriate gas pump, making sure the fill spout is facing the pump.

3. Turn off the car.

4. Open the gas tank door. On newer cars, this is done with a button from the inside of the car, but on older cars the tank can be opened by hand, often with a key.

5. Unscrew the cap of the gas tank.

6. Put the gas cap where you won't forget it.

7. If you're paying with a credit card, run the card through the machine and follow any printed instructions. Otherwise, see the attendant. Many gas stations in cities require you to pay before you pump.

8. Select the type of gas you'd like (regular, premium, super). Never put diesel fuel in a nondiesel engine.

9. Lift the handle of the gas hose off its stand and insert the nozzle into the tank of your car. Make sure it is securely inserted by pushing it in firmly.

10. Push the switch or press the button on the pump to allow the gas to flow. This switch is different at different stations; follow the instructions at the pump.

11. Pull up on the trigger located in the handle of the gas hose. This will release the gas into the tank of your car.

12. Some triggers lock into place, freeing you to wash windows and check oil while the machine pumps gas. Check for this feature.

13. Note that when the tank is full, the fuel will stop pumping. Remove the gas hose. Don't try to "top off" the gas tank because this will lead to spillage.

14. Firmly screw the gas tank cap back into place and shut the gas tank door.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep a box of latex gloves in the glove compartment. Put them on when you get gas to keep your hands clean.
• Be sure your car is turned off before you begin to pump.
• Extinguish all cigarettes before entering a gas station. Don't smoke when pumping gas.

Who Can Help Sponsored

[bullittandy]

on 8/4/2009 Everything that "Boothy" said is incorrect. the fuel in the gas tank acts as a coolant for the fuel pump. Its okay to run the tank to "E" but it is bad to keep the tank near empty all the time. Also, running your tank low does not increase contaminants in the fuel system, the fuel pump sucks fuel from the bottom of tank ALL THE TIME. Also, fuel does not have time to evaporate in the gas tank on any regularly driven car.

[crfkid96]

on 8/3/2009 katrina, what you can do is put the gas cap in between the lever and the plastic on the bottom and the machine will pump by itself.

[Boothy]

on 1/15/2007 fdwalker.... Keeping your tank low may not cause damage to the fuel pump but you will suck up any crud in the bottom of your tank, causing filters to become blocked before their time or other blockages elsewhere in the system. Also less fuel in the tank means more air in the tank and this can cause evaporation of fuel.

[fdwalker]

on 12/22/2006 My husband thinks keeping low fuel in my car will eventually cause damage to the fuel pump!?!
Is this a fact?

[katrina]

on 11/25/2006 I still have trouble filling gas in that I can't lock the hose for it to pump automatically, so I end up holding the hose all the time the gas is pumping..any suggestions anyone?? Thanks :)