I know similar threads abound, but my 2005.5 Audi A4 2.0 T refuses to take a tank of gas without putting up a fight. Gas station doesn’t matter. Fuel level doesn’t matter. The Audi dealer is playing stupid (my assumption is that they will find the problem when I’m no longer under Certified warranty). The reason I’m creating yet another thread is because I haven’t seen this fact mentioned: what does work, without fail, is holding the gas pump upside down. Does this suggest a certain solution to anyone?
Thanks for any suggestions.
The dealer has to inspect the Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery system. This system captures the fuel vapors prior to allowing the gas tank to vent to atmosphere when filling the gas tank. If there’s a restriction in this system, you can’t add gas to the gas tank to save your soul.
Tester
Next time you refuel, LOOK at that gas nozzle…Turn it over and look at the nozzle tube near the end…See that little hole?? THAT is what cuts off the fuel flow when gasoline covers that hole…By inverting the nozzle, your are circumventing the nozzles cut-off feature until the tank is overflowing…You are, in effect, force-feeding your fuel tank…
Tester pointed you in the right direction…
How long has it been doing this?
Let me guess. You like to have a really full gas tank. You have a tendency to fill the tank right to the top. You don’t like to read that boring owner’s manual that tells you not to top off the tank once the nozzle clicks off the first time. You also did not notice a label somewhere on your car telling you not to top off the tank.
(Note, the above may have been the work of a prior owner)
Second guess, the anti-spill valve (That may not be the correct name) may be stuck.
The first one is fixed by changing fill habits, is it really worth the trouble to get two more miles out of a fill? And having the dealer or mechanic replace the damaged part(s). The second you may be able to fix if you can see a ball blocking the vent that you can free it up so it moves properly again.
My co-worker just had this problem with his son’s car, a Mazda. Turned out it was a $26 check valve in the tank. However, it required hundreds in labor to pull the tank and replace it.
Thanks, Tester. I’ll be sure to request that when I take it in.
Thanks, Caddyman.
I got the car used about a year and a half ago. It started doing this about three months after I bought the car. I’m not one to top off the car usually.
…and that’s why I think the dealer says they can’t find what the problem is while it’s still under warranty.
Just to close the loop on this, in case it might be helpful for anyone in the future, here is the narrative of the solution from the dealer:
VERIFIED GAS PUMP SHUTTING OFF EARLY WHEN FUELING. FOUND EVAP CANNISTER SATURATED WITH FUEL. PER TSB 2021397/1. REPLACED CANNISTER AND ROAD TEST.