To Top Up Or Let It Be?

Topping off your gas tank is something that I think all of us do. We always try to get the number to an even one – instead of $19.42 I’ll try to get it to $19.50 or $20. However, topping off your tank is actually a really bad idea. Here’s why!

It can overwhelm your vehicle’s evaporative system, which can break something or cause a leak due to built up pressure. If your gas tank is too full, the pressure inside of it builds up past the safe level when the gas heats up as your car is moving. If there is too much fuel in the tank, the extra gets sent to the evaporation system. If you habitually overfill your tank, then you’ll kill your evaporation system much quicker than normal.

The second thing is that you’re wasting a lot of money by doing this. Modern gas stations have systems at the pumps where if the pump senses too much fuel going into your vehicle’s tank, the excess will just go right back up the hose and back into the station’s fuel tank. The cents on the screen go up, but the gas never goes into your tank. No matter how much gas it is, you’re potentially wasting a lot of money over time on gas that’s not even going into your car.

Break the habit of topping up! When the handle releases the first time, just let it be. You can do it – and save some money at the same time!