The Signs of a Loose Fuel Cap in Your Audi

Audis are high-performance European imports that give you both power and luxury. With German engineering, each Audi is crafted with the latest technology that offers an experience not found in other luxury cars.

Over time, even vehicles designed to last develop issues that will affect their performance. If your Audi has a loose or leaky fuel cap, you will experience degraded performance. The defective cap will make your engine run improperly, causing poor fuel economy.

If not addressed, a loose or damaged fuel cap will make you use excessive fuel, which is not great with how high gas prices are right now. A loose gas cap could also cause error codes on your dash, preventing you from passing an emissions test.

Common Signs of a Loose or Faulty Fuel Cap

If you notice any of the signs below, you should get them checked out by our professionals. However, the first step should be to check to see if your fuel cap is secured to save your time and money.

• Check-Engine Light: Having a loose or faulty fuel cap will cause the check-engine light to illuminate on your dash. The light is triggered by the error codes that the ECU in your Audi receives.
• ECU Error: Your Audi comes equipped with an Evaporative(EVAP) emission system. If it detects a leak of vapors, it will send the error codes to your ECU, which would then illuminate your check-engine light on your dashboard.
• The Smell of Fuel: If your fuel cap is loose or faulty, you may smell fuel on the outside of your Audi. This is caused by fuel vapors escaping your gas tank.
• Poor Fuel Economy: If you have a bad or loose fuel cap, you may experience poor fuel economy. It is possible for the fuel inside your tank to evaporate if there is a leak due to escaping vapors. If your fuel gets contaminated due to a bad cap, it will also cause poor fuel economy.

Having a loose or faulty fuel cap is not exactly a major repair, and it can be taken care of very easily by the vehicle owner. However, the symptoms listed above can be the signs of other major issues.

Fuel caps are made of plastic, and over time they will have wear and tear, which could cause the condition to worsen. The rubber gasket on your cap may also be at the end of its life. If you notice the fuel cap is damaged, you need to order an OEM replacement to ensure a proper fit.

If tightening your fuel cap does not solve the issue, you need to get it checked out by our team of ASE-Certified technicians. Our honest technicians will be able to quickly diagnose your Audi to verify the defect. We will get you back on the road as fast as possible at an affordable price.

Get Your European Import Serviced at A&M Auto Service

A&M Auto Service has been the premium European import service center in Pineville, NC, for over 25 years. We are family-owned and believe in treating our community like family. We are proud to serve the surrounding areas of:

• Charlotte
• Greensboro
• Ballantyne
• Matthews

A&M Auto Service specializes in European imports and domestic vehicles. Our service center provides a true dealership alternative. Our ASE-Certified technicians are equipped with the latest tools and technology and can tackle any job, no matter how big or small. With over 50 years of combined experience, we will get you back on the road fast. All of our repairs come with a nationwide 3 year/36,000 mile limited warranty.

Dealerships are expensive, have long waits, and are a nightmare to work with. We are a certified Napa Auto Care Center and specialize in Bosch auto parts. We take pride in our honest, upfront pricing where you know what you are paying for.

A&M Auto Service is dedicated to providing the right service for you and will ensure you have a customized experience to complete your automotive goals with our shop. Stop by today, give us a call, or set up an appointment online. Come see why people love us on Facebook and Google.