How to refuel a car at a gas station without a gas station

Many novice drivers have a question about how to properly refuel a car at a gas station. For most car enthusiasts, such a simple procedure as refueling their car is quite a common thing and there are no difficulties with it.

But we must remember that skill and dexterity come with experience, and at first, when a person has just received a driver’s license, many things that seem elementary for experienced drivers cause bewilderment and even fear in a beginner.

Over time, after 10-20 refuelings, the beginner will get used to it and will no longer experience inconvenience while refueling his car, and for the first time he will benefit from some recommendations and advice.

When is it time to go to the gas station?

Filling a car with fuel, at first glance, seems to be a simple and elementary process, however, for novice drivers who are behind the wheel for the first time, even this easy task can cause difficulties. First of all, you need to learn how to correctly determine the moment when it is time to go to the gas station.

This must be done in the following cases:

There is less than 10 liters of fuel left in the car’s tank, which will be indicated by the fuel level indicator. In this case, the arrow should be in the red zone, and the numbers on the dashboard will start flashing, displaying the distance in kilometers that can be driven without refueling.
The upcoming long journey through unfamiliar terrain, which makes it difficult to assess where the nearest gas station will be located.

Which gas station to choose?

Which gas station should you prefer? It is recommended to choose the gas station that has the best reputation based on reviews on the Internet. Ratings of gas stations can be found in the Google Maps application, as well as on specialized automotive websites. Then, with a greater degree of probability, you will find an “honest” gas station where you will not be deceived, and you will be able to refuel your car without consequences for it. We should not forget that fraud at gas stations is an extremely serious problem. After all, in addition to your wallet, your car may suffer due to low-quality fuel.

IMPORTANT!

Before refueling your car, be sure to notify the gas station attendant. Since there may be a queue of cars at the gas station, be extremely careful not to get run over by your neighbors.

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Choice of gas station and fuel

You can find out the brand of gasoline that is suitable for a particular car in the following ways:

Obtain information from the vehicle manual.
Look at the markings located near the gas tank cap.
Check the information at the car service center.

It will not be possible to check the fuel yourself, since this will require measuring the octane number; checking for the presence of organic, alkaline and acidic impurities; analysis of fractional indicators. For this reason, you should take your choice of gas station very seriously, since too low prices may indicate the sale of low-quality or diluted fuel, which can lead to car breakdown. You can always ask more experienced drivers for recommendations or read reviews on car forums.

Below is a list of gas stations that have proven themselves on the positive side and consistently confirm the high quality of the fuel they sell:

owns the largest gas station network in Russia, where you can purchase gasoline, diesel, oil and gas fuel. All varieties have high quality indicators, as evidenced by positive reviews from car owners.
engages in the sale of only high quality fuel obtained from European suppliers.
known to every car owner, most drivers note the high level of quality of fuel and service.
opened its network of gas stations relatively recently, but has already managed to establish itself on the positive side and is popular with many car owners.
successfully combines the affordability of fuel and high quality indicators.

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To reduce the risk of filling your car with low-quality gasoline, it is recommended to avoid visiting the following gas stations:

Gas stations with greatly reduced prices, which should alert an experienced driver.
No brand name.
The words “luxury” or “premium” are attached to a fuel brand because they are just an advertising gimmick.

Precautionary measures

Stop the engine before refueling.
Do not overfill fuel.
Do not use open flames when you are at a gas station.
Do not repair the machine or adjust the fuel system while refueling.
Do not refuel at fuel trucks parked along the highways.
Avoid anonymous stations and those where prices are too low. Give preference to chain brands: Lukoil, TNK, etc.
Do not refuel when a new batch of fuel is being unloaded. You risk pouring dirt raised from the bottom of the tank into the tank along with gasoline.

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Rules for refueling a car using a tanker

Refueling with the help of a gas station is quite easy, since the car owner is required to perform a minimum number of actions.

Their sequence is described below:

It is necessary to remember which side of the vehicle the gas tank is located on and park near the gas pump so that it is at the same level with it.
After stopping the car, turn off the engine and put the handbrake on.
The gas tank is opened by pressing a special button or turning a lever, which is located under the driver’s seat for most brands of cars. In older cars, this process is carried out manually, so you will need to leave the car and open the roof yourself.
The tanker must inform the brand of gasoline that is planned to be filled, as well as its volume. He performs all other actions independently.
While the employee is refueling the car, you can pay for gas; the cash register is usually located next to or inside the store.
After making the payment, you can return to the car and check the gas station display, which should contain information regarding the number of liters of fuel paid and the total amount.
Departure from the gas station territory is carried out after the employee notifies you of the completion of the procedure.
You need to leave the gas station through a special exit, driving at minimum speed. Before entering the highway, remember to turn on the appropriate turn signal. If you need to make additional purchases in the store, you must leave your car in a specially designated place.

The fuel indicator will not begin to show changes immediately, but only after some time after the start of movement.

Fire safety rules

It is strongly recommended not to forget about fire safety rules while at a gas station

, namely:

Smoking is strictly prohibited on the station premises;

Light a fire or ignite other objects;

Spill flammable mixtures; if it happens that the tank is overfilled, then you must immediately cover the stain with sand located on the refueling site;
It is advisable to listen to the instructions of the assistant operator, and not to be clever yourself, because specially trained people work there who know more than you;
It is strictly forbidden to fill in plastic containers.

By adhering to simple rules, the driver will follow the rules and not ask how to refuel at a gas station and look stupid.

( 1 rating, average 4 out of 5 )

Step-by-step instructions for self-refueling at a gas station

Some gas stations do not have employees to help you refuel your car; in this case, you will have to carry out all the actions yourself.

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A detailed algorithm of actions is given below:

Wait for your turn and park correctly near the gas station, as described in the previous case.
Don’t forget to turn off the engine and put the car on the handbrake, then open the gas tank cap and unscrew the cap.
The refueling nozzle must be removed from the dispenser and carefully inserted into the tank.
Press the lever located on the refueling nozzle, and then fix its position using a special “pawl”.
Lock the car and pay at the checkout for the desired amount and brand of fuel.
On the column display you can see the number of liters and the total amount; fuel supply will end automatically when the required volume is filled into the tank.
After filling is completed, you need to press the gun lever again, which will allow you to unfasten it from the “dog”.
The refueling nozzle returns to its place; this must be done as carefully as possible, since small residual fuel may leak out of it.

Helpful information

There are also some issues related to refueling that car owners have to deal with.

If the car breaks down on the road. It would be ideal if the owner of the car took a spare can of gasoline with him. But it also happens that there is no gasoline in stock, and the nearest gas station is far away. In this case, you need to drive the car to the side of the road and try to stop the cars passing by. Usually drivers meet each other halfway and can borrow some gasoline or help with towing to the nearest gas station.
After refueling the car, the gun must be kept pointed upward so that any remaining fuel does not spill out of it and stain the car or the clothes of the car owner.
If the driver finds himself driving an unfamiliar car (rented or borrowed by someone), then the choice of the necessary gasoline will be prompted by the inscription on the sticker, which is on the back of the gas tank cap.

For an experienced car enthusiast, refueling a car is a routine task that can be completed in a matter of minutes. Over time, when the beginner has enough experience, this will become commonplace for him, and the first fears will be remembered with a smile.

The most important thing to start with is to get rid of fear, because... it is very annoying and can cause a novice driver to make many mistakes. Don’t give in to panic; it’s better to take the advice of experienced car enthusiasts, and even better for the first time, drive with a reliable person who can help in a difficult situation.

Calmness and self-confidence, as well as compliance with all the rules, are the main conditions that will allow the driver to easily cope with difficulties and get real pleasure from the trip.

Should you refrain from filling your tank full?

There are many different rumors circulating on the Internet about this, presented as the opinions of “experts,” but not all of them turn out to be true.

In particular, a significant percentage of car owners are convinced that refueling a car to a full tank is dangerous only because in this case it is difficult to avoid fraud on the part of gas station employees. And they even provide specific diagrams - while you go to the cash register, the gas station attendant takes out a small canister from the wide pocket of his trousers and safely fills it. Well, or something like that.

In fact, if a gas station employee is engaged in such “strawling”, it does not matter how much gasoline you fill - 10 liters or 50 (although theoretically in the latter case he can steal more, but still in compliance with the proportion). Technically, it is difficult to implement this particular method of deception, given that it can be relatively easily detected. There are many more sophisticated fuel theft schemes, and it is not our task to describe them.

Another common argument why it is impossible or undesirable to refuel a full tank is the assertion that such refueling makes the car heavier, and due to an increase in weight by 30-40-50 kg, its dynamics deteriorate. Of course, it’s hard to take such statements seriously – just one extra adult passenger in the cabin weighs at least twice as much. Finally, we put a lot of necessary and unnecessary things in the trunk, without thinking at all that this is also additional ballast.

There is also a category of real paranoids who are convinced that if you leave a car with a full tank in the parking lot, then the next day you will definitely not have at least half a tank of fuel. In principle, there are methods for determining how full the gas tank is, but they require the use of expensive locating tools, so in a normal situation it would be ridiculous to worry about this. You can simply sympathize with such car owners, because they should worry not so much about gasoline, but about the vehicle itself - it can be stolen with no less probability!

Let us note that draining gasoline from a foreign car is not so easy, and the newer the car, the more difficult it is to do, starting with breaking the hatch and ending with the need to solve the problem of the complex structure of the neck with many protective devices.

But all of the above does not mean that a tank “to capacity” is good. There are also completely rational arguments explaining why it is dangerous to refuel your car to a full tank.

In particular, this is the likelihood of filling with low-quality fuel. If your warning light comes on, and the nearest gas station turns out to be out of network, you are unlikely to be able to determine how high-quality gasoline they will fill you with. So in such cases, you really should fill up the minimum amount of gas just to get to a well-known gas station.

Finally, a very convincing argument not in favor of refueling the car to the edges of the filler neck is the risk of disrupting the operation of the gas tank ventilation system, since it is designed to fill the standard amount of fuel. This risk lies in the fact that the ventilation valve is located in the neck shaft, but not at its surface, so it will not work until the gasoline level drops. This means that a vacuum will form in the container, which may affect the operation of the fuel pump. If you practice this kind of refueling regularly, you can safely say that the gas pump will exhaust its resource much earlier than expected.

However, the latest generation of cars are equipped with a compensatory ventilation system that takes into account the possibility of fuel overflowing beyond the norm - they are not threatened by such a problem.

Another likely consequence of refueling to capacity is the possibility of excess gasoline/diesel fuel leaking out or splashing either directly through the filler cap or through the drain pipes. The last option is the most undesirable, since the chemically active liquid can get on rubber parts located in the engine compartment, damaging them, on electrical wiring, on parts of the brake system, power unit or transmission. And if gasoline gets on the components of the exhaust system, which is heated to ultra-high temperatures, it can ignite.

It is possible that when filling fuel to the very top, the on-board computer will not like it, and then the notorious “Check Engine” will light up. And to reset the error, you will have to disconnect the battery. It is quite possible that due to the formation of a vacuum, you simply will not be able to start the engine, and you will only have yourself to blame.

What types of fuel are there?

All motorists know that each type of engine has its own fuel, so a gasoline engine will not run on diesel fuel. The same logic applies to diesel internal combustion engines.

But even for gasoline power units, there are different brands of gasoline:

76th;
80th;
92nd;
95th;
98th.

At gas stations you often find prefixes like “Super”, “Energy”, “Plus” and so on. According to suppliers, this is an “improved formula that is safer for the engine.” In fact, it is regular gasoline with a small amount of additives that affect the quality of combustion.

If the car is old, then in most cases its engine is “powered” by grade 92 fuel. The 80th and 76th are extremely rarely used, since they are already very old equipment. An engine that runs on grade 92 will also function well on 95 gasoline. Only in this case there is no need to overpay.

If the car is new, and even under warranty, then the manufacturer indicates exactly what gasoline should be used. Failure to do so may void the vehicle's warranty. If the service book is not available (it contains various recommendations, including the brand of engine oil, as well as the type of gasoline), then as a hint to the driver, the manufacturer has made a corresponding mark on the inside of the gas tank hatch.

How to choose a gas station

Although there may be many different gas stations in a city or along your travel route, don't assume that any one will work. Each supplier sells different products. You often come across gas stations where the fuel is of extremely low quality, although the price is at the same level as in premium companies.

After purchasing a vehicle, you should ask fellow motorists which stations they use. Then you should observe how the car behaves after refueling at a specific pump. This will help determine which company sells the correct gasoline for your vehicle.

Even if you have to travel far, you can see on the map at what intervals suitable stations are located. Some motorists, when traveling, calculate the distance between such gas stations and “feed” the car, even if the light has not yet come on.

How to refuel a car if the gas station is fully automated

If there is no staff at the gas station servicing incoming vehicles, you need to do everything yourself. To cope with manipulation, you should adhere to the rules described below. It is only important to learn how to use the refueling nozzle.

How to properly refuel your car yourself.

Choose a free gas station and wait your turn.
Approach from the side where the fuel tank is located.
Upon arrival, stop the car, turn off the engine and turn on the handbrake.
Go to the checkout. There you need to tell which column, how much fuel and what brand it is needed.
After payment, go to the car, open the gas tank and insert a gun into it.

Next, at a self-service gas station, you need to figure out how to secure the device. It is inserted tightly into the tank until it clicks. The operator enters data and transfers it to the column. The gun is then activated by pressing a button. It is kept in the tank while the gas station fills the tank with the purchased fuel and lubricants. When it is poured in the required quantity, the supply will automatically stop. The gun is carefully taken out, holding the nose up so that the remaining fuel does not spill onto the car or the ground, and put back in place. Screw on the gas tank cap and close the hatch tightly.