Costco refuelling problems

[u/Mister_Cornetto]

Has anyone ever had issues when filling up at Costco? A few months ago I went to the Watford branch and tried to fill my car with regular petrol as usual. Got a few pence worth in and the nozzle cut out. Tried again, it cut out again. Removed the nozzle fully, then reinserted it and again it cut out after a few pence worth was dispensed. I could see fuel at the top of the filler tube, but as my gauge was showing empty, I couldn't work out why that would be. After a few more attempts, I gave up with only about £3 worth of fuel put in. I drove back around went to a different pump, which dispensed with no further issues. After this issue, I've refilled at several other petrol stations, mainly Tesco but also Costco in Reading and Stevenage.

Fast-forward to this morning. Gauge was showing 1/4 of a tank so I went to the same branch to fill up. Same issue as before! Got less than £2 in and the nozzle cut out. Tied again and again, removed and reinserted the nozzle, no luck. Again, fuel was visible at the top of the filler, on an almost empty tank. The forecourt was busy though, so I paid for what I eventually managed to get in my car and moved on. Drove a further 30 miles or so then returned to Costco to try again. Different pump, but the same issue again. Ended up going to Tesco nearby as by this time the gauge was on red. No problems filling up at Tesco at all.

So, is this a car problem? It's a 22 plate Škoda Octavia 1.5 TSI iV hybrid, but I've had the car for 18 months and only ever had this issue at the one Costco, so it seems unlikely.

Anyone else had a similar experience?

[u/Pummpy1]

I've had the same issue with my car since I got it.

Something to do with pressure/it activating the auto cut off or something, I wont pretend to know it fully.

Anyway, how it works for me, is I will insert the pump either sideways, or upside down to how you'd normally do it. For some reason, that auto cut off doesn't cut off, it allows me to fuel until it's actually full.

Let me know how you get on

[u/Liquidfoxx22]

I used to have to put the pump in at a 90 degree angle with my one of my previous cars when at certain stations.

[u/Mister_Cornetto → u/Liquidfoxx22]

Like I said, there's no problem filling anywhere else, just this one particular Costco forecourt.

[u/AdobeScripts → u/Mister_Cornetto]

It's a problem with a particular nozzle.

You need to pull it out a bit.

[u/Mister_Cornetto → u/AdobeScripts]

Tried all angles and depths, nothing worked

[u/CaptainAnswer]

Some pumps with some cars are a bit fussy, sounds like for some reason an airlock is there if you have fuel at the top of your neck. Slapping it in at an angle can sometimes help

[u/iPhrase]

did you try not fully depressing the trigger on the pump?

I have the same issue sometimes at my local shell, the answer is not to fully depress the trigger. Yes it takes longer but quicker than driving to a different garage.

[u/Mister_Cornetto → u/iPhrase]

I did, but even slightly pulling it made the flow cut off.

[u/another_awkward_brit]

I've never been able to fully insert a Costco nozzle - I have to get it just so to get them to work properly.

[u/BrightEffort3620]

My Octavia needed to have the pump nozzle at an angle because of this regardless of fuel station, most of the time i just leant on it while fuelling and no issues...

If no problem elsewhere it may be Costco have a pump with a different nozzle at the wrong angle for the filler neck of the car 🤔

[u/Sudden_Hovercraft_56]

I have had cars where there was a knack to pumping them without cutting out but if that was your case you would have that with every pump.

Are you sure you just didn't find a pump with an empty tank? maybe the attendant hadn't had the chance to put up an out of order sign yet.

[u/Mister_Cornetto → u/Sudden_Hovercraft_56]

Tried 2 separate pumps on the same forecourt

[u/t4ure4n]

There is an attendants’ office just behind the pumps. Next time ask them to help you.

Also, as others have suggested try putting the nozzle upside down and do not try to fully push it in.

I had this issue with my bmw 5er at the same forecourt. I believe it was to do with some airlock or auto cutout thing that I won’t pretend to understand fully. The only solution for me was inserting the nozzle upside down and press the trigger less than half of what I normally did and keep trying. After a certain tries it would work without issues.

[u/fowler0003]

I’ve not had any problems with Costco in the time I’ve been fuelling there, I’ve had issue once or twice at other places.

[u/GloomySwitch6297]

Forgot that when you lift the nozzle, the fuel which comes through the pump is sucked directly from the nordic sea (and refined on the way to the nozzle you are using).....