Maybe you don’t mind paying extra for the convenience of having someone else pump your gas. Maybe you can’t stand the smell of gasoline fumes, you are afraid to do it yourself, you have simply never had to do it before, or you live in Oregon or New Jersey where all gas stations are full service. Whatever the reason, learning how to pump your own is not terribly difficult and it will pay off in more ways than one on every visit to the filling station.
Gas Pump Safety Tips
Pumping your own gas is not terribly difficult, but first there are some safety precautions you should take. The fuel that our vehicles run on, whether diesel or gasoline, can be extremely dangerous if handled improperly. Many car owners and drivers, even those that have been pumping their own gas for years, are not aware that there are certain safety procedures that should be followed every time you fill up your tank. Gas stations do have emergency shutoff buttons as well as fire extinguishers on site for both customers and attendants, but if you are careful hopefully you will never have to use either. Make sure you observe the following safety procedures when you are refueling your vehicle:
Learn How to Pump Gas and Use these Tips on Pumping Gas
- A gas station is just about the last place you should be smoking , so put out your cigarette before you get out of your car to refuel. Do not smoke, light a match, or use a lighter anywhere near a gas pump.
- Always turn off your engine before you refuel. A running engine can potentially start a fire and be even more dangerous if a fire does break out. Besides, it’s actually illegal to pump gas with the engine running in many places.
- Do not get back in your vehicle while it is being refueled. Returning to your car can generate static electricity which can be enough to ignite gasoline vapors. It may not happen often, but the threat of static electricity causing a fire at the gas pump is very real. The Petroleum Equipment Institute has studied refueling fires and found almost 200 cases where static electricity appears to have caused a gas station fire. You can check out the report here.
- Do not leave your vehicle unattended while refueling. That means no trips to the bathroom or inside the convenience store while gas is being pumped. The pump may fail to shut off properly when your tank is full or the nozzle could fall out onto the ground spilling gasoline everywhere.
- Do not overfill or try to top off your tank. The gas pump shuts off automatically when your tank is full.
- If a fire does occur while you are refueling, do not remove the pump nozzle from the fill pipe. Doing so could spill gas and cause the fire to spread. Get away from the car at once and notify the gas station attendant. If you can get to the emergency shutoff button, push it to shut down the pump. The attendant also has a shutoff button inside so the safest thing to do is run.
How to Pump Gas
Here are step by step instructions for pumping your own gas:
- Pull into the gas station so that your fuel cap is on the same side as the gas pump. If you have an automatic transmission, put the car in park. Put the car in neutral if you drive a standard. Shut off the engine and put the parking brake on.
- Follow the instructions on the pump for choosing a payment method and grade of fuel. There are usually three types of gasoline you can choose from distinguished by octane rating and price per gallon. Typically, you will insert your credit card into the slot, follow the directions on the payment screen, and push a button to select the grade of gasoline you want. If you intend to pay in cash, you will most likely have to pay the attendant first.
- Open the fuel door and unscrew the fuel cap slowly to allow air to escape. There may be a button on your dashboard you need to push in order to release the fuel door and get to the cap. The gas cap may have a tether or the fuel door may have a holder for the fuel cap so it won’t get lost. If your gas cap is made to come completely off, make sure you put it somewhere where you won’t forget to replace it.
- Remove the nozzle from the pump and place it into your fuel tank. The nozzle may be equipped with a flexible rubber vapor recovery sleeve. If so, you will have to push the nozzle into the filler pipe as deep as it will go before gas will flow.
- Squeeze the trigger handle on the nozzle to start the flow of fuel from the pump to your vehicle. There is usually a little latch near the trigger that keeps the trigger depressed if you do not want to stand there squeezing it or breathing in fumes the entire time. Some gas stations remove the latches, though, to ensure that customers won’t leave their car unattended while refueling. If there is no latch do not wedge an object or your gas cap in its place.
- The fuel nozzle will shut off automatically when your tank is full. The trigger will click closed and the numbers on the pump display will stop moving. Gasoline expands so do not try to top off your tank or continue to fill until the meter lands on a nice round number. Overfilling can cause overflowing which can result in fire and environmental hazards in addition to being a waste of money.
- Remove the nozzle from your fuel tank and replace it back onto the pump.
- If you are paying by credit card, press Yes to confirm the transaction then wait for your receipt to print.
- Replace your gas cap, making sure that it is tightly fastened. You should hear a click to indicate that it is on securely. Close the fuel door.
Pumping Your Own Gas
Most drivers are going to have to pump their own gas at some point. If you have never done it before or have avoided it up to now, learning how to pump gas is nothing to be afraid of. It can seem intimidating if you have never done it before, but most gas pumps have complete instructions printed on them in case you need them. Be careful around the pump and take care not to spill any gas or forget to replace your fuel cap.
