Is it dangerous to leave car running while pumping gas?
 

My whole life (I'm almost 40) I've always shut off the engine while filling up at both self or full serve stations.
This summer it's been super hot and humid and a couple of times I've left the engine running.
Should I stop doing this??

By law you should. But......

It's against the law for a reason.

I usually abide by laws, but in this case I'm a scofflaw...in the heat of the AZ summer.
Leave eng. running with A/C on when my pup is with me.

I shut it off and take the keys with me. There often are sketchy characters hanging around these convenience store gas pumps and you never know how desperate they might be, such as jump in and drive off while you are not paying attention (with your kids or dog).

Even in AZ (where I live) you're parked in the shade of the station's pumps and the AC is off for five minutes or less. Big deal. Oh - it's against the law.

Can't believe people are that sensitive to a few moments of heat.

The risk is very very small. Where I live it is pretty common to leave your car running in the winter. I have never heard of a fire being caused by a running car.

The Summer heat I usually endure, and shut off the car, and hang out watching the pump. For those of you who have never felt a wind driven snow in sub-zero temperatures, that finds every exposed patch of skin, it's almost unbearable. I don't alway shut the car off in the brutal Winter months, but there is no hanging out watching the pump while being assaulted by old man Winter.

It's the idiots with cigarettes dangling from their lips as they fill their tank that irritate me.

The one I can't figure out is why so many women get back into the car while the gas pump goes. I see it all the time, in all kinds of weather.

That,s illegal here too,. Also static electric spark from sliding over the seat causes some of the refueling fires.
Biggest fire I ever witnessed was a static triggered refueling accident at Toronto airport .The blast and fire destroyed a DC8 (and it wasn,t even running at the time)

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm not planning on making a habit of this but it's good to hear the risks are low and I'm not the only one. In Japan they do not have the type of pumps that you can lock in the on position. I'm standing with my hand holding the trigger the entire time and not leaving the pump.

They don't have those up here anymore either; pretty torturous in the winter.

OK... Some rules I live by.

I lock the car before I go inside to pay. We also have to hold down the trigger to get fuel.
I try to fill my car during daylight hours avoiding issues like wind and cold.

AND I don't fill up the car when I have kids, pets or anyone else inside. No exceptions.

I pay at the pump...never leave the pump/vehicle.

In that kind of weather, there's a lot less fumes, and assuming it's that windy, they aren't sticking around. It's probably much, much less dangerous than in the summer.

Instant CEL.

It's only a few minutes, shut the car off.

rjp

Pay at the pump and leaving it running during hot and cold weather.

Same reason when you are in a long line at the grocery store a lady will wait until all her food is scanned and bagged... then dig in her purse to pull out her wallet and then dig in her wallet to pay.

Gotta love um... can't give sheep the vote.

Diesel locks on here. Gasoline requires a tennis ball under the trigger.

I leave my car running, I do not leave the nozzle locked on and unattended.