How has this happened in my car?!

uspakl · 2024-08-16T12:17:16+00:00

I have attached the image, has petrol burnt this?

WorriedMumofTeen16 · 17/08/2024 00:49

CormorantStrikesBack · 16/08/2024 22:05

We have a couple still near me, midlands. They’re more expensive though and in isolated villages so I don’t tend to use them 7nless desperate.

we also have railway crossings with gates where an old man comes out the signal box and closes the gates across the road to let the train past and then opens the gates again. Which amazes people. Oh and even more amazingly are the ones you have to get out the car and open and close the gates yourself! 😁

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Fun fact, I am a signaller in one of the old Victorian boxes that still uses levers to control semaphore signals. The crossing just down from the box, which comes under my remit, is indeed one of those where the crossing keeper comes out to shut the gates to road traffic. Not many still about but some

CormorantStrikesBack · 16/08/2024 22:05

BiscuityBoyle · 16/08/2024 21:56

I can’t believe there is still a petrol station that still fills up for you. I assume you are in the uk.

We have a couple still near me, midlands. They’re more expensive though and in isolated villages so I don’t tend to use them 7nless desperate.

we also have railway crossings with gates where an old man comes out the signal box and closes the gates across the road to let the train past and then opens the gates again. Which amazes people. Oh and even more amazingly are the ones you have to get out the car and open and close the gates yourself! 😁

BiscuityBoyle · 16/08/2024 21:56

I can’t believe there is still a petrol station that still fills up for you. I assume you are in the uk.

Original poster

uspakl · 16/08/2024 20:07

@Squiddlydiddle 😂😂😂 because I nearly ran out of fuel so had to fill up myself for once in a different area

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Original poster

uspakl · 16/08/2024 20:04

@Squiddlydiddle its a proper place. They lean on the car when filling it up though and are generally just a bit casual so I can imagine they may have accidentally pressed it into the wrong place

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DreamW3aver · 16/08/2024 19:56

Bogginsthe3rd · 16/08/2024 19:30

This type of mark can be the work of gangs who employ attendants in old fashioned pumps. They will mark and score the plastic to weaken the mechanism. A few weeks later you will find the cap is loose and at night they can siphon.

Do they also roan the streets with chalk making special marks for valuable dogs?

No one's going to that palaver for a few litres of fuel 😂

DreamW3aver · 16/08/2024 19:54

Never mind the hole where is this land that has attendant petrol pumping?

Original poster

uspakl · 16/08/2024 19:42

Bogginsthe3rd · 16/08/2024 19:30

This type of mark can be the work of gangs who employ attendants in old fashioned pumps. They will mark and score the plastic to weaken the mechanism. A few weeks later you will find the cap is loose and at night they can siphon.

@Bogginsthe3rd but how would they know where you live? Surely that would only work a few times too? Not a long term business plan…

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Original poster

uspakl · 16/08/2024 19:42

@Squiddlydiddle ohh got it! Well I won’t be going back!!

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Bogginsthe3rd · 16/08/2024 19:30

This type of mark can be the work of gangs who employ attendants in old fashioned pumps. They will mark and score the plastic to weaken the mechanism. A few weeks later you will find the cap is loose and at night they can siphon.

Makingchocolatecake · 16/08/2024 19:24

Doggymummar · 16/08/2024 13:32

You need to go get it fixed, as if it's compromised it may not seal properly and could catch fire. Can't see if that's the case from the picture

Not always, my car has no cap, just a door to open, doesnt seal so must have a valve I can't see under the hole

Original poster

uspakl · 16/08/2024 19:20

@Rollercoaster1920 what is attendant service?!

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Rollercoaster1920 · 16/08/2024 18:49

You have attendant service? Wow! Thanks for the update!

Original poster

uspakl · 16/08/2024 17:36

Rollercoaster1920 · 16/08/2024 16:25

That is the normal drain hole to drain away overflow fuel and any water that gets into that area. The deformed plastic and 'drill track' is more likely due to someone being really ham-fisted with the fuel pump.

Has someone been trying to fill up with diesel by mistake? Perhaps trying to ram the larger diesel pump into your smaller petrol filler opening?

@Rollercoaster1920 they said this was it… the black bit is actually rubber rather than a hard plastic so it looks like it’s just been jammed a bit when filling up. We go to a non self serve station so I don’t know what could have happened… they are a bit flippant when filling up!!!

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Rollercoaster1920 · 16/08/2024 16:27

It's about where the hand guard on a petrol pump would be. Perhaps a garage pump is damaged with sharper than usual edges?

Rollercoaster1920 · 16/08/2024 16:25

That is the normal drain hole to drain away overflow fuel and any water that gets into that area. The deformed plastic and 'drill track' is more likely due to someone being really ham-fisted with the fuel pump.

Has someone been trying to fill up with diesel by mistake? Perhaps trying to ram the larger diesel pump into your smaller petrol filler opening?

Dreamsofcruise · 16/08/2024 16:24

A rat caused huge dame to my car OP. Not inly the braking system (!!) but they got into the back seat (how?) and chewed clean through a seat belt!! Couldn’t make it up!

Original poster

uspakl · 16/08/2024 16:18

@Squiddlydiddle i didn’t think of a rodent. The only thing is that i definitely lock it. I am meticulous about it!

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Original poster

uspakl · 16/08/2024 16:17

PandaChopChop · 16/08/2024 16:06

How odd OP, I noticed the exact same thing on my car the other day!

@PandaChopChop are you joking or have you really?! I’m actually at the garage now as I was worrying so much!

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PandaChopChop · 16/08/2024 16:06

How odd OP, I noticed the exact same thing on my car the other day!

Thereislightattheendofthetunnel · 16/08/2024 15:48

Could they have open the car remotely to unlock the petrol deposit cover but then they need a car key to use it? Hence the hole?

GasPanic · 16/08/2024 15:22

Has anyone else used the car and filled it up ?

Could someone have thought that that hole was the fill hole and stupidly tried to grind the end of the pump fill pipe into it by shoving it hard and turning it around before realising it wouldn't fit ?

It it did cut the plastic I would have thought sharper edges than your photo though and the pipe end would have to be pretty sharp to do it.

GasPanic · 16/08/2024 15:09

How about the inside of the fuel flap ?

Normally there is a sign on there with the fuel types you fill up with ?

Any sign of marks or heat on that in the corresponding place ?

Original poster

uspakl · 16/08/2024 15:04

@GasPanic no it’s never been left anywhere as I work from home so it’s mainly at home. Also, without sounding like a dick I also live in a quiet area, lots of middle aged people who keep themselves to themselves, it’s not exactly a high crime rate sort of place. It seems much less like a drill than the plastic has melted when you look at it in real life

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GasPanic · 16/08/2024 15:01

Don't really see what other explanation there could be for it. A petrol seeking woodpecker that can unlock fuel flaps ? Or some sort of plastic boring insect that crawled in the gap between the fuel flap and the bodywork ?

I mean fuel flap locking mechanisms - we are not talking Fort Knox here. It's probably possible on many of them to shove a piece of plastic in the mechanism and pop it open without doing any damage on lots of them. Or it could just not have shut properly last time you filled up.

If it isn't a theft attempt then what are the remaining (plausible) explanations for it ? I can't think of any ? Did you leave your car in an unusual place or unattended for a long period in the time since you last filled up ?