What happened to my car?

Ever since I got my car back from the dealer with a VERY expensive wiper switch replacement, it stalls out each time I fill it with gas. I can’t help think it is some sort of method for making me a regular customer. This never happened before and now, each time I fill with gas, my car stalls out once or twice. Then, things are fine until the next fill up.

Its terribly unlikely that a wiper switch replacement could have anything to do with this.

Are you in the habit of topping off the gas tank - i.e. putting in more after the auto shut off? If so, stop doing that. Just take it to the first shut off.

Nope. I always quit when the automatic shut off kicks in.

Exactly how long it is from the time you fill the car with gas until it stalls?

If it stalls as you pull out of the station, then perhaps there is water in the bottom of the tank, and you sock does not go clear to the bottom of the tank. The water gets stirred up when the car is filled.

If it stalls a minute or two down the road, then it may be related to the purge system either pulling too much gasoline vapor or too much air when it tries to purge the carbon canister(s).

Neither of these two theories should be related to the trip to the dealer, but after a couple of very negative experiences with dealers, I no longer automatically rule out sabotage. If they did do something fishy on purpose, however, it will not likely be anything you can prove that they did.

Right when I pull out of the station. What do I do with water in the tank? (glad to know that it is probably not dealer sabotage)

Try some gas line de-icer. When I lived in the midwest, we used to get a product called HEET that would thaw and emulsify water so that it would mix with the gas and slowly be ‘burned’ in the engine. I don’t think that HEET is made any more, but there must be comperable products out there, likely made mostly from isopropyl alcohol.

Water in gasoline was a common problem 40 years ago. Now it is very rare, but not unheard of.

If that is your problem, the de-icer should help.

Add a pint of methyl hydrate to your gas tank, available from your drug store.