3 Symptoms of a Broken Gas Cap
After you fill up at the pump, you put the tank cap back on without a second thought. But this little part plays a vital role in controlling emissions and maintaining your fuel system. Gas caps can (and do) fail. Here are some signs that your gas cap is broken and needs replacing. Luckily, most gas caps are inexpensive and easy to replace yourself.
Symptoms of a Broken Gas Cap
Before we dive into everything you need to know about replacing your car’s gas cap, the first thing you need to know is that it’s a problem. Luckily, diagnosing a broken gas cap is pretty easy. We’ve covered three of the most common symptoms here.
1) Check Engine Light
Many vehicles come with a feature that will turn on the check engine light if the gas cap isn’t completely closed. Ford vehicles often come with a message that says “Check fuel filler neck.” This kind of warning light or message could simply mean that you forgot to turn it back on, or it could mean that there is a problem or a sensor has failed.
Of course, you should take the time to read the codes first to determine if the engine check light indicates a defect, loose gap, etc. Common trouble codes related to EVAP leaks that can be caused by a defective (or missing) gas cap include P0442, P0452, P0455, P0456, and P0457.
2) Gasoline Smell Outside the Vehicle
While a gas cap helps to suppress the smell of fuel in the gas tank, a missing gas cap can cause the smell of fuel fumes to be heard outside the vehicle. However, while this can happen, it is unlikely to cause an overwhelming fuel smell. 3) The Fuel Cap is Wrong
Since you’ve been fueling for years, you know what it looks and feels like when you put your gas cap back on. If something doesn’t look or feel right and you can’t fix it, that’s a clear sign that there’s a problem with your gas cap.
The purpose of the gas cap is simply to prevent foreign objects from getting into the fuel system. It doesn’t provide any benefit to the engine’s performance and is one of the less important components of your vehicle in terms of performance.
However, just because your car runs fine without a gas cap doesn’t mean you don’t need to worry if your car doesn’t have one or has a broken gas cap. Bad and Loose Gas Caps
Just because your car’s check engine light indicates a bad gas cap doesn’t mean you should run out of gas and order a new one. Often the problem isn’t that the gas cap is broken, but that it’s loose.
Go back and take your gas cap off, then put it back on. Tighten it all the way and see if that fixes the problem. However, if your gas cap is still loose even after tightening it, or if the check engine light doesn’t turn off, you may have a bad gas cap.
What other problems can a broken gas cap cause?The only reason to have a gas cap is to prevent contaminants from getting into the fuel. Without a gas cap, they can creep in and dilute and spoil the fuel. Over time this can cause damage to the engine and reduce power and fuel economy.
This is not a symptom of a bad gas cap, but if your vehicle has not had a gas cap installed for an extended period of time, you may notice these symptoms over time.
Can I drive with a broken gas cap? Absolutely. This is especially true if you have a problem with the sensor in your gas cap. Keep in mind that if your check engine light comes on, your vehicle won’t immediately be able to tell if the sensor is the cause.
If your gas cap is just a little loose and your engine doesn’t have a check engine light on, you can still drive it. Just be aware that water and other contaminants can get into your fuel tank. It’s a good idea to have your fuel cap repaired or replaced as soon as possible to prevent future problems. Can you drive with a missing gas cap?
You can drive with a missing gas cap, but you probably shouldn’t. The reason isn’t that the fuel will end up everywhere; rather, it’s a question of what gets into the fuel.
Fuel caps do a great job of keeping out moisture and other debris, but without a fuel cap, water can seep into the fuel. Without a gas cap, it’s only a matter of time before water and other deposits build up in the tank and negatively affect engine performance.
Is the gas cap universal? You may not look closely at your gas cap when you need a new one, but gas caps aren’t easily available from all vehicles. Gas caps are not universal, so most manufacturers require you to purchase a specific gas cap for your vehicle type.
However, some car manufacturers use the same fuel cap across all of their vehicle models, so you may be able to easily use a fuel cap from another car from the same manufacturer. However, if you’re trying to put a Ford gas cap into a Dodge or Chevy, you’re probably out of luck.