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Why won’t my car start after filling up with gas?

I just spent a fortune at the pump, and now my car is acting up! Why won’t my car start after filling up with gas?

avatar
Natalie Todoroff · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Your EVAP purge control valve being left open is the most common reason why your car won’t start after filling up with gas. When you put gas in the tank, the excess air needs to escape, and the EVAP purge control valve helps redirect them to a charcoal canister. If the EVAP purge control valve malfunctions, all that excess air will be into your engine’s combustion chambers—which ultimately makes it harder for your engine to start.
That, or a
dead battery
could be to blame. If that’s the case, we’d advise you to put your car in neutral and push it away from the fuel pump before you try and jumpstart it—you don’t want a rogue spark to catch on any engine fuel!
A clogged fuel filter or broken fuel pump may also point to why your car won’t start after filling it up with gas. Regardless of what the cause is, if you find yourself in this situation, it’s time to give your
mechanic or a mobile mechanic
a call.
These days, filling up your tank can feel downright painful considering how high gas prices are. Luckily, downloading
Jerry
can help you find some much-needed financial relief.
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car insurance
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MORE: Is premium gas worth the price?
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

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