Ok to leave car on while pumping gas?

The car needs an interlock. Can't open fuel filler door when the car is anything other than OFF, can't move out of OFF with filler door open.

 

Pat, you and some previous posters raise a good point. I don't think any of us expect a Prius to explode into a fireball the first time you refuel with it running. The odds of that happening are slim. The underlying issue comes from these four questions:

1) What is the risk of hot refueling?

2) How hard is it to avoid this risk?

3) What do you gain by hot refueling?

4) Who is put at risk?

All of life is a risk/benefit trade off. We make these decisions all of the time. Some people speed to save time, others eat fast food. I take some serious risks with my sports and outdoor activities.

The thing about refueling a running car is that you don't gain much, it is easy to avoid, and you put others at risk. Because of this, even a small risk is not worth taking.

I suspect most of the refueling laws date back to older days with less safe engines and refueling equipment. Even so, why take an unnecessary risk while setting a bad example for nut cases. Next thing you know people will want to smoke while refueling. The odds of that causing a fire are fairly low too.

Tom

 

But I *HAVE* to keep the car running when I refuel! Otherwise, I have to wait the TWO FULL SECONDS it takes to press the Power button off and on!

 

If the car is left "on" for too long with the fuel door open, it will eventually throw a trouble code because the fuel management system needs to have a sealed condition while it's running. This will happen on almost all cars manufactured after 1998.

So, you will eventually have to have the trouble code diagnosed and reset.

Solution: Turn the car off while refueling!

 

I worked in a petrol station for 9 to 15 hours a week between 1975 and 1979*. I started smoking in 1976, I smoked sometimes while filling car from 1977 to 1979 without mishap, yes I was stupid. I never had a car burst into flames so there can't have been any risk.

*I was a high school student most of this time.

 

Why not? What harm are you avoiding?

 

In several years of Prius chatting I've seen lots of STUPID questions, but this one is the champion. Give the guy a trophy! Dude turn the car off, pump the gas, turn it on, drive away. Geez.

 

I thought that to be the case too until the wife discovered on the last fill-up on the Avalon that the gas cap was missing. No trouble code, no 'check engine' light yet the book has that to check when the 'check engine' light comes on.

 

How often has cars caught fire due to engine running, hot fueling? I have not seen any stats for it.
As to all those death there and here about 40K/year, we still drive and take those chances.
There are about 100+ death per year due to Aspiring intake here, yet we, I still take it when needed.

 

We should stop driving then

 

It may need an interlock but I just tested your hypothesis. Mine starts with the fuel door open, and the fuel door can be opened with the engine running. Didn't check taking cap off, how that affects anything.

 

Yes, but easier said than done.

 

**********
There was a risk, you were just lucky!

******** :rockon:

 

well...according to the rules it is illegal to do so. Your car (Prius) needs to be switched off before fueling up. There are several reasons to switch off the engine however, the major reason is that:
the fuel gauge sensors may be tricked and it can mess up the entire readings. The first bar should drop off at 90% and the seconf at 80% and so however, if the gauge is tricked... your readings on the deshboard may not show the actualy result. Some have faced issues like going dry at 3 bars hence you go out of fuel with 3 bars still remaining... stupid aye...but it's true.

Just an advise from me or else otherwise.

 

well said!