<p>One of my kids thinks that somebody pumped gas from our car. With the price of gas, some people may be desperate enough to do this. So, question #1: Has anybody had this done? Question #2: Does anybody have a locking gas cap, and if so, is this a pain to deal with? And, what if you lose the key?!</p>
<p>[Motorists</a> keep their gas under lock and key - May. 29, 2008](<a href=“Motorists keep their gas under lock and key - May. 29, 2008”>Motorists keep their gas under lock and key - May. 29, 2008)</p>
<p>works fine</p>
<p>They usually give you more than one key so don’t get down to empty.</p>
<p>You can try your dealer’s auto parts department to see what they charge for a locking gas cap. Or you can call your local autoparts place.</p>
<p>The worst case is where thieves drill a hole into your gas tank and drain it into a container. Leaves you with a huge repair bill. Usually only happens to SUVs and pickup trucks as cars usually don’t have enough space to get under to do this.</p>
<p>yes- I don’t know why I didn’t do it before but with gas $4.50 a gal, I finally got a locking gas cap. ( I also keep it on my key ring)</p>
<p>I put one on a year or so ago. It came with two keys so one for me and one for my son (who is the other driver of this car). We simply keep it on the same key ring as the car keys…</p>
<p>It is becoming more frequent. Aftermarket locking gas caps are available. They come with 2 keys. Keep one on the ring with the car keys, one in the glovebox on a LARGE good keychain. Something big enough to been seen easily in the glove compartment. (This is assuming of course, the car is locked.)</p>
<p>If it’s a multiuse vehicle and everybody in the household has their own set of keys, just have extras made (preferably at a locksmith as the hardware/convenience store key blanks are of lighter metal and guage, and are prone to premature wear and breaking).</p>
<p>Are there obvious signs it was siphoned, and not a potential fuel pump (if engine block rather thank tank mounted) or gas line leak? Is there a gas smell when the car is parked overnight, or a small discolored puddle under the car in the morning? If it’s an older model car, it’s conceivable the gas guage or sending unit is acting up abd not registering accurately.</p>
<p>They’re also stealing catalytic converters (precious metal content) and selling them for scrap; 12 in our area a week ago. Takes a minute or two with a cordless reciprocating saw.</p>
<p>Keep one key inside the glove compartment and there will always be a key with the car when you need to add fuel.</p>
<p>After reading the article above, posted by alipes07, I’m reluctant to get the locking gas cap. It says that the gas cap can be removed with a pair of pliers and also that it is possible to drill directly into your gas tank.</p>
<p>violadad: I will keep an eye out to make sure that there is not a mechanical problem with the car, but I’m pretty sure there isn’t. Thanks for the idea.</p>
<p>my cousin actually took the gas that was supposed to go in the lawn mower (paid for by my aunt) and put it in his car</p>
<p>sonssecty:</p>
<p>Even though there are other ways to get your gas or possibly defeat the locking gas cap, the locking gas cap might be enough to make the thieves just move on to the next easier to drain car. It’s kind of the same as locking your car in the first place, locking your house, etc. - a determined thief can still break in but it’s a deterrent.</p>
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<p>A replacement gas tank installed will run $400 to $1000 or more, depending on the vehicle. If the vehicle has a high ground clearance, drilling into it is far easier than a low to the ground model. You have to consider if it’s worth losing a tank or two of gas, or a gas tank or two.</p>
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<p>True, but if a thief is that desperate to get your gas, whats stopping him/her from simply stealing your car? Or the wheels/tires/antenna/undercarriage metal for that matter?</p>
<p>ucsd<em>ucla</em>dad makes a very good point, as well.</p>
<p>In our neighborhood, the gas thefts have been happening to RVs, not passenger cars.</p>
<p>fwiw, you can’t syphon gas out of most newer cars</p>
<p>In the 70s I had a Gremlin (don’t laugh . . . I loved it!!!) which came with a very cool (I thought!) gas cap - it was big and round with a Gremlin on it! Someone stole it so I got a locking version of it. Came in handy during the gas crisis when gas was being stolen all over town (Chicago). I don’t have one now but to pop the gas tank cover, I need to press a button in my car so I guess it’s pretty much the same thing.</p>
<p>Too bad we have to worry about such things!</p>
<p>You can do what I do, and drive around almost empty all the time.</p>
<p>diesel - thanks for mentioning that. I was beginning to think I made up a conversation I had with our auto service shop a few years ago. My gas gauge was acting up, and my needle was showing a 1/2 empty tank when I’d just filled up 30 miles previously. I called them one day in a panic (wondering if there was a leak in the tank) and posed the possibility of someone siphoning gas; they told me it can’t be done in most cars these days. So I took the car in and it was a needle issue.</p>
<p>I got gas stolen from my tank (and a nice dent in the corner besides) while my car was in an airport parking lot over a weekend a couple of years ago - apparently security was looking the other way (or was even in on it). Wasn’t even a long term lot…I would never use one of those. That’s what I get for driving an older car I guess.</p>
<p>All 3 of our cars require that you open the gas cover from a lever next to the front seat. Our oldest car is from 1997. I thought all cars were this way now…</p>
<p>I had my gas siphoned way back in the 1980’s when I was in college. What really ticked me was that this car had the gas cap under the license plate, and they used the gas cap to prop open the license plate and left it there, which meant the little light next to the gas cap stayed on… and it drained my battery. So I had to get a jump start AND a can of gas to move my car. Double-whammy.</p>
<p>Not a problem, can’t afford to put gas in vehicle.</p>