I've know about mine; just never use it. Never figured out an advantage difference between putting it in the slot over letting it dangle by the tether.

I use it all the time.

I never knew and I had a crv for 10 yrs

And if you don't have the cap screwed on correctly your check engine light will come on. I know, my mechanic told me when I took it in for service--because of the engine light was on.

I use mine every time I get gas. If you let it hang down by the tether it could scratch your car and if it doesn't have a tether you could set you gas cap on the car or gas pump while you're getting gas and then forget about it and drive off. It is a good thing lol

I know it's there but I don't use it. I'm lazy.

Yes, I know about it. My 1984 Olds Cutlass was the last car that didn't. It still had the gas fill behind the license plate.

My 2014 Ford Escape has nothing! Just a rubber flap. Nothing to unscrew, just put the hose in and done.

My current car and previous car are both capless but i didnt know about those cap holders. Sheesh, I'm always a day late....

Have always used it except when the trigger lock on the pump is broken or missing. Then I use my cap as a trigger lock so I don't have to stand there holding the nozzle during the fill.

Many cars have had them since about the mid 80s. The plastic lanyard is a relatively new thing that sort of makes the cap holder obsolete.

Same as dedtired. I know it but usually don't bother with it.

However, I don't think that the plastic lanyard makes the cap holder obsolete. The cap holder prevents the cap from hitting the car, which could damage the paint.

Oh, watch me, that is such a GREAT idea... never thought of it on my own... but I shall try to remember! ;)

Moni

My Ford doesn't have a gas cap.

And if you're in an unfamiliar car and need to get gas... find the little icon on dash to determine what side you fill from. A loose gas cap is one of the most frequent "suspects" when your Check Engine light comes on.

Gas cap holder? Really? Do Jeeps have them?

Mine's on a tether which I use because the cap itself is surrounded in plastic and so will not damage the paint. With our old car DH left the cap behind at the petrol station on more than one occasion :-( The owner had a box full of left behind caps you could fossick through until you found one that would fit :-)

Not allowed to pump our own gas in Oregon, so never had an opportunity to learn.

I've got the cap holder.

If you use your cap to hold the trigger for the pump, be very careful. Look away for a minute and you could have your shoes filled with gas! I used to do it, but stopped, I want to see my grandkids grow up!

And if you screw on your gas cap too tight (was told that was the cause), you can crack some internal connector part that costs an outrageous amount to replace, due to everything that needs to be removed just to replace the relatively inexpensive part.

Apparently laproscopic surgery has not made it to auto repairs yet.

A gas cap holder is common. I have one on my 1998 Jeep and on most of the cars I owned since then. A few did not work well. Its a nice feature.

There is something else interesting about modern gas caps. The cap design changed when auto went to a closed fuel tanks system. These caps have a one way valve in them, sometimes called the 'duck bill valve' due ti tis shape. Its a one-way vent that lets air into the tank but is closes to and air or vapors trying to get out.. Don;t worry; the gas tank will not burst in hot weather. There are other places i the system for the vapor to go. Excessive vapors can escape through a charcoal canister were the fuel vapors are absorbed and cleaned air exits. While driving, this canister get purged and readied for the next load.

Older gas caps had a simple vent in them, a small hole, and excess fuel vapors merely vented to the atmosphere. If you should put an older cap on a newer car, the system detects that the tank can not be pressurized and turns on a trouble lamp. If its a nice system, it might say 'gas cap' instead of the no-information check engine. Also, some systems switche to a run-home mode and engine performance suffers until the cap is corrected. The same thing happens if a proper cap is too loose.

mdln, thanks for the laugh about laproscopic surgery :-)

Speaking of "who knew this". Did you ever get aggravated because rolls of foil or plastic wrap keep falling out of the box? Did you know that if you look on the ends of the box there are perforated semi-circles that you push inward? They push into the center of the hollow roll and hold it in place. Nearly every brand has this. How long have they been there? Decades.

Did not know. Since they all are tethered don't see the "need", and no NEVER has the dangling cap scratched the car. Just checked my foil/plastic wrap stash. I have three different brands depending on the product and only one--the foil has this semi circle. I will need to get a flat head screw driver to 'push' them in I broke a nail trying!!

I always use mine. Plus, if I am filling another's car, there is an arrow pointing (at the gas gauge) to the side of the car that has the car is to be filled on. Then, you won't pull up to the wrong side.

One more, when filling your own tank, be aware of the safety turnoff on the pump. My friend was filling her car and the hose sprung a rather large leak. She had no idea what to do.

Sail Away... seems you in Oregon and we in NJ are about the only ones not allowed to pump our own. I have very few occasions when I have to pump my own... usually becomes a reading lesson to remind me HOW to do it?!? Colleenoz... "fossick".. interesting word... from context, figured it meant what I would call "rummage"?? Thinking most people just put cap anywhere it would stay put... then sometimes just drive off without it?!?

Gas caps were not "secured" on many cars until after the gas "crisis" of the 70's. Many (many even most) gas caps were just there... open the flap or move the license plate, et voila. When people had to go the whole odd/even thing for purchasing gas... gas started getting siphoned off during dark of night. Then auto parts stores were flooded with people buying locking gas caps. Anybody remember handing keys to gas cap to station attendant?

Yes, "rummage" would be a reasonable synonym for "fossick", but with "fossick" there's the implication you'll find something worth having. "Fossicking" is what you do when you're a rock hunter looking for valuable metals, precious or semi-precious stones.

Didn't know that. My current truck's "gas cap" is held on with a strip of plastic.

I do remember the locking gas caps we used to prevent theft but we were already pumping our own by the gas shortage in the seventies.

KathyG If the nozzle is set correctly into the fill tube it's not going to pop out due to a kick off. I've been pumping my own gas for 40 some years and the only gas I have ever dripped was when the moron behind me left gas in the filler neck probably trying to top off and replaced the nozzle incorrectly without being sure it was empty.

I have to admit that it wasn't until 6 months or so ago that I was pumping my gas and just happened to want to clean around the gas cap door. Only then did I notice the cap holder! Sometimes I use it, sometimes it's hard to position it in the spot correctly. (And twice this month, I did start to drive away with the gas cap dangling! If I recall correctly, both times it was raining and I was about to get on the highway to go to work -- so distracted lately!) I need my own personal angel to tap me on the shoulder and say "WAKE UP!" -- or give me a good, swift kick!

I knew this, but all the Sam's where I've ever gotten gas -- NO ONE pumps your gas or cleans your windshield!

LOL Pudgeder, It was a surprise to me too, but every time I go there, there is older men that love to help out at the pump.

I use mine all the time. My gas cap doesnt have the little tether thing so I use the holder instead of sitting the gas cap on my car

I have never put gas in a car.

Sue

Ok, I'm truly intrigued Marilyn: Do you ride a horse, a bicycle, walk, or ??? Why don't you put gas in a car? Or is it that you put gas in a truck, but not a car?

I have never driven a car in my life. I could drive a horse if I had one!

Sue

Cant pump your own gas in NJ or Oregon? That seems so bizarre to me....whats the reason behind it?

My last 2-3 cars have had a place to park the gas cap, even though it is tethered.

LOL, when we visited Oregon for the first time last summer, we were surprised when we tried to fill up, an attendant came running out to pump our gas, and waved us off. Scared DH to death. I'd also like to know the reason why. We figured it's a 'jobs for more people' thing in a mostly-liberal state.

My current vehicle is the first one to have the holder in the door. Was pretty obvious to me when I first opened it as it its purpose. It also has the plastic strap but letting it hang can also let gas get on the paint. Not a lot so it's not a critical thing to do but it will keep the cap out of the way of the nozzle.

To say that a properly inserted nozzle cannot come out is wrong. I was in the gasoline business a lot of years and pressure can force the nozzle to shake and jump. One time filling my car I saw it jumping and working its way out. I ran to and got my hand about a foot away from it and the nozzle shot out, I caught it but it was still dispensing fuel at full force pushing my hand back and it shot gas right into my face.

Also, most of today's pumps don't have the traditional shutoff switch/lever for you to pump gas. They're moving to electronic. When you remove the nozzle it trips the switch and when you put the nozzle back into the holder it shuts the pump down so you can't do the little lift the hose and drain the couple tablespoons of gas from the nozzle and hose thinking you're getting way more gas.

Most people argue that the ban in NJ was from corruption. Supposedly the initiators claimed it was safer to not allow people to dispense their own gasoline. (In many cases that is true from what I've seen.) I never liked it because I saw too many attempts to rip people off by the dispensers of gas back when full or mini serve were offered.

Occasionally, but rarely, will Sam's Club pump gas for you. They have an attendant on duty and us cripples can make them pump it for us (as at most any station - that's law, certain rules apply) but mostly when they'll pump it, it's optional and a promotion type thing. They're usually pushing their credit card and things. I never take advantage of having someone pump gas for me. I don't mind filling the tank unless it's extremely cold or extremely hot and I try not to fill with gas when it's too hot anyway.

One little tidbit which many people don't know, if a tank overflows, the shutoff doesn't shutoff or whatever, it's the responsibility (in this state) of the person dispensing the gas. Usually stations will take care of the cleanup and if necessary notification of the EPA but they can charge the customer for it if it's excessive. At least the idiots driving off with the nozzle in the tank has died down. That used to be real common.

Oh, and something I didn't know until just a few years ago: The exit number signs on freeway/interstates will tell you if it's left, right or middle exit by the location on the sign on the related sign. If it is on the left side, it's left exit, right side it's right exit, etc. Example of a left exit:

Back in the day when we had full service they set the nozzle and went about the business of washing windows, checking oil, even adding air to the tires while the tank filled. People sat in their cars and smoked while all this was going on. Nothing blew up.

When I was a kid the go to place for us underage kids was to the gas station across the street from the high school where we would buy our smokes from the machine and stand around smoking with the rest of the crew.

A gasoline spill is only flammable until it evaporates. The fumes are flammable not the liquid itself. Gas ignites because their is always a slight layer of fumes above it. To have a fire you need, oxygen, fuel and ignition. A puddle of gas isn't going to spontaneously combust on it's own. You aren't going to blow up the gas station. Actually when mechanics spill a bit of gas they will sometimes just intentionally light it to burn it off. Problem solved.

Now we live with the fear of "what-ifs" with even something basic as pumping gas.

Cynic- I didn't know that about the road signs!

Good to know!

In Maine, ALL exits are on the right, lol!

To klseiverd:

Yes, I remember locking gas caps. I have an old one laying in my garage right now. I think it was bought in the 1960s. Those went out of favor as quickly and they came into favor. The hazard with those is loosing the key, or finding yourself miles from home, low on fuel, and discovering when you pull up the gas pump that the key to the gas cap is at home. If you use a locking cap, you should also carry an extra key and have another key stored somewhere in your vehicle, but not stored in the glove box. I stopped using my locking cap for the reason above. I was happy when cover flaps over the caps appeared that were released from inside the car. The release on these are cable operated that have shown good reliability. However, there is a potential for a broken or frozen cable.