Recently when i put gas in my lexus rx 300 the nozzle from the pumping staion shuts off before the tank is filled-sometimes it shuts off 8 or 9 times. I have to go very slowly or angle the nozzle in different ways to fill the tank. Why?
Before this new situation, were you in the habit of forcing more gas into the tank after the pump clicked off?
If the answer is yes, then you have the reason for the problem. The likely solution is replacement of the carbon canister, which has probably been saturated with liquid gas that seeped into it from an overfilled tank. On a Toyota, this repair costs about $350., but since your vehicle is a Lexus, I would expect it to cost more, even if the part is the same Toyota part,
The carbon canister is NEVER the problem. When the gas cap is removed, the tank is free to vent out the open filler. Today’s cars have an anti-spill check valve built into the filler neck. Usually a cork or plastic ball in a cage. This ball can stick in the closed position making refueling difficult. Sometimes you can free the stuck ball by sliding a flexible switch or rod down the fuel filler. You will feel the check=ball when you hit it…
If you have been in the habit of topping off the tank, you are likely the reason it is not a problem. Take a look at your owner’s manual and in the glove box or gas filler lid and you will likely find the warning to not top off the tank. It does damage the charcoal filter in the vent system and when the vent does not allow enough air out as the fuel is going in, it trips the nozzle.