Problems putting fuel in!!!

[killa_z]

my car does that whole petrol pump handle click thing to signal that the tanks has reachd full capacit even when its almost empty! i have to hold the handle very light to get petrol in at a very slow rate otherwise it 'clicks' and stops

was told the problem is probably to do with the 'ball' inside the tank which acts as a sensor, its either stuck or constantly floating on top of the fuel


anyone experienced any problems with this? how do i go about fixing this?

thanks

 

[kettle]

i have the exact same problem it caused me to over fill the tank the other night!!!
i would be interested to find out what the problem is as well

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

had this problem with my first A3 until I got used to it - then when I picked up my new one in January I had the exact same problem on the first few fills. I've heard some people asking about it a couple of times at the dealer's only to be told there is no problem with it.

I've found holding it at about 7 o'clock and not inserting the nozzle all the way in - maybe an inch shy - does the trick. (insert your own jokes here!)

 

[Defratos]

I sometimes get this one my S3 8L. But I think its either the fuel pump youre using or you just need to push it in the right way. When it starts to happen I either just move it in and out to relocate it and if that doesn't work then I blame it on the pump it self because some pumps ALWAYS mess up.

 

[rickparmar]

I sometimes get this one my S3 8L. But I think its either the fuel pump youre using or you just need to push it in the right way. When it starts to happen I either just move it in and out to relocate it and if that doesn't work then I blame it on the pump it self because some pumps ALWAYS mess up.

lol

That sounds so wrong

 

[killa_z]

I've found holding it at about 7 o'clock and not inserting the nozzle all the way in - maybe an inch shy - does the trick. (insert your own jokes here!)

this is exactly what im finding myself doing after a little experimentation! and even still i cannot pull the lever thing all the way back otherwise 'click', if it really isnt a problem then i guess i'll just have to plan/schedual when to put petrol in if it will take that long.....


i am neither getting this sometimes OR only on my first few fills, its happening EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

I was getting it the first few times, but now I've found the correct angle I can just stick it in, press the lever all the way until it clicks, then squeeze in about an extra 3 litres before it is full.

 

[kettle]

i actually drove to three different stations one night because i thought it was the pump, then by the third pump i realised i was most probably my car

 

[voorhees]

My VR6 did exactly the same its just fuel offering resistance telling the gun its full,I never did try the seven 'o'clock method....I'm thick so I just spent more time at the pumps

 

[liy6ml1]

I get same problem. Solution - put less of the nozzle into the fuel tank pipe. I now probably only put it in half way so the end of the nozzle touches the pipe and then it's fine.

Hope that helps everyone.

 

[jcs356]

Someone once explained this to me that the pump in the petrol station is pumping too much fuel through it so it foams in the filler neck and causes it to lock off.

I always have problems with my 8L S3 and Shell pumps, but no issue with Tescos except for one where they recently put in some new pumps which seem to be very high pressure.

To cure either I hold the lever at half position, reducing the flow through the pump, or I turn the nozzle through 180 degrees so it is upside down and that does the trick. Just need to keep an eye on it as it will overfill and shoot out all over the floor!

 

[Twizzler]

Am I right in thinking this problem only affects petrol cars? My diesel fills without trouble but the pumps diesel nozzle is larger than the petrol nozzle so presumably the flow velocity is lower.

 

[Shifty]

it is sometimes caused by the way you hold the pump whilst fillig...only a thought

 

[Amchlolor]

Am I right in thinking this problem only affects petrol cars? My diesel fills without trouble but the pumps diesel nozzle is larger than the petrol nozzle so presumably the flow velocity is lower.

No problems filling my diesel either, even when the tank is empty.
In fact, the local garage still lets you lock the pump on too, so you can go in and pay while the car fills itself.

 

[kettle]

my car is a diesel and i have the same problem filling up!!

 

[h5djr]

I thing it depends on the pump. I use diesel and have no problems at either of the two Shell garages I normally use. I have had the occasional problem at some other garages where the pump just keeps shutting off. I find I can normally cure it by changing the angle of the nozzle or by taking the nozzle out a little.

 

[Twizzler]

I find the nozzle meets resistance about halfway in. I push harder and it goes right in. You can fuel it as fast as you like then. Does the filler have an anti-syphon valve? That may be the problem.

 

[Jo Sharp]

No problems filling my diesel either, even when the tank is empty.
In fact, the local garage still lets you lock the pump on too, so you can go in and pay while the car fills itself.

In Germany the fuel trigger locks are still used, unlike in UK where we can't be trusted for some reason. There is a way round this though - stick the fuel filler cap into the trigger guard to hold the trigger on; the auto-cutoff will still function.

 

[mrmuscle]

been having this problem too so i went to the shell garage yesterday for a little bit more experimentation, picked up the vpower and proceeded, i think i found the trick!

i just about put the nozzle in pointing more upward and a little clockwise than anything and very much sticking out, this way i was able to hold the lever ALL the way down and pump away (imagine what someone who didnt know what we were talking about would think)

thing is though, i wouldnt know when its full until i get some very expensive fluid shooting back out at me causing mess! so i can never 100% fill it up, only like high 90%'s if that makes sense

guess its better than nothing though

 

[kettle]

i tried the whole angle the nozzle thing and it worked:icon_thumright:
took two minutes instead of twenty!!!!

 

[Teejay]

I have the same issue in my TDi. Some pumps are worse than others, but all are a pain.

I've found 5o'clock (with hand against the filler flap) and 12o'clock (yes upside down) are the best.

I found out the later one when I couldn't be bothered to wait for a pump on the right side and was stretching the one over the roof from the other side.

 

[K-Dash]

to correct the same problem on mine I have to turn the nozzle completely upside down and it works perfectly.

No problems anymore.

 

[consilio]

I've found 5o'clock (with hand against the filler flap) and 12o'clock (yes upside down) are the best.

I found out the later one when I couldn't be bothered to wait for a pump on the right side and was stretching the one over the roof from the other side.

Innuendo bingo anyone? This thread could keep Scott Mills in material for a month!

 

[Teejay]

you wish yours would reach over the roof I bet!!!

 

[fesss_84]

i only use shell fuel in my car, and iv never had the problem, by the sounds of it i think u need to insert the fuel pipe jus slightly past the "shutter" of the pipe which stops the fuel comming back out of the tank. it usually starts clicking in the pump when it gets a back-log of fuel up the pipe and the presssure builds up above a pre-determined value (which i dont knw, as i dont own a petrol station), i encountered the problem with my peugeot the first few times i filled it, this seemed to solve the probem.

also im sure when this happenes you will be getting charged for fuel which hasnt been properly transfered into the car, causing you to pay twice for the same bit of fuel, which makes it a very expensive problem

 

[KayP]

tilt the nozzle slightly this works every time 4 me.

 

[MatLamont]

I have the same problem....i just put the nozzle in an inch works fine then

 

[johnmv55]

I had exactly the same problem with my 2003 A3 2.0FSI, I traded the car in for my prsent 2005 2.0TFSI car and the problem just isn't there any more at all, I think there must be a moded fuel filler neck on later cars?

 

[TonyA3]

Having this exact problem on my 2004 A3 2.0 FSI and it's really doing my head in. When I first got the car I went to 4 different stations before I eventually got fuel in, putting the pump in on a daft angle, and the second time it took me about 15 minutes to get fuel in properly. I've contacted the dealer I got it off who said he had no problem with it, yet I can't get fuel in without it being a massive pain in the ****

 

[Shady0808]

I have same issue. Do these pictures look right? Sure itsi meant to have a spring loaded cover that covers the hole.

 

[Daveyonthemove]

It's hit and miss on the right technique for me.
If the nozzle is all the way in and clicks off early I try applying pressure gradually and build up to full pressure. This usually works.
If not, pulling the nozzle out slightly can help, or turning it clockwise to about 7-8 o'clock position.

 

[Shady0808]

Yea I could use to get it to work but earlier on I tried two different pumps and no matter what I did it wouldn't work. Just hope something hasn't broken off and fell into the pipe