Nogee

I pulled in to get some gas, the 450h was not bone dry but nearing empty. I put the pump handle on automatic and went into the cashier to purchase something. When I came out, the pump handle had clicked off and I squeezed in a few more splashes to top off the tank. When I replaced the handle into the pump I notice that the pump said 22 gallons! I read that the capacity for the 450h was 17.1 gallons.
The station owner said that the pumps were recently inspected and that I should contact the regulatory body so I did providing my receipt showing the details of the sale. I filed a formal complaint and received a phone call from the county (in California). The pump was operating correctly and sometimes with the evaporation feature of automobile gas tanks, they can actually accept more gas. I asked "Nearly 30% more than capacity!?!" I asked "What if the gas station is "stealing" from its customers?" No response.

I am thoroughly confounded by this situation. Any feedback on their reasoning on how the tank can accept so much gas? Any other recourse?

Thanks for listening

lexnewbi

I have never been able to fill-up past 16 gallons, its usually around 15-15.5 gallons when I fill-up after receiving the notice that I was low on gas. Car manufacturers usually allow 2 gallons of reserve when the fuel gauge marks empty.

JSracer

zero chance it took 22 gallons, Zero , and topping off the tank is not a good thing to do,
i got 16 or 17 one time, drove 50 miles where my countdown got down to single digits with the light on, still had gas to go more miles.

VroomZoom

While you were inside buying something someone might have "borrowed" 5 or 6 gallons for the lawnmower!

gamma742

Forget the Lawnmower.. When parked on the opposite side, that joker shutoff his pump and grab yours and finished filling his tank then continued filling yours and ran off before you returned. Just because you are on one side of the pump, that doesn't stop the hose from reaching the other side to his filler tank.

riredale

Either the pump is miscalibrated or someone took some fuel. On my 2010 RX450h I take 15 gallons when the needle is on E. Two gallons still in there.