Nevada Towing Emergency Gas Delivery

How To Safely Fill Up Your Car With Gas

Julie Sussman, et al has this to say on how to safely fill up your car's tank with gas. Below is an excerpt from her book "Dare to Repair..." Let's just say by the stroke of luck, you are not really stranded in the freeway with your car out of gas but you actually make it to the gas station, read on. If you don't or cannot get to the gas station, call a reputable Reno towing company!

Fill 'er Up

Pull up your car so that the fuel cap is facing the pump. Place the car in park if your car has an automatic transmission and neutral if it's a manual transmission. Turn off the engine and engage the parking brake. Note: Always turn the engine off before refueling.
Follow the instructions on the pump to determine the method of payment and grade of gasoline you want. Open the fuel door and remove the fuel cap by slowly twisting it counterclockwise, allowing air to escape. Newer cars have fuel caps that are tethered so they won't get lost, whereas older cars typically have fuel caps that come completely off, in which case it's important to put the cap in a place where you won't forget it. Some cars have a fuel cap holder located on the inside of the fuel door.

Note: Some fuel doors are released by depressing a button inside the car on the dashboard, on the driver's door panel, or inside the glove compartment.

Remove the nozzle and place it into the fuel tank and squeeze the trigger handle. If you don't want to hold it the entire time, engage the refueling latch. If the latch is broken or missing, do not substitute an object in its place. Some gas stations have removed the latches to ensure that motorists won't leave the pump unattended. The fuel nozzle is designed to cut off when the tank is full. Never top off your tank because you need to leave space for the gasoline to expand. Replace the nozzle in the fuel pump. Twist on the fuel cap, making sure that it's tight. In fact, you'll hear a click when it's tight. Close the fuel door. If you've spilled any gasoline on your car, wipe it off immediately using the squeegee that's sitting in the windshield washer fluid located near the pumps. And if you spilled a large amount of gasoline on the ground, notify an attendant.

Fuel Cap

You've heard the saying “Big things come in small packages,” Well, that's absolutely true about the fuel cap. If you think its only job is to cover the fuel tank filler, you are wrong. Would you believe that the fuel cap helps to protect the environment and saves you up to 30 gallons of gasoline a year? Wait, there's more. The fuel cap also keeps gasoline from spilling out in case of an accident or a rollover. We think it deserves a little r-e-s-p-e-c-t! A fuel cap (made of plastic or metal) is located behind the fuel tank filler door and inserts into the neck of the fuel tank filler. Remove the fuel cap by slowly turning it counterclockwise to allow any gases to escape. You'll know that you've properly closed the fuel cap when you hear it click. If you don't close the fuel cap correctly, the CHECK ENGINE light on the dashboard will most likely turn on (see "Emissions Tests and Safety Inspections," page 222). Simply remove and retighten the fuel cap.

If you've lost the fuel cap, replace it as soon as possible. Almost 20 percent of the vehicles on the road have either missing, broken, or loose fuel caps, which equates to about 150 million gallons of gas that's vaporized into the air. Don't be a part of that statistic. You can purchase a new one at a dealership or an auto parts store, with prices ranging from $5 to $20. Make sure that you get the right one for the make and model of your car – and don't buy a cheap one, because it may not pass the emissions test.
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An alternative to purchasing a replacement fuel cap is to receive one for free! Some states have created alliances with associations, corporations, and oil companies to provide fuel cap exchange programs for motorists. The motorist turns in her old fuel cap in exchange for a new one that meets the emissions test standards. Contact your state EPA for more information.