Gas cap light problem
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 55
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From: Ford VA
Gas cap light problem
Started up my 2005 Vet today and looked at the DIC and it said "Check Gas Cap". I cut it off, got back in and started it and it still said "Check gas cap". Drove it for about 25 miles or so, parked for awhile, got back in and it still said "Check Gas Cap". I drove it 10 more miles, cut it off for awhile, got out checked the gas cap, put it off and on 2 or 3 times, got back in, started it up and again when I started it up it said "Check Gas Cap". It did the same thing last summer and finally got alright. Does anybody have any suggestions?? Is there any recall? Or should I take it to the dealer?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 35,617
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Tech Contributor
Cruise-In 11 Veteran
NCM Ambassador
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'10
The 2005 cars had some problems with the spring in the gas cap. I'd recommend that you head to the dealer and get yourself a new gas cap. If you are under warranty it is a 3 minute change. If not is about a $20.00 investment. If the cap does not seal properly it causes an error in the check of the pressurized fuel system. If it gets worse it can lead to a check engine light coming on. Just swap out the cap and be done with it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 781
Likes: 4
From: Reno Nevada
On MANY (all?) newer cars if the gas cap is not tight enough it throws a code (like your getting).
If nothing is wrong other than the cap not being tight enough, it takes several ignition cycles (the car being started) for it to clear itself. It can be as many as 50 cycles, that would be about three weeks for me. MANY of my friends have had this happen, wifey fills the tank, doesn’t tighten the cap correctly - bingo... My wife has done this several times, she’s careful of breaking a nail!
My brother did this in his car, took it to the dealer, they used smoke (?) to look for a leak, bingo, loose gas cap. They did tighten the cap. Cost him $60.
Or I guess it could be a bad gas cap. I'm in a Corvette club, 200 cars, most are C6, have not herd of bad caps - yet.
If nothing is wrong other than the cap not being tight enough, it takes several ignition cycles (the car being started) for it to clear itself. It can be as many as 50 cycles, that would be about three weeks for me. MANY of my friends have had this happen, wifey fills the tank, doesn’t tighten the cap correctly - bingo... My wife has done this several times, she’s careful of breaking a nail!
My brother did this in his car, took it to the dealer, they used smoke (?) to look for a leak, bingo, loose gas cap. They did tighten the cap. Cost him $60.
Or I guess it could be a bad gas cap. I'm in a Corvette club, 200 cars, most are C6, have not herd of bad caps - yet.
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
I believe the owners manual says the code will stay on DIC until the cap is retightened and the car is parked overnight (so I'm assumming about 8 hours). Happenned to me and I found out the caps were bad on some of the '05. Like it was said earlier; just get a new cap and be done with it.
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Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 351
Likes: 0
From: South Jersey
My cap was bad. It just kept spinning and wouldn't clip and stop. The dealer's diagnostic & fix consisted of: 1) Opening fuel door 2) Turning cap clockwise 3) Saying "Hmmm... it's defective" 4) Replacing cap and closing fuel door. I was worried that the motor might have to come out at first. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,611
Likes: 5
From: Thousand Oaks California
Started up my 2005 Vet today and looked at the DIC and it said "Check Gas Cap". I cut it off, got back in and started it and it still said "Check gas cap". Drove it for about 25 miles or so, parked for awhile, got back in and it still said "Check Gas Cap". I drove it 10 more miles, cut it off for awhile, got out checked the gas cap, put it off and on 2 or 3 times, got back in, started it up and again when I started it up it said "Check Gas Cap". It did the same thing last summer and finally got alright. Does anybody have any suggestions?? Is there any recall? Or should I take it to the dealer?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,408
Likes: 145
From: Northcentral, Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
I have a 2005 C6. I just replaced the gas cap for the second time. Each replacement after about 20,000 miles on the car. After replacing the cap, it took four nights and about 20 start cycles before the "Check Gas Cap" message cleared from the DIC.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,983
Likes: 1
From: Seguin Tx
This may sound crazy but....three weeks ago my Vette said the same thing..
I tried everything for over a week and the message kept coming up....
IT STOPPED when
I filled it up at the gas station...hasn't come back on since??????????
I tried everything for over a week and the message kept coming up....
IT STOPPED when
I filled it up at the gas station...hasn't come back on since??????????
Racer
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
From: Walnut Creek CA
my 2005 is doing the EXACT same thing right now. I have tightened it like 10 times. It keeps coming loose. This is the second cap all of the sudden its going out again. I was noticing sometimes when i would pop it open to fill it that the cap was loose already but no message or code. Now all of the sudden the message wont go away. What gives?
Dave
Dave
