Gas nozzle shuts off on Subaru

Diagnose and fix a gas Gas nozzle shuts off on Subaru

Shops are reporting a high incidence of customer problems when filling with gas. The gas nozzle shuts off prematurely, forcing the driver to squeeze the fuel nozzle trigger multiple times. Ordinarily this would point to a problem with the EVAPORATIVE emissions system. But in these cases, the EVAP system worked fine.

See this post for more information on evaporative emissions systems and how they work.

Subaru has identified a problem with the fuel filler neck hose on 2010-12 Legacy and Outback models, but the problem seems to be much wider than that.

How to diagnose a gas nozzle shut off problem on a Subaru

Always start by checking the condition of the rubber hose that runs between the filler neck and the tank. Don’t limit your inspection to just the exterior of the hose. Tech are finding obstructions inside hoses that look perfectly fine from the outside. Any obstruction that restricts flow will cause enough back pressure to shut off the fuel nozzle.

You must examine the hose through it’s entire length. If you find any obstructions, replace the hose.

©, 2018 Rick Muscoplat