Trust the nozzle: How to tell if the fuel tank is really full

BERLIN: The nozzle makes a click, and the tank is full. It's a sound that all drivers have waited for at some time or another at a petrol station. But, especially when petrol's cheaper than usual, what's stopping you from topping it off a little more?

The experts' advice: Just don't, OK?

While it won't damage the vehicle per se, manually overfilling the tank usually isn't very useful, explains Torsten Hesse from Tuv, a leading technical inspection association in Germany.

"Depending on the type of vehicle, only a small amount of additional fuel will fit in the tank. The danger of fuel spilling over, however, is not to be underestimated," he says.

Play it safe and trust the nozzle to automatically shut off.

In case this advice isn't enough, here's another practical tip: Always approach the pump from the side where the tank flap is located. Otherwise, the fuel hose might be too long or too short. Since neither the nozzle nor the vehicle are ever completely clean, this can easily mean damage to paintwork.

In addition, the nozzle's automatic locking system doesn't function correctly because the hose has been twisted too far.