How to refuel a car at a gas station

To refuel your car, you need to perform a few simple steps, which may cause some difficulties for some motorists. Typically, this category of persons is formed by those who have just purchased a vehicle or are planning to do so in the near future. This also includes girls who experience a certain amount of anxiety before filling up for the first time.

As for experienced drivers, they are unlikely to need this kind of explanation. Although there are some nuances here too. For example, an experienced driver may not have a complete understanding of how to refuel with alternative fuel in the form of the same gas, which is usually due to the lack of specific practice.

Let’s try to explain in detail the situation related to refueling a car, focusing on car enthusiasts of different levels.

What you need to know to properly refuel your car

To refuel your car without problems, it is important to know which fuel is suitable for a particular car and where is the best place to refuel. You also need to learn to determine when a vehicle needs gas. Each vehicle requires a certain number of liters of fuel, depending on its make and model. Gasoline consumption and driving style also play a role.

When to refuel your car

There are a number of rules that you should follow before refueling your car.

The gasoline gauge needle is approaching the zero mark.
The light flashes, indicating low fuel level.

It is recommended not to wait for these signs, but to refuel the car when the fuel volume is less than half the gas tank. If you drive with an almost empty tank, a number of negative consequences are possible.

Due to the increase in empty space in the gas tank, condensation is produced. Due to its accumulation, the vehicle fails.
Insufficient fuel volume leads to overheating of the fuel pump. This reduces its service life.
The minimum amount of fuel and lubricants is fraught with the suction of not only gasoline, but also air by the gasoline pump. This process negatively affects engine performance.
There is a high risk that the car will stall at any moment.

It is necessary to control the indicator needle, it indicates the amount of remaining fuel. It is not recommended to completely rely on the sensor, since it may not be calibrated and give incorrect information. Such cases are not critical, since there are other signs by which the fuel level is determined. These include:

noises have arisen in the engine operation, accompanied by knocking;
vibration of the car is felt due to gaps in the functioning of the spark plugs due to a lean mixture;
smoothness of movement disappears when the position of the gas pedal does not change;
Depressing the gas pedal does not result in the same speed; the revolutions drop, which is indicated on the tachometer.

Knowing the necessary information will help you avoid getting into ridiculous situations.

Selecting a gas station

Before refueling your car, you should decide on a gas station. You can consult with experienced drivers who have tried many gas stations and types of fuel. It is important to understand that cars are different, so their systems perceive the same fuel differently. It is also recommended to visit several gas stations and talk with qualified specialists. Many of them will confirm that a large number of vehicle breakdowns are associated with low fuel levels. To mitigate this problem, it is recommended to visit trusted gas stations where gasoline is of high quality. According to the responses of experienced drivers, it is better to refuel at the gas stations below.

"Rosneft". The company owns the largest gas station network in the Russian Federation, where you can buy diesel, oil, gasoline or gas fuel. All types have high quality indicators. This is signaled by positive responses from owners of cars of different brands.
"Phaeton-Aero". The company sells high-quality fuel and lubricants from European suppliers.
"Lukoil". The company is widely popular; most motorists note its high level of quality.
"Track". The organization opened its own network of gas stations recently, but has already proven itself on the positive side.
"Highway". The company perfectly combines affordability and high quality indicators.

To minimize the risks of refueling your car with low-quality fuel, you should avoid visiting the following gas stations:

Gas stations with overpriced prices;
no brand name;
the words “luxury” or “premium” attached to the brand of fuel, since this is only an advertising ploy.

Visiting gas stations with a good reputation is the key to a long service life for your car.

What brand of fuel should I use?

Before refueling, you should find out the brand of fuel that is suitable for a particular car.

Get information from the vehicle annotation.
Look at the markings located near the gas tank cap.
Find out more information about the car service station.

It will not be possible to check fuel and lubricants yourself, since this requires measuring the octane number, checking for the presence of alkaline, organic or acidic impurities, and analyzing fractional data. Therefore, you should take your choice of gas station as seriously as possible. Too low prices signal the sale of low quality fuel. This can result in vehicle damage.

What is the size of the gas tank

It is important to know the exact volume of the gas tank, as this will save you from a lot of trouble. You should also study the features of its operation in terms of fuel consumption.

Where is the fuel tank and how to open it

Before sending to a gas station, you need to check how the hatch opens and where it is located. Below is an algorithm of actions on how to open it correctly.

Unscrew the cover from the hatch and carefully open it. In modern cars, the opening system is through the interior. There is a special button inside the car, usually on the left side under the driver's seat. By pressing it and pulling the lever, the lid will open.
Closing the hatch is even easier; you just need to slam the lid.

Old cars have a different mechanism; there are no buttons or levers in the cabin. To open the hatch, press the lid or pull one of its edges towards you.

Is it possible to refuel with different types of fuel?

Sometimes motorists, wanting to save money, combine different types of fuel. This allows you to reduce the cost of purchasing gasoline. This cannot be done, since running the engine on fuel of different octane ratings will lead to serious damage. In the future, this will lead to expensive repairs of the injection system. It is recommended to give preference to one type of fuel.

What fuel should I use? Octane number

As a rule, information about the fuel suitable for a particular engine is contained in its technical documentation. If you do not have a book, you should look for information on popular resources according to the make, year of manufacture, model and type of vehicle, or at a service center after a routine inspection.

Most of the controversy is around AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline. Some car enthusiasts are confident that the second one is brought to this state artificially. With the help of appropriate additives, they try to sell fuel with not such high characteristics. Others consider a higher octane number to be preferable due to low consumption; the ride and acceleration dynamics are qualitatively different.

Those who use Premium fuel are deterred from speaking out because they buy fuel at a higher price. This guarantees trouble-free operation of the car and fewer problems with the engine and fuel system. Due to the cost, this product is less popular among wide circles. Thus, the choice between AI-92, AI-95 and “Premium” remains with the driver, who independently determines what to choose based on financial capabilities and technical recommendations of the car manufacturer.

How to refuel a car if the gas station is fully automated

If there is no staff at the gas station servicing incoming vehicles, you need to do everything yourself. To cope with manipulation, you should adhere to the rules described below. It is only important to learn how to use the refueling nozzle.

How to properly refuel your car yourself.

Choose a free gas station and wait your turn.
Approach from the side where the fuel tank is located.
Upon arrival, stop the car, turn off the engine and turn on the handbrake.
Go to the checkout. There you need to tell which column, how much fuel and what brand it is needed.
After payment, go to the car, open the gas tank and insert a gun into it.

Next, at a self-service gas station, you need to figure out how to secure the device. It is inserted tightly into the tank until it clicks. The operator enters data and transfers it to the column. The gun is then activated by pressing a button. It is kept in the tank while the gas station fills the tank with the purchased fuel and lubricants. When it is poured in the required quantity, the supply will automatically stop. The gun is carefully taken out, holding the nose up so that the remaining fuel does not spill onto the car or the ground, and put back in place. Screw on the gas tank cap and close the hatch tightly.

How to choose a pump and park next to it?

Typically, at gas stations, all pumps are universal - they are equipped with all the necessary brands of fuel. The driver decides which column to give preference to; he just needs to make sure it’s working.

There are several basic rules for choosing a column:

location of the fuel tank on the desired side;
availability of the required grade of gasoline;
column performance.

You should stop near the pump so that the refueling hatch is located at the same level as it. It is important to park without blocking the driver's door.

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Rules for refueling a car using a tanker

Large gas station chains have staff whose duties include refueling the vehicle. To carry out the process, you should take a place near the pump and wait for the station employee, following the instructions on how to refuel the car:

turn off the engine;
turn on the handbrake;
open the gas tank flap;
tell the employee what fuel is needed;
go to the cash register and pay for the required amount of the selected fuel.

Next, the tanker will carry out the manipulation independently.

Fire safety rules

It is strongly recommended not to forget about fire safety rules while at a gas station

, namely:

Smoking is strictly prohibited on the station premises;

Light a fire or ignite other objects;

Spill flammable mixtures, if it so happens that the tank has been overfilled, then you must immediately cover the stain with sand located on the refueling site; It is advisable to listen to the instructions of the assistant operator, and not to be clever yourself, because specially trained people work there who know more than you; It is strictly prohibited pour into plastic containers.

By adhering to simple rules, the driver will follow the rules and not ask how to refuel at a gas station and look stupid.

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Refueling a car with a gas system

The rules for refueling a car with a gas system are no different from the situation with gasoline. The distribution column has the same pistol, which is equally related to the screen, where the amount of fuel to be filled is displayed through numbers.

The nuances of filling a car with gas:

the work is usually performed by a gas station operator, since gas filling stations are rare;
if the filling valve in the car is non-standard, you should provide the station worker with an adapter;
the maximum filling of the cylinder should not exceed 80% of its original volume;
When filling with gas, it is necessary to control the tightness of the filling valve and the nozzle.

It is also important to monitor the absence of tension or kinks in the hose from the column.

Operating principle of the filling nozzle

Many motorists have repeatedly wondered how the refueling pistol “understands” that it needs to complete its work. This applies to filling a full tank. When dealing with drivers who do not fill the entire tank completely, this is the work of the installed program, not the gun itself.

There is nothing magical about the operation of the gun itself. The principle is quite simple and works without the help of an electrician, therefore it is safe to use:

If you look at the device in section, you can see that in addition to the main valve, which opens using a pressing lever, there is another, very thin additional channel. This valve works in conjunction with the so-called. a membrane that reacts to pressing the trigger and begins to suck air from the gas tank.
In other words, “cock” when the lever is pressed. And of course, while the air is “sucked out” by a thin valve, it remains in this state.

Operation of the filling nozzle

But as soon as the tip of the gun’s nose drops into the fuel, the air flow naturally stops. Then the membrane changes its position in the opposite direction, thus closing the main valve.
Thanks to this thin valve with a ball and a membrane, the gun does not shoot off. In the opposite case, if the operation of the passage through which air is sucked in from the gas tank is disrupted, the gun itself breaks down and begins to shoot and knock out.
At this moment, a certain click is heard, which characterizes the closing of the valve. And the job is completed.

Precautionary measures

To avoid problems, you should familiarize yourself with how to refuel your car safely:

Before adding gasoline, turn off the engine;
avoid overfilling fuel;
do not use open flame sources while at the station;
do not refuel on fuel tankers that are parked along the highways;
Avoid anonymous gas stations where prices are too low.

You should not refuel when a new batch of fuel is being unloaded. There is a risk that dirt pulled up from the bottom of the tank will be poured into the gasoline tank.

What are the dangers of driving with a half-empty tank?

Regular increases in fuel prices force drivers to save money. As a result, they prefer to fill their car with small amounts and a small displacement. It is important to note that such actions lead to sad results. Most often, the fuel pump fails, and engine life also decreases.

If the light comes on, the vehicle can travel about 30 kilometers more using the gasoline reserves in the line, provided the car is used quietly. But relying on the fuel scale with 100% confidence is also not recommended, because there are errors there.

Therefore, it is very important to make a rule: you cannot drive with an empty tank; while operating the car, the gas tank must be at least half full.

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How they cheat at gas stations

Gas stations periodically treat customers dishonestly for the sake of profit. Gas station scams are a shady, high-income business. Among the common schemes of deception are such cases.

Reprogramming the columns - since they are controlled electronically, they can be configured so that less fuel enters the tank than the driver paid for. This is how gas stations earn up to 30,000 rubles per shift.
Pistol tricks. While the client is sitting in the car or buying coffee, the gas station attendant can deprive him of a liter of fuel. The station worker knows how much fuel needs to be filled, and simply launches the gun key when the column counts the last liter. The fuel supply channel is blocked, but gasoline continues to accumulate in the hose.
Overflow. A couple of liters more fuel is poured into the tank than it can hold. This increases the amount of the check. This method of fraud is usually used on highways far from large cities. The calculation is based on the driver's fatigue on the road, which makes him inattentive.
Discount card scam. When paying in cash, there is a risk of fraud. The operator informs the buyer that his card is not readable or a system failure has occurred. If the client agrees to pay without a discount, at the end of the work shift, the cashier swipes his own card through the reader. It sums up the discounts for the day, and the amounts received are withdrawn from the total revenue. Thus, gas station employees earn up to 1,500 rubles per shift.

To ensure that refueling standards are not violated, you should treat the process more carefully. If fraudulent activities are detected, immediately call the Rostechnadzor hotline with a complaint.

Our verdict

Fuel up to the bald spot every time - why? This, as a rule, does not make much sense and is potentially fraught with one or another trouble. However, their risk is not so great that “never and never.” So, if a situation arises: say, you need to refuel “to the fullest” when traveling abroad or ensure the maximum power reserve on a trip - go for it! Just do everything according to Feng Shui and consider the possible consequences.

Ivan KRISHKEVICH Photo by the author Autobusiness

Connecting a loyalty card

A plastic card can be obtained at any Lukoil gas station or created directly in the mobile application by going through a simple registration. To do this, tap on the central icon in the bottom line of the Menu. This is also possible in your personal account on the company website.

There is a nuance! When registering, you will need to enter the RRN code, which is in the last receipt for paying for gasoline at Lukoil. That is, you need to refuel, get a receipt and find this same RRN code in it.

You can also connect a valid card to the application. Click on the central button with the image of plastic and select “Connect your card.”

Next, enter its number and password, then click “Connect”.

You can also create a Virtual Card, which can also be used to pay for gas stations through the Lukoil app:

Tap on the central icon in the utility;
Filling out the required fields (full name, contacts, gender, date of birth);

Enter the mobile phone number to which the confirmation code will be sent;

Confirm your intention, enter the code from SMS;
Ready.

The virtual card allows you to receive and spend points through a QR code in the utility (you need to show it to the operator) or the NFC option (on devices that support the module).

The loyalty card is issued to Lukoil customers free of charge.