SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/dont-top-off-gas-tank

The gas pump clicks off. Should you squeeze in a little more to round it up?

No. Stop when the nozzle clicks off.

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The Just Right card

Too littleRun the tank nearly empty every time
Too muchKeep squeezing until it's to the brim
Just rightStop when the pump clicks off

Huh, didn't know that: The pump knows to stop because gas covers a little sensing hole at the tip of the nozzle.

The dad joke
What kind of car does a farmer drive? A cornvertible.
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References

Answer: No, stop when the nozzle clicks off. The click usually means stop. Topping off can spill or overfill fuel and damage the car's vapor-control equipment, so do not squeeze in more.

  1. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality: Gasoline Dispensing Facilities www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/programs/pages/gdf-aq-requirements.aspx
    Do not top off fuel tanks. Stop fueling when the nozzle clicks off.
    Checked 2026-10-09.
  2. U.S. EPA news release (2004): Don't Top off Your Gas Tank www.epa.gov/archive/epapages/newsroom_archive/newsreleases/714cf2672631269e852570d60070fe91.html
    When the pump automatically shuts off, that’s the signal your gas tank is filled.
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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That's stuff everyone should know.