Question for Car Experts

[urb1]

I have an issue with my 2014 Impala. In the winter, the check engine light came on. Autozone tested it and they said it is a loose gas cap. Prior to the check engine coming on, I was getting the loose gas cap message on my dash. It's not loose.

Since the spring, whenever I fill up the tank and then start the car, it sounds like it is struggling to get gas. If I pump the gas pedal a few times, it finally catches. Besides the first start after filling, while still at the pump, the car starts right up every time.

Any thoughts of what may be going on?

 

[cycloner29]

Wondering why you would pump the gas pedal. Most cars are fuel injected these days. Sounds like the fuel pump in the tank may be bad.

Loose gas cap sounds familiar. We had this on a 2008 vehicle. We got a new cap and no problems after that.

 

[BCClone]

Wondering why you would pump the gas pedal. Most cars are fuel injected these days. Sounds like the fuel pump in the tank may be bad.

Loose gas cap sounds familiar. We had this on a 2008 vehicle. We got a new cap and no problems after that.

Yeah, I was going to suggest a new cap. Maybe the seal is bad. Cheap fix if it works.

 

[Stewo]

When was the last time you ran a fuel additive? I run Lucas Oil quite frequently in both of my vehicles (gas and diesel engines). You may even just have a dirty sensor.

https://lucasoil.com/products/fuel-treatments/lucas-fuel-treatment

 

[clone4life82]

I’m not a car expert but maybe if it’s not the gas cap that it’s something in your fuel train (thinking boilers not necessarily cars) in which you’re losing pressure on the fuel. Maybe a gasket or is there a connection somewhere that is loose?

 

[Acylum]

I think the problem is in the Evap system, and not the gas cap itself.

 

[Cdiedrick]

Replace they cap, it’s a cheap start. If it doesn’t fix the problem it could be a return line is restricted.

 

[kirk89gt]

I think the problem is in the Evap system, and not the gas cap itself.

This sounds eerily familiar to the same issue I have had with my Titan - minus the having to pump the gas part. Could be a gas cap seal - they can get brittle with use (gas will to that to rubber over time) and not seal as well as they once did. My money is on the evap system. I know on the Titan, the evap valve is pretty notorious for getting plugged with dirt / dust / crud and replacing it usually corrects the issue.

I would replace the gas cap first and then when the CEL comes back on, go to a parts store and borrow one of their code scanners to get the code. Google the code and the car make/model and go from there. Good luck!

 

[Gorm]

I would say, likely an issue with the EVAP system. I had this issue on one of my cars, turned out a plastic vent tube on top of the tank had become old / brittle with age and had developed cracks. I dropped the tank, replaced the tube and was good to go.

A shop can verify this by running a "smoke test". Basically, they will fill the evap system with a smoke machine and then watch for smoke leaks around the engine / underside of the fuel tank...etc.

 

[Cysmik]

Not a car expert, but I've been through the exact issue you describe on my '08 Enclave (no longer own it). Based solely on memory and I certainly will not be using any correct terminology..

The fumes from your fuel tank are fed back into your engine somewhere so they too are burned off. But, there is a valve somewhere that closes and prevents that from happening either while starting your engine or at lower RPM's because it chokes the engine to some extent. This valve is what was faulty in my case, allowing all of the fumes when filling the tank into the engine and choking it so badly. Obviously much more fumes when filling vs normal idling conditions. Mine got to the point before I finally got it fixed that I had to leave the vehicle running while fueling or I was afraid I wouldn't get it started again.

 

[cytech]

I had the same a similar issue with a 2014 RAM, replaced the gas cap and issue went away. Old camp had a bad rubber seal. Like others above have said.