Can't Fill Up All The Way!

[bonno]

I just got my 2012 TDI SEL about 4 weeks ago. I Love It!! I never have had a diesel and have now filled it up twice. I can't seem to get it filled up all the way. I called two dealers and they did not know why. I have read about foaming and early shut off for diesel pumps. I just went yesterday to top it off and see if I could get more in. So when it shutoff I continued to fill up a few more times. That seemed to work. I can't believe the dealers did not know about this!

Anybody else have this same experience?

 

[abctdi]

Yes, diesel foams as it is pumped.
Are you saying your gage does not read full after a fillup?

 

[bonno]

Yes it does not read full. But on my last fill up, I continued to add more into the tank for a few iterations after the pump stopped and the gauge read full.

 

[wolfsburg_de]

I thought it was just me, but I had a similar problem at a Gulf station (2 different pumps). It eventually filled up but with lots of feathering, pulling the nozzle partway out, etc. I was planning to try a Sunoco at next fillup before I complained. Interestingly:

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/11q3/2012_volkswagen_passat_tdi_se-short_take_road_test

For unexplained reasons, our car’s fuel gauge showed one tick short of full after a fill-up

Here's where mine stopped:

After much persuasion (and double checking the reading with VCDS:

 

[abctdi]

My truck will take 4 more gallons after the pump stops (28-29 total). Mods to the tank will fix this I've read.
I hope this is not req'd for the new passat.
Is there a venting mod for the new ones like the older ones have?

 

[pb88]

My 2012 TDI SE does this too. The fuel pump will automatically stop but the gauge will only read 7/8 full. This was noticed by my dealer right away but it didn't bother me enough to stop from buying the car. When we went to the service department it seemed they knew about the problem (evidently only with 2012 Passat TDI, not other TDI's like Jettas). They did not/could not fix it, the reason I was given was that "there is not yet an official fix procedure from VW so we won't address it until there is".

Their "technical explanation" was that the gauge sensor was having trouble with the foaming fuel that gets pumped in. It's a bit of silly or BS excuse since there are million of diesel cars out in the world that don't this problem but anyway....They suggested trying to slowly pump the fuel in towards the end instead of letting it go full force. I haven't bothered doing so and it doesn't terribly bother me.

 

[skinnyb]

I thought I was the only one. I did as observed patiently keep feathering it in till I was pretty sure it was full and the gauge came on up toward full.


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[Ski in NC]

All diesel tanks foam up while filling, especially if the fuel comes out of the nozzle at high velocity. The nozzle trips as soon as it senses foam. Once nozzle clicks off, go check your oil or whatever and in about 30 sec the foam settles out. Then continue filling at reduced flow and tank will then be mostly full. Been this way with diesel forever.

 

[MyAvocation]

Just wait until winter, when foam takes 2x longer (northern climates, at least).

 

[740GLE]

Adding a shot of you're favorite additve will help keep foam at a minimum, also fill the entire tank on the lowest setting (it'll add 5 min more), then feather in fuel till you see it clear in the filler neck letting foam settle as you fill.

If someone wants to run their tank down to 10 miles till empty then do a complete high speed fill with foam, that'd be the test, see if infact you're filling the top of the tank with 2 gallons of foam that will shut off the nozzle early.

Someone post a pic of the filler neck, we can compare it to the mk5 and mk6 see if we need to go back ventectomizing these guys.

 

[physicshogon]

Yeah I have the same problem, although mine usually stops at the tick mark just before full. This DEFINITELY isn't a "foaming issue" b/c none of the previous model TDIs have this problem. It's a problem that I'm sure VW is bound to fix via recall in the future.

 

[Daily Diesel]

My Dealer is aware.....

The guys at North Penn VW are aware.... they said VW is working on it and they will fix it at my 10K service if they have figured it out by then...Here is the best I could do. .

 

[TomB]

The question is how many gallons are you able to put in? If you run until the fill up light comes on how many does it take?

These are 18.5 gallon tanks, the light usually comes on with 1 gallon remaining, so please do the math and let us know.

It is one thing to not report accurately and another not to fill properly and the quantity specified.

 

[wolfsburg_de]

The question is how many gallons are you able to put in? If you run until the fill up light comes on how many does it take?

These are 18.5 gallon tanks, the light usually comes on with 1 gallon remaining, so please do the math and let us know.

It is one thing to not report accurately and another not to fill properly and the quantity specified.

You can check the fuel level in liters in advanced measuring values in the instrument cluster using VCDS. Full should be close to 70L. When I had trouble filling up, it only showed 60L and about 3/4 on the gauge. After much persuasion at the pump (until fuel was literally visible in the neck) followed by some spirited driving, it showed full on the needle and 67 liters. I'm confident that the problem is not related to the sender or the gauge but rather the design of he filler neck and/or the fuel tank itself, leading to excessive foaming or air bubbles or both.

 

[Trooper81]

If you put your finger on the little hole at the end of the nozzel (it's either on the side or underneath) while your filling you'll see the diesel will come out FOAM free. It's a simple way to top up at the end without having to feather it.

 

[abctdi]

When I tried that, I got 2 things;
stink finger and pump shutoff

 

[Trooper81]

I've had that happen before, i guess it depends on what pump, i usually let it fill until it clicks, at that point i Hold my finger over the hold and give it a half squirt until i fill it to brim. Works most of the time. Some fuel stations nozzles do shut off.

 

[TomB]

You can check the fuel level in liters in advanced measuring values in the instrument cluster using VCDS. Full should be close to 70L. When I had trouble filling up, it only showed 60L and about 3/4 on the gauge. After much persuasion at the pump (until fuel was literally visible in the neck) followed by some spirited driving, it showed full on the needle and 67 liters. I'm confident that the problem is not related to the sender or the gauge but rather the design of he filler neck and/or the fuel tank itself, leading to excessive foaming or air bubbles or both.

That is worse. At least if it was just a sensor calibration for the fix that is one thing, but actually not being able to put the volume of fuel in there is another whole can of worms.

 

[wolfsburg_de]

That is worse. At least if it was just a sensor calibration for the fix that is one thing, but actually not being able to put the volume of fuel in there is another whole can of worms.

Agreed. Hope I'm wrong somehow - maybe there is a hidden vent or something

 

[740GLE]

Could you snap a pic of the filler neck so we can compare to the Jettas/Golfs?

Also what's the most you've put in the tank? Have you tried to get 800 miles yet?

 

[abctdi]

+1 on ^, and what language do you want to learn?

 

[740GLE]

that was a google translation of a chinese release about the new passat, i couldn't resist.

 

[abctdi]

I was refering to the commercial where after driving a full tank, the 2 guys spoke another language fluently...but your signature is also funny.

 

[physicshogon]

Does anyone know if you can "vent" the fuel tank on the 2012 Passat TDI?

 

[MyAvocation]

Not yet. So far the belief is venting ended with introduction of the MKV.
The bigger question is exactly how large is the 18½ gal tank, and how much 'reserve' after low fuel warning.

 

[pb88]

Today I pumped some fuel until the pump stopped by itself. I then waited 2-3 minutes then slowly pumped some fuel in. A little more than a gallon went in (about 1.3 gallons) then some fuel started leaking out of the tank spout which is when I stopped.

After all that, the fuel gauge read 1 tick mark below full. So I am pretty sure the tank was maxed out and the whole "foaming fuel floating on top" theory being the issue is bull****.

 

[wolfsburg_de]

Today I pumped some fuel until the pump stopped by itself. I then waited 2-3 minutes then slowly pumped some fuel in. A little more than a gallon went in (about 1.3 gallons) then some fuel started leaking out of the tank spout which is when I stopped.

After all that, the fuel gauge read 1 tick mark below full. So I am pretty sure the tank was maxed out and the whole "foaming fuel floating on top" theory being the issue is bull****.

Did you drive around for a bit afterward? After filling mine til fuel was visible in the tube, my gauge still read slightly less than full. Some *ahem* spirited driving later, it showed completely full.

 

[pb88]

yes I drove quite a bit. I filled up in the morning and had a whole day's commute. It never moved higher than one tick mark below full.

 

[darrelld]

Same problem here, fuel pump stops and gauge reads 7/8 full.

Valero station.

 

[Kchorro]

I just filled my first tank. The other tank was filled by the dealer and I dont know how many gallons they pured on the tank. I did filled on. Chevron gas station. It took 15,5 gallons.
It filled complety and the gauge marked totally full.
I did not have problems with foam...
With the dealer first tank drove about 480 street miles.. Im hoping t get more than 500 miles with my filled tank..