American woman pulls up to gas station to find out if it’s a myth to have to turn your car off while pumping gas
- An American woman has queried turning the engine off while pumping gas
- Its a long-standing practice dating back to the early days of motoring
- Some believe it’s now a myth, while others firmly believe in the practice
Published on Feb 25, 2025 at 3:02 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Feb 25, 2025 at 4:25 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
An American woman went to a gas station to find out if it was a myth that you needed to turn your engine off while you refueled your car.
We’ve all heard over the years that we must turn off our car’s engine when we pump gas.
Natalie Benson posted a video of her experience on her TikTok account, which has over three million views.
In her video, Benson (notnataliejbenson) asks viewers if they are on her side or her husband’s, who believed it was a myth.
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Turning off the car while pumping gas was once crucial
While some might be confused about it today, turning the car’s engine off when pumping gas was incredibly important.
The idea was to minimize the risk of igniting the highly flammable gasoline vapors.
A running engine is much more prone to this due to sparks from the ignition system or even heat from the exhaust.
Shutting off the engine massively reduces the chances of any of these ignition sources becoming a problem.
@notnataliejbenson Do you turn your car off while getting gas?
♬ original sound – Natalie Benson
Many industry experts still believe that this is an important measure.
Modern cars, of course, still produce heat and electricity when left running while stationary.
The vapors can still ignite, and pumping gas with the engine on could cause issues with the car’s evaporative emission control system (EVAP).
The TikTok woman believed in turning the engine off during a refuel
Naturally, the TikTok video led to split opinions from those watching.
“Do they turn it off in NASCAR? Then I don’t either,” referring to how the engine stays on while the cars are refueled in NASCAR and, indeed, IndyCar.
Someone who worked at a gas station also added to the debate.
They replied, “Hi! I work at a gas station. Our training videos show us cars catching on fire from being left on while fueling. I hope this helps!”
It’s clear there are differing views on what to do.
But maybe it’s better to play it safe and keep the engine off while you refuel your car.
Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
