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Troubleshooting Capless Gas Tank Problems in Jeep Grand Cherokee: Step-by-Step Guide

The capless gas tank on your Jeep Grand Cherokee makes your life feel a little easier by saving you some hassle. It eliminates the need for you to remove the gas cover every time you need to refuel.

But what are the Jeep Grand Cherokee capless gas tank problems, and how to fix them?

The capless gas tanks remove the need to adequately fill the gas tank, along with the need for frequent refueling, which adds up the costs. You would also be projected to the continuous smell of fuel.

The effective way to fix it would be to replace the fuel tank filler or the nozzle through which you pass the hose. Installing a new one might reduce the overflowing of fuel.

This, however, was only a quick read-through. Keep exploring this piece of writing to clear all your doubts.

What Are The Jeep Grand Cherokee’s Capless Gas Tank Problems?

Jeep Grand Cherokee’s capless gas tank has its fair share of shortcomings when it comes to drawbacks. However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t any benefits.

Obviously, there are significant advantages of using capless gas tanks, but it doesn’t mean the problems cease to exist. So let’s look at some factors that highlight these problems.

1. The Fuel Nozzle Becomes A Dirt Magnet

Once the fuel nozzle has accumulated enough dirt and debris, you are in for a huge surprise. No one expects that tiny dirt accumulation to create a leak at the gas door.

The fuel then leaks out through the gaps caused by debris leading to the fuel running out rapidly and refueling the vehicle again and again.

2. The Gas Pump Clings to it

When using a gas pump to refuel the capless gas tanks, an annoying thing to notice is when the gas pump clings to the capless nozzle. This is a really irritating thing to deal with.

Having to forcefully pull out the gas pump from the capless fuel filler wastes energy, and the added hassle is no one’s favorite.

3. Opening The Tank Can Get Quite Tedious

This is something you are likely to come across a lot, especially when trying to put the nozzle in and you notice that the capless tank head isn’t opening.

It’s similar to the accumulation of lubricating fuel, which makes the tank head feel sticky and difficult to open. However, this can be fixed easily as this isn’t a highly technical problem.

4. Dirt And Scraps Collect On The Capless Fuel Filler

This is one common situation where dirt and debris accumulate around the capless fuel filler region and affect the gas tank’s sealing.

The dirt affects the sealing in such a way that the sealing on the gas tank doesn’t remain in the proper form anymore, leading to more fuel leakage.

How To Fix Jeep Grand Cherokee Capless Gas Tank Problems?

We know there is always a loophole to every problem. And just like that, all of the issues mentioned above can also be fixed. All you need is the right amount of determination to get it done.

We’ve gone ahead and made the necessary preparations to make the repairing process feel like making a cup of tea. Hence, without further delay, let’s jump into the steps!

Step 1: Use Compressed Air To Clean Around The Gas Tank

Use a Funnel and pass compressed air through it to blow away any dust inside the capless filter. Hence, begin by inserting the funnel inside the capless gas tank and blowing it out.

Repeat several times to remove any unnecessary piece of debris that would only get in the way if not removed.

Step 2: Get A Rust Protection Lubricant Spray

Getting a lubricant may help remove dirt and lubricant much better after using the funnel and compressed air to blow the dirt out.

It’s evident that you can’t remove all the accumulated dirt using compressed air only. Hence, grab yourself a lubricant spray such as the WD40 Spray, which would cost you around $8.

The spray removes any dust and debris that cause the fuel to leak through the gaps created by debris.

Step 3: Replace The Gas Pump Nozzle

The problem with the capless tank head, not opening, could easily be repaired by changing the size of the nozzle used.

Usually, when the nozzle is small, it cannot open the capless gas tank. However, when you replace it with a larger nozzle or with a full tip nozzle, it works like a charm.

How Do You Seal a Capless Gas Tank On Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Sealing the capless gas tank isn’t much of a big deal as the door seal itself is pretty durable and gets the job done for the most part. However, there comes a case where the door seal gets clogged.

Due to too much accumulation of dirt and debris, the door seals usually undergo the threat of not doing their job properly. This could also be repaired by cleaning the door seal with dirt cleaners.

You could also install a gas cap to avoid fuel leaking while driving through a rough road with an overflowing fuel tank.

But doing this may take away the comfort of just plugging in the fuel pump when refueling your Jeep Grand Cherokee, even though you’re provided with the benefit of a delightful gas tank seal.

Can You Drive Jeep Grand Cherokee Without A Gas Cap?

There is no mistake in saying that you can drive your Grand Cherokee with ease, without ever needing to use a gas cap. It’s simply because your vehicle is designed to function this way.

That said, you need to stay within a few parameters to make sure you can experience problem-free driving. Hence, you cannot go on doing things like overflowing the gas tank of your Cherokee.

The added benefit of a gas cap is that it provides proper sealing and prevents the loss of expensive fuel. But that’s it!

Using a capless gas tank is just as efficient and reliable if the correct protocols are followed. Hence, you shouldn’t be afraid of using your Jeep Grand Cherokee with a capless gas tank.

Conclusion

The capless gas tank has been provided on vehicles such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee to give drivers a much smoother refueling experience.

Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out to be as smooth as the company expected them to be. However, it did prove beneficial to some cautious drivers who prefer it over the gas caps.

Hopefully, this article has managed to calm the flurry of doubts and queries swirling in your mind. You now know the drawbacks and the fixes to this issue.

Hence, nothing is holding you back the next time you head out to refill the gas tank on your Jeep Grand Cherokee.

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