When filling the tank, it CONSISTENTLY shuts off the pump at 2 to 4 gallons before the tank is full. At that point, it will shut off every 1/10 gallon until it really IS full. Once or twice I had to do that for a full tank, starting after a couple gallons went in.

This is not a new thing, the S10 I had before also did the exact same thing, even to it being about 2 to 2.5 gallons after shutoff.

Anyone else noticed this? Several S10 owners mentioned it when I asked back 20 years ago after I bought that truck. Seems odd that two trucks of different manufacturers would have the same problem.

 

What makes you think it's not full on that first shut off ?

Is it just because you can keep adding fuel slowly and filling the filler pipe with fuel.

 

No, it is also because the listed gas capacity is consistent with what gets added to get to what appears to be the actual "full" point.

That is also the exact same situation that the S10 had.

In any case, when I drove to to pretty much empty, I know darn well that it was not "full" after adding 3 gallons. Nor after 3.1 gallons, 3.2 gallons, etc.

If it holds 19, and it shuts off at 13 when filling a basically empty tank, it;'s a good bet that the pipe does not hold 6 gallons....... Nope, there is certainly something going on.

 

How do you know it's empty ?, gauges are not accurate.

My truck has a 19 gallon tank also, gauge at empty, yellow low fuel light is on, I can only get 14 gallons into it.

If I really push it and put another 40 miles on after the light comes on, I can add 17.5 gallons. I suppose if I ran it out of fuel I could get all 19. But I'm not going to chance it.

 

I know what you are saying......

But, it is the same situation with the two trucks, and it does not make sense with how the fill nozzle works, nor does it agree with the listed capacity.

I have run the Ranger down to about 35 miles to empty, as shown on the gage and display. I agree that they may be "off" by a bit. However the "empty light had been on for a while, it was not a case of it just coming on. If the 32 miles to empty was correct, then it would have been around 2 gallons left, given that some is not accessible since the pump likely does not pull from the true bottom.

So, when the shutoff occurred, I had put in about 14 gallons...... There are a bunch of cross-checks that all agree about the true capacity and the level of fuel that is in the tank at the advertised capacity. The fuel filler system clearly shuts off before the tank is full. Sometimes ridiculously early, like after 3 or 4 gallons go in on a nearly dry-empty tank.

Point #1) It is doubtful that there was an intended "cushion" of 4 gallons.... which would be nearly 100 miles range.

Point #2) I put in about 3 more gallons after shutoff, to a total of 17 gallons, which makes it up to about the expected 19 gallons less 2.

Point #3) The range on a tank agrees with this, since the thing had gone about 410 miles on that tank, one would expect about 440 to 460 miles based on the capacity and mileage. The 24 mpg x 19 gallons is 456 miles, perhaps a bit less because not all the fuel is reachable. So the gallons and range agree.

Point #4) The filling the last bit is NOT from carefully dribbling fuel in. No, it is from turning the nozzle on at whatever rate it does. It fills a bit and shuts off. A count of 5 later, it will repeat that, and 2 or three more gallons go in that way with many shutoffs, after which time the expected total amount of fuel has gone in.

Point #5) The pump nozzle cutoff occurs when the nozzle detects fuel backing up. There is the expectation that the fuel will be filled up until it backs up against the nozzle, which is at the top of the filler pipe. if it shuts off early, that would be due to fuel not flowing down into the tank well, which depends only on flow rate, and is not related directly to fill level.

It seems obvious that the tank capacity that is stated INCLUDES the capacity of the fill pipe up to where a nozzle reaches. If not, Ford is a bunch of idiots, which I doubt.

And it is equally obvious that some feature of the design, or of this particular truck, makes it shut off early, very significantly before the tank is full. About 16% early, in fact. Maybe an anti-siphon device is at fault.... I suspect that was the issue with the S10.

 

Maybe watch a youtube video on how to fill your car with gas from a gas station

 

Well , ain't you the snarky one.

Plain simple fact of the matter is that the design of the fill system has just a few issues, and your unhelpful comments do not change that FACT.

Perhaps you would like to explain why the fill system backs up and shuts off the nozzle when the thing is empty and has had only a couple gallons put into it at the time of shutoff? But don't bother, I probably will not even look at this thread again.

 

One other thing you might try,

Do you have this same issue at different gas stations ?
I know there is one station not to far from work that I won't use because of this problem, Not sure if it's a wore out nozzle or a different curve in the nozzle, to fast of flow.

So I just don't use it, to many other stations I don't have that problem.

 

Most do, in 4 different states.

One or two didn't, but they are in other states. One just filled up and shut off just as it ought to. That was a fairly slow rate pump. The ones along the highway have high flow rates, and they do it. One started after just a couple gallons, and all 16 or 17 gallons went in a bit at a time.

Not the only truck that has had this. My other vehicles have never done it, at the same local gas stations.

Reckon I'll have to live with it, seems to be a "feature", but it's a pain in the rear. Seems like Ford could have got it right.

 

It honestly sounds like the tank vent in the filler wasn't installed right, or perhaps in the wrong spot. It gets covered in fuel from the pumping action, and causes the neck to backfill

 

You'd think, yeah.

But I had the exact same issue for 20 years in an S10. It seems to be a restriction, possibly the gizmo that is intended to prevent siphoning gas out by blocking getting a tube into the tank. Maybe that is a bit too effective, and slows down gas flow. It seems to be worse with the big stations that often seem to have very fast fuel flow rates from the pump.

Of course that might be the same deal under your theory also.

Dunno.

If the vent is placed wrong, that seems like a design issue. Not sure how that would get placed wrong on one unit, or just happen to be placed wrong the same way on two completely different trucks

 

If you have found that high flow rate pumps are the problem, its seems an option for you is to pump slower. Pump nozzles I use usually have about three different positions to lock the handle. You should not have to pump full blast.
Have you taken it to the dealer to see if they can resolve the problem?

 

Many pumps seem to have three latch settings: High volume, higher volume, and really high volume. I have found several on the road in Wisconsin that just have one latch point on the pump, and it is full throttle. I just deal with it, same as on the S10, It did not occur to me that I would have the same issue with this new truck, kinda surprised me.

Have not been to the dealer about it, do not have time, am driving up north again shortly. Still trying to set up a time I will be here in order to have the bed Line-X coated The cap I put on order, and that takes only a fairly short time to install, should not be an issue.

 

Sorry, I didn't read all of the postings so if this is repeat delete it !

I have found all of my Rangers have a Filling Problem.
When I leave the filling to the auto shut off usually the Pump Handle is hanging down and it will shut off shortly after I walk away or even if I am holding the Handle.
I find that I have to hold the Handle/Nozzle at the "3 O'Clock" position I can fill it without a problem.

I don't know but believe it is a design problem of the Filler Tube for the Tank, and FORD in their infinite wisdom didn't bother to address it in the newer, larger, car-like, Ranger that cost too much !
Leave it to Ford to cut corner where THEY think it will help them.

 

I think it's funny how much **** these guys are giving you lol! Watch a video, make sure you're doing it right, and don't trust your gauges! This is comical to be honest.

My 2011 always has this issue. I find that I have to hold it EXACTLY in the position that it is filling at. If it's not shutting off, don't move an inch. It usually takes a few in and outs and wiggles around before it'll work. Also, the flow rate recommendation is a good thing to try.

I saw a video on TikTok (I know, super reliable) the other day saying if you tilt the nozzle the other way around, that is trigger side up, it will flow correctly. Never tried but could be worth a try.

 

yeah, a lot of folks do find the same issues and not just with the ranger. I had an S10 that did the same, but the S/W I had never had the issue. It presumably is flow rate combined with the longer pipe down to the tank.

Watch a video.... yeah, well, it's the internet, yah know..... And you really don't know how much of a doofus (or not) the guy posting an issue may be......

 

Ok, I don't have a '19 Ranger, but I've had the problem on a '17 Fusion with the capless gas tank. Are you sure it is not just a venting problem with the tank? As you're fueling, pressure builds up inside which can cause the pump to shut off. Just a thought.

 

It is so random, and flow related, that it does not seem that way. Dunno.

The S10 had a regular cap, and did it. This one has capless and does it on gas pumps in 4 states. It seems to be something that Ford did wrong, just like the S10 had something that GM did wrong. But it is a stupid problem that I run into nearly every time that I fill the tank, and it is one that should be not an issue.

 

Consider yourself lucky. The capless system on my 18' Fiesta ST is even worse. If you try to top it off after the handle clicks off, it pours all the gas on the ground out of the vent tube.

 

My 2004 Ranger did that, so I use the slowest fill speed and don't shove the gas handle in all the way in, just about a inch and haven't had the problem since..

 

On the '19, there is the "capless" system. You have to shove the nozzle in all the way, because it has to open the outer cover and extend far enough in to open an inner cover as well. They even supply (somewhere, I think in with the jack) a special funnel in case you have to pour gas in from a can. It is made long enough that it will open the inner cover.

I think I would have been fine with a cap..... if this system sets off the SES light because it does not seal, it's a lot more complicated to fix than just replacing the cap as with the earlier vehicles I have had.

 

Hey J Stanley,

How's this working out ?

I just re-read your posting, the filling to the top problem appears to be the new filling systems added in later years.
The older Rangers, like mine - and posted about above but has no connection with your problem, has a filling problem with the angle of the Filler and Vent Tube and would shut off the Fuel if it wasn't in the correct position.
It appears and I don't know, that the new Ranger has a System that actually allows you to fill the tank without standing there, nice enough.

Have you addressed the problem with Ford Service, maybe something isn't right with your Truck, God forbid Ford would do something wrong.

My Ranger doesn't apply here but my wife 2018 Honda has one of those no cap systems, the only problem I found with it is if you don't push the tube down its throat, she will stop the fuel filling. Maybe the your problem too but again I do not know about the new vehicles and the newer fuel filling systems.
The Wife tells me all the time to stop when the pump does, don't overfill... maybe that is the new fill levels at 17 instead of 19... FORD did it again !

Good Luck on finding out what is the problem, it would bug the S*** out of me too.
Contact Ford, maybe there is a Service Bulletin out there... sometime you just need to ask !

Ltr