Fuel cap to prevent theft of diesel from car

Posted 26th Jul 2022 (Posted 22 h, 48 m ago)

Just found the fuel flap on the car open. Nothing was stolen as tank was almost empty anyway.

But a bit paranoid now. Are there are security measures worth taking that don't include a dashcam? Do fuel cap locks actually work?

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22 h, 39 m ago
Do they work? Well a determined thief would be able to defeat it, however it makes it more hassle so more likely they would move on to the next car. However most "gasoline theft" is completed by drilling into the fuel tank so it wouldn't matter what lock you put on the cap or flap! I recall seeing a documentary about this happening in Eastern Europe back in the 50s... Was it during the Hungarian Revolution?
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22 h, 37 m ago
Ah, I assumed they would use a siphon to drain the fuel.
22 h, 32 m ago
You might have just forgot to close the cap, I see it all the time. Some cars even say you've left it open.
Your cap should lock and unlock when you open the doors, or you'll have a manual release inside the car.
If somebody's going to nick fuel they'll do it from a big lorry or tanker
22 h, 16 m ago
Replying to
It should! Go lock the car then try opening it. The ones that don't lock themselves are the ones you put a key in to unlock.
My mams cars 14 years old and to open you pull the leaver on the floor
22 h, 28 m ago
If they were attempting to steal your fuel wouldn't the would be thieves simply cut the fuel line?
22 h, 17 m ago
Replying to
It's one of the ways it can be done .Used to happen to neighbours work's van.
22 h, 45 m ago
What kind of car (make, model and year) do you have?
Author
22 h, 41 m ago
2012 Hyundai i30
21 h, 29 m ago
I didn’t think you could siphon fuel these days, and instead they just put a container under the car and cut you tank or lines to it.
18 h, 46 m ago
I may well be wrong, but I thought that most cars made this century had some sort of anti-syphon feature to stop you putting a tube down through the filler cap into the tank to syphon off fuel.
21 h, 2 m ago
Fill it with petrol, that will teach them!
21 h, 59 m ago
I don't think you can siphon from car fuel tanks. They're all anti siphon afaik
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20 h, 29 m ago
The jury is out on whether fuel can be siphoned from the fuel pump. Any one able to shed light?
11 h, 42 m ago
No you can't.
11 h, 42 m ago
You can't siphon modern cars fuel so need not worry
1 m ago
I never knew this!
I always thought it a step backwards when they stopped doing locking fuel caps
11 h, 33 m ago
Easy enough to pull pipe/s off fuel tank or even just stab the fuel tank to drain the fuel. Most fuel tanks are plastic these days too making it even easier etc. If someone wants the fuel they will get it.
11 h, 10 m ago
Most fuel flaps being open are just accidental, if it doesn't click home then it can just pop open while driving (or when you lock the car). You don't tend to look at them that often so it could have been like that for a while. I wouldn't worry about it, as said plastic tanks and pipes that are highly accessible are much easier, quicker and quieter to attack.