Occasionally you will run into Ford Capless Fuel Filler Problems. In fact, this is a common topic among Ford owners. Some owners just wish Ford would’ve never gotten rid of the old design while others couldn’t be happier.
Nonetheless, we’re here to discuss these issues and how you can get around them.
Moreover, we’ve made a short but useful guide on how you can replace the capless fuel neck filler in case yours went out of service.
Contents
How Does a Capless Fuel Filler Work?
In recent years, Ford has gotten rid of the cap inside the gas tank, replacing it with a capless fuel filler.
As the name suggests, there’s no cap on the gas tank.
If you open the fuel door, you’ll notice that there’s a little door halfway down. That little door will open when it senses the nozzle.
The main advantage of this new gas tank is that your hands won’t reek of gasoline.
However, this unique design has sort of raised concern among drivers. We often get asked, “what if somebody opens the fuel door and puts sand in there.”
Well, the engineers at Ford thought about this, and it’s pretty hard to open the flap without a nozzle.
For instance, it needs a hard metal to break through the door. So, bad guys will have a hard time messing with your vehicle.
We also recommend ford owners for upgrading coolant filtration system to follow our complete guide on it.
Top 5 Most Common Ford Capless Fuel Filler Issues And What to Do
As much as we love the capless fuel filler, it can be problematic sometimes.
That said, here are the most common problems with the capless filler and how you can fix them:
1. Check Engine Light Comes on
The infamous check engine light. We all hate it, but that’s one of the most common Ford capless gas tank problems.
Typically, one would assume that there’s something wrong with the engine.
But you could be looking at a few problems here. Something might have gone wrong with the transmission or the catalytic converter.
But we’ll assume that you’ve checked all those things and found nothing wrong with them.
Well, you might want to check the capless fuel filler. Here’s the thing, if debris builds up on the capless fuel filler area, the impurities won’t let the filler seal.
This is not as common as you might think, but it could very well be related to the check engine light.
Don’t worry, though. Getting rid of this inconvenient problem is a walk in the park. That said, follow these steps:
- Use compressed air and a funnel. After that, start blowing the capless fuel filler, and then grab your funnel.
- Once that’s done, put the funnel inside and then stick it out. From there, begin blowing the fuel filler again and then stick the funnel inside at least 30 times.
If you don’t have any of these tools, you could take the car to AutoZone and have them clear it.
Otherwise, do it yourself. It barely takes any time, and you’ll save some money.
2. Door Remains Slightly Open
Common Ford Capless Fuel Filler Problems include check engine light issues and codes.
But when there’s something wrong with it, you’re most likely to see the infamous “P0457” code on your car.
This code stands for evaporative emission control system leak. While this problem can happen for various reasons, we’ll assume that it’s related to the capless fuel filler system.
This is a common problem found on the capless fuel filler, and it’s always caused by excessive dirt stuck in the fuel nozzle door.
So, what can you do about this? Get some WD40, a funnel, and compressed air.
That said, follow these steps, and you’ll get rid of the P0457 code:
- Open the gas tank and then used compressed air to blow out any dirt. After that, spray some WD40 inside. Next up, take a funnel and stick it in and out. That way, you’ll get rid of any remaining impurity.
- Keep doing this about 30 times and make sure all the gunk is gone. Once that’s done, clean the inside using a rag
3. Gas Pump Stuck in Capless Fuel Tank
You probably never thought that someday the gas nozzle would get stuck inside the gas tank.
Don’t let it bother you, though. This is a common problem with the capless fuel filler.
A quick Google search will bring up hundreds of results talking about this annoying problem.
In many cases, you won’t be able to remove it on your own, and you might have to leave the nozzle inside. And as you might expect, you’ll have to pay for that.
So, if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, spin the gas line 180 degrees and then push in and out.
After a while, you should be able to pull it out. Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t pull too hard. If you do that, you might damage the flap.
Like we said, this is pretty common with the Ford capless fuel filler. Luckily, sometimes you can get around that.
4. Capless Tank Won’t Open
So, you were running low on gas and decided to go to your local gas station. However, for some strange reason, that flap won’t open even if you shove the nozzle in.
If you had this happened to you before, you should try another nozzle on your gas station.
Usually, the small nozzle won’t open the flap no matter how many times you try. This happens since the nozzle is not the correct size.
It’s insane how common this issue is. We’ve read hundreds of reports about this strange problem. But in many cases, trying out a full tip nozzle fixes the issue.
5. Damage Capless Fuel Filler
Problems with ford capless fuel filler are pretty common since it can get easily damaged.
If that happens, the inside of the gas tank will fill up with water every time it rains or when you wash the truck. Furthermore, debris might get inside.
To get around this annoying problem, you could get the old dust cap and put it on. For the low price of $5, you can purchase one.
Now, keep in mind that it has no rubber gasket or anything. It’s just a piece of metal you can put on the capless fuel filler.
This is just a temporal fix until you can go to the dealership and get it fixed. But for the time being, you’ll be OK.
DIY Guide: How to Replace Ford Capless Filler Neck
So, you’ve tried every method known to mankind to fix your capless fuel filler, but nothing seems to work.
Well, if that’s the case, you’re in the right place. Below, you’ll find how to replace your capless fuel filler:
1. What You Will Need
Replacing the ford capless fuel filler is somewhat easy. But you’ll still need a couple of tools. That said, get these tools:
- 8mm socket, a ratchet, and extension—get these tools to remove the mounting screws behind the “easy fuel” bezel.
- Flathead screwdriver or a body panel tool—to remove the plastic shroud on the gas tank, please get a screwdriver.
- Lubricating oil—you might need some lubricating oil to remove the hoses and some lines.
2. Remove The Fuel Filler Pocket
To install a Ford capless fuel filler replacement, start by removing the plastic shroud just above the fender well.
To do this, get a body panel tool and get underneath the plastic. Work your way around until you can get it off.
After that, you’ll notice a couple of mounting screws around the bezel, so go ahead and remove the little bezel plastic.
After that, remove the mounting screws using an 8mm socket. If you’re using an extension, be careful as you might hit the truck when doing this.
3. Get Underneath The Car
Here you have to crawl underneath the vehicle. Next up, find the main fuel line. A 6mm bolt is holding it together. So, go ahead get your 6mm socket.
But before removing the bolt, we suggest applying some lubricant on it as the bolt is probably pretty rusted. After that, get a pry bar and the pry on it to get it off.
4. Remove The Lines
After removing the main fuel line, take off the line at the rear of the fuel tank. Once that’s done, go to the top of the differential and remove the line.
From there, remove the line from the plastic canister and then unscrew the 13mm bolts holding the brackets together.
With that out of the way, find the connector holding the harness and then unplug it. It’s a little bit hard to remove, so it might take some time.
That being said, head over to the gas tank and reach your hand in there. If you look closer to the right, you’ll see a connector. Squeeze the two tabs on the wire, and then slide it down.
Once you’ve done that, you should be able to squeeze the capless filler neck and then put the new one back on.
Here’s a little tip before you put everything together: clean the lines. That’ll help you a lot in the long run.
That said, if you need help getting through this job, please refer to this YouTube video:
Ford Capless Fuel Filler Replacement Cost: What You Should Know
The capless fuel filler was designed to replace the cap fuel filler. Initially, it was meant to keep your hands clean and make your life easier.
However, many Ford owners would like to have a word with Ford about this design.
So, if you’ve thought about replacing it with a standard one, you might want to reconsider that.
You see, installing an aftermarket fuel filler that was not meant to be used on your vehicle might not be the brightest idea.
In many cases, you can get rid of most issues by cleaning the capless fuel filler. But if that doesn’t do the trick, you’ll have to replace the capless filler neck, which costs about $200.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The capless gas tank is an elementary but critical part of your vehicle. Therefore, you should know how it works. That said, here’s some helpful information about it:
Can you put a cap on a capless gas tank?
Yes, if you hate the capless gas tank, you could get a cheap cap tank and put it on top. This is pretty useful if your capless fuel filler got stuck open, and you can’t be bothered to get it fixed.
How do you put gas in a capless gas tank?
Open the gas tank and then grab the nozzle. After that, shove it in and make sure it goes through both flaps. From there, pull it out until it reaches what you paid for.
Can capless gas tanks get water?
Yes, water can get inside. But if you’ve got a healthy capless gas tank, it’s probably a small amount that won’t damage your car.
If you live in a snowy area, don’t worry about ice chunks floating inside the tank.
How do you open a capless gas tank?
First and foremost, open the fuel door by pressing the exposed tab. After that, find your easy fuel funnel, which should come with your vehicle. That said, grab the funnel and cram it in there.
Conclusion
Ford Capless Fuel Filler Problems are pretty common, but you shouldn’t give this new design a hard time.
The cap fuel filler system also has plenty of problems. For instance, the old design can come loose no matter how many times you tighten it.
Nonetheless, fixing most capless fuel filler problems can be easy — unless you have to replace the whole tube to get to the cap. But in many cases, cleaning it up is more than enough to get rid of the engine light.
Capless design is great if you live in the city – if you spend a lot of time driving the dusty roads of Montana, it’s a horrible idea. Fine dust gets into the gas tank – had to replace the fuel pump after just a few years. Engineers need to consider ALL driving conditions when coming up with a new and ‘improved’ design.
I have a capless filler on my 2017 Buick Invision. What a pain in the a–
While fueling nozzle got stuck. Later on another occasion when pulling nozzle out the top flapper came off the spring assembly and dropped down inside pocket. What a design. Looks pretty flimsy to me. Wound up pulling a plastic baggy over it to go on a planned trip.
First time I had a look at my capless fuel filler. My first thought was possibility of dirt or water. Does not look very positive to me. Outside flapper seal seems pretty flimsy for something that will be used as much as these will. Didn’t have my rig a month until while fueling, nozzle got stuck. Had quite a time pulling it out. Don’t know whether or not I damaged it? However on next fill up top flapper came off and fell down into filler pocket making it harder to insert nozzle. I don’t care too much about new fangled peice of engineering. More trouble than it’s worth. I go to dealership Wednesday for a complete new filler tube. Have been driving it with a couple of plastic baggies pulled over it to keep dirt and water out. Had this not been covered under warrantee cost would have been around seven hundred dollars according to dealership.