Description
Petrol cap won’t click or tighten Inspection
How this system works:
Your petrol cap is a very simple screw top lid. Unlike, say, a mason jar, the cap to your petrol tank has the threads rather than the tank itself. The purpose of the petrol cap is to keep the gas in your vehicle secure. Without a petrol cap, the petrol can slosh out of the tank or evaporate, and it is more prone to freak accidents that could cause fires, explosions, or internal damage to your vehicle.
Common reasons for this to happen:
There are four reasons why a petrol cap won’t click or tighten:
- Damaged petrol cap: A damaged petrol cap is far and away the most common culprit for a petrol cap that won’t click or tighten. Petrol caps with damaged threading won’t be able to lock tightly into the petrol tank. Sometimes you can see a crack or break in the petrol cap, but often the damage is not visible. Certain makes and models have notoriously finicky petrol caps, and some have even resulted in recalls.
- Damaged petrol tank threading: The petrol cap is part of a two-piece equation. There’s the petrol cap, with the outward threading, and the top of the petrol tank, with the track for the threading. If this track for the threading becomes damaged, the threading has nowhere to lock into, and the petrol cap won’t click or tighten.
- Dirty cap or tank: Everyone has accidentally tried to screw on the lid to a jar when something was caught in the threading. It simply won’t work. A petrol cap is no different; if there’s debris in the threading of the petrol cap, or in the tank’s track, the cap won’t screw on correctly.
- Broken spring load: Many petrol caps are spring loaded. These petrol caps rely on a spring that holds the cap in place when it is locked in. If this spring breaks or is damaged in any way, there will be no pressure holding the cap in place.
What to expect:
A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to determine the cause of the petrol cap that isn’t clicking or tightening, and will then provide a detailed inspection report that includes the scope and cost of the necessary repairs.
How it’s done:
A malfunctioning petrol cap is one of the most straightforward repairs in the automotive industry. A mechanic will assess your petrol cap and petrol tank and quickly determine the cause of the problem. After figuring out why the lid won’t click or tighten, the mechanic will clean, repair, or replace the component that is not working.
How important is this service?
A petrol cap isn’t the most vital part of your vehicle, but it should be in working condition. A properly working petrol cap is a safety measure and keeps debris from getting into your petrol tank. A petrol cap that won’t correctly tighten will often trigger the Check Engine warning light. If you don’t get the petrol cap replaced, the light will stay on, and you won’t be alerted if another, more severe issue arises.
