3 Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Gas Cap and How to Replace
The gas cap is a tiny but critical part of the engine that saves the gas tank against dust and debris. It keeps the fuel clean, and it also addresses the harmful gases into reusable form. Without a gas tank, the fuel would not be very clean, and all those toxic gases would be released into the atmosphere. By recognizing the symptoms of failing car gas cap or an almost bad gas cap, you can make the replacement on time.
Symptoms of Failing Car Gas Cap
Every time you fill the fuel, the gas cap is removed, and this makes the component prone to wear and tear. To know the position of the car’s fuel tank cap, the car owner can observe the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. Above is a small triangular symbol (arrow) next to the gas station symbol that will reveal the location of the fuel cap on your vehicle. Accordingly, whichever side the triangle (arrow) faces, the fuel tank cap is on that side, in the direction of the driver’s seat. In case you are new to using a car, or are renting a car, or borrowing a car from a relative or friend, determining where the gas tank cap is located so you don’t get confused when you need to refuel is not a problem. Now that you know where is the gas cap in your car? let’s see the possible symptoms you can recognize.
Loose gas cap
Beginning with understanding the symptoms of failing gas cap, here we have the first one. As we said, the gas cap is removed every time for fuel filling. This needs those rings to wear and tear, and the cap may become loosened as time goes on. So while tightening the cap, if it seems not to tighten, then it is a sign you need a replacement for the cap.
You may also hear a popping sound every time you tighten the cap, and it becomes loose again.
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Smell of gasoline
So, we found out that what is a gas cap, let’s see how it smells. As the gas tank makes the vapors reusable, the absence of it would not turn the gases into reusable, and hence you may smell gasoline while driving.
Check engine light
You may also encounter the engine light when the cap is loose. However, the engine light can appear for many reasons, you should check for the codes and verify the root cause.
How to Replace Your Gas Cap?
Replacing the gas cap is fairly easy, and the process may not be the exact same for every vehicle. You should always check your user manual for further assistance. For standard cars, once you have the new gas cap, you need to take off the old one.
You may find a leash in your new gas cap that you need to unwind. Take the locking peg and connect it to the hole in the fuel tank door. With a twist, the gas cap should fit properly. Get maintenance tips about every issue in your car and solve the issue before it gets worse.
If you have a quick-on locking and pressure-release gas cap, you would need the key to insert it into the gas cap. Rotate the key to the left, and the gas cap would come off. Now take the new cap and insert it into the place rotating it on the right. The gas cap that is newly installed should not bulge, else it is still loose.
Note:
General notes when opening the gas tank cap and refueling:
– In cold weather, if the fuel cap does not open, gently knock on the cap and try opening it again.
– Follow safe operating instructions at gas stations when refueling your vehicle.
– After refueling, if gasoline spills, clean it immediately.
– Fuel is flammable and explosive, do not smoke. Prohibit fire and limit sparks.
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Conclusion
If you are confused about replacing the gas cap yourself, always take your car to the professional, and do not experiment. Loose gas cap may make you spend extra on the fuel, and that amount becomes huge in a year. So we hope that you would find these symptoms of failing gas cap helpful, and find out if your gas cap is intact.
