This just happened to me yesterday, and the first time with this car:

I was filling up at a gas station (major brand) and the gas pump clicked to a stop well before the tank was full. I was around 1/2 a tank, and after 1.5 gal, it stopped. I clicked some more, and it just kept stopping. I ended my transaction and took the car to another gas station where it filled up fine.

I've experienced this in other cars in my lifetime (the Audi, the Prius, and a smattering of other cars).

Has anyone else experienced this with their F56's or other cars? I read online that this may be due to a number of things, including, but not limited to a faulty gas pump, kink in the line, vapors, etc.

In the past I've never had this happen often enough for me to take the car into the dealer, but I thought I'd get some thoughts on these forums.

It was hot out (high 80s / low 90s), and all the pumps at the station were being used.

 

Usually it is the nozzle too far down into car and at a bad angle, when pumping wide open the gas doesn't flow down to the tank fast enough and backs-up enough to trigger the auto shut-off of the gas pump. Happens to me all the time, just got to not cram the nozzle in all the way.. back it off just a tad and works fine for me..

 

Thanks for that info! If it happens again, I'll try that technique.

 

I concur with this solution. I have experienced the problem with other cars, but so far not with my F56. Try the suggestion above, likely will work.

 

When the temperature changes quickly from night time to daytime, the underground storage tanks are still cold so when it meets the relatively hotter gas tank in the Mini it expands the vapor which triggers the shutoff in the pump handle.

Back it out a little bit, and it should keep pumping. If not, just go to another pump.

 

urban legend .... disproved by consumer reports and myth busters

 

This!

 

Also if you look at the tip of the nozzle....the auto shut off mechanism can get dirty/plugged....let the station know...try a different pump...the pump handles DO get swapped out pretty regularly....

 

Interesting, have to look up that show, in the meantime however lets see what Snopes sez:

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/gastips.asp

This does not directly deal with why it shuts off, but it goes into exacting detail on why the temperature difference is significant and affects the evaporative recovery mechanisms at work.

Many citations at the bottom.

 

If the charcoal canister is bad (can get saturated and clogged from overfilling or
topping off too aggressively), this can cause early pump shutoffs. My wife's 2001 VW
Cabrio did that - had to fill it really slowly to get a full tank. Problem went away
when the canister was replaced.