What is the safe capacity of a car fuel tank?
2 Answers
Generally, the safe capacity of a car fuel tank is 95% of its actual capacity. The methods to open the fuel tank are as follows: Mechanical key opening: This is commonly seen in some rugged off-road vehicles. Nowadays, most family cars do not use mechanical keys for opening the fuel tank because it is relatively complicated to operate. In-car switch method: The location of the in-car fuel tank switch varies among different car models. It might be found on the floor to the left of the driver's seat, on the left front door panel, or on the center console, usually marked with a fuel pump symbol. However, it's important to note that the in-car switch can easily lead to the driver forgetting to turn off the engine before refueling. Therefore, drivers should always remember to turn off the engine before refueling. Press-to-open method: The press-to-open fuel tank door is currently the most convenient method. The driver only needs to park the car, and the fuel attendant can press to open the tank for refueling. However, when not parked for refueling, drivers should always remember to engage the central locking system; otherwise, the fuel tank cap can be opened.
After driving for half my life, I've realized many people don't know that overfilling the fuel tank can be quite dangerous. Gasoline expands when heated and contracts when cooled, especially after the car's been baking in the summer sun. If the fuel reaches the tank cap, it's prone to expand and spill out. Those designers have already accounted for this - the actual tank capacity is typically 5%-10% larger than the nominal volume. When you see the fuel pump nozzle click and stop automatically during refueling, don't force more in. That extra space is precisely reserved for gasoline's 'breathing room'. By the way, filling too aggressively can also cause the charcoal canister to ingest fuel droplets, resulting in persistent gasoline odors inside the car. My experience tells me it's best to stop at the first click when the fuel light comes on - it's both worry-free and safer.
