Alright, this one’s for everyone who thinks squeezing in a little more gas after the pump stops is no big deal. If your check engine light’s on, it might actually be your fault. Yep, over-filling the gas tank can mess up some expensive parts in your car, and TikTok user @sweet_tea is here to spill the tea (pun intended).
Basically, when you keep pumping after the click, you risk wrecking the purge valve—it’s a little gadget that clears out extra fuel vapor. Break that, and you’re looking at a $500 repair bill. Sweet Tea dropped this knowledge bomb, and Autotrader’s backing it up too. But wait, there’s more! You could also mess up the charcoal canister, which is supposed to absorb fuel vapor. Boom, there’s another $500 down the drain.
And just when you thought it couldn’t get worse—your car’s solenoids (yes, real thing) could take a hit too. You know, the parts that help start your car? Yeah, replacing those will set you back about $400.
The silver lining? This stuff only happens if you make a habit out of overfilling, so if you’re constantly doing it, maybe quit while you’re ahead.
LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3h5w9b6p
(The bad news? Who knows if the previous owner was guilty of this. Great.)
(Side note: Are we sure mechanics aren’t just making up names for parts at this point? Asking for a friend…)