Okay, for the first time perhaps ever, I forgot to shut off my car while pumping gas. My question is, how bad is that if it only happened just this once time? To make matters worse, the pump stopped working for a second so I took the nozzle out a little and it was pouring out so I shoved it back in. All the while I had no idea my car was running cause hondas are so quiet. All new cars are quiet. I'm just wondering what I would have to expect if something were to go wrong. If it were to catch fire, where would it catch fire, and would i be able to tell immediately? Once I pull away and get to work, is it safe to say it's okay or could something happen spontaneously out of nowhere? I'm nervous now because it truly is the first time I've ever forgotton. Is it just a precaution or is it a certainty that it might be dangerous? I know nothing about this and never thought I'd have to ask, but I definitely forgot to shut off my car this time. I never really knew why we had to shut our cars off. I can see the potential for danger if I was pouring the gas all over my car. I'm guessing it's mostly for liability in case something rare happens? I can't imagine that I'm the only one that has forgotten before. Some people do it on purpose.

Just wondering, thank you.

 

No harm done, just don't make it a habit.

 

I believe the only reason to do it is so that the heat from the engine/exhaust does not ignite the gas fumes and cause everything to go boom. I live in Minnesota and during the winter tons of people leave their cars running while they pump gas. Not the brightest of ideas. It's the same reason why they don't want you to get back in your car or talk on your cell phone while pumping. They don't want a stray spark to ignite and blow the place up. I don't think that any mechanical harm can be done by pumping gas with the engine on.

 

It's the risk of setting yourself on fire. Technically, you should shut off the car so there's no electrical activity at all. (Girlfriend listening to the stereo...) But that's almost too ****. Since you didn't explode, you must have gotten away with it. This time...

 

also depending on the year the chk engine lite will come on cause you removed the gas cap while car was running