Man Fuels Up At BP. Then He Catches Them Overcharging For Gas: ‘How Did 15 Gallons Get Charged?’

A Jeep driver believes a BP gas station was overcharging him for gasoline. So he decided to record himself accosting an employee at the fuel stop to find out why the pump read it dispensed more gasoline than he believes his car’s quoted fuel capacity is.

But was this a deliberate attempt at finagling customers, or simply a poorly operating pump giving inaccurate readings? Or is there another explanation?

15 Gallons Of Gas In A 13 ½ Gallon Tank

In a video reposted by an account that aggregates others' videos, a driver records himself walking inside of the gas station. A text overlay reads, “When you catch the local BP overcharging for fuel."

“I just got a question. So I’m in that Jeep. And I just spent … 20 minutes out there pumping cause that thing’s moving slow as hell,” he explains to an employee behind the counter. “It was still going and I put almost 15 gallons of gas in that Jeep, I had over a quarter tank of gas already in it. And that Jeep can only take 13 gallons. So I don’t understand how pumped 15 gallons when I already had almost a quarter tank.".

Again, the driver insists that according to the gas pump terminal’s estimation, he pumped more gasoline than his Jeep's tank holds.

“That Jeep the most it can take is 13 ½ gallons of gas,” he insists. After a brief pause, the employee asks the man if he was using pump number 3, which the Jeep owner confirms.

“I Just Don’t Understand”

The man continues to demand an answer. “It was still going, I had to stop it … I don’t know if it’s not reading it right, and charging me more for a gallon of gas than I’m actually getting. You know what I’m saying? Does that make sense?” he asks.

After a bit more back and forth about the fuel disparities, the Jeep owner tells the worker that he wants to ensure others aren’t having the same issue.

“For me it’s not that big of a deal," the driver concludes. "Cause it’s a company car, I’m not paying for the fuel. But I’m just letting you know that it’s definitely charging more.”

Before the video ends, the worker promises to check the pump.

Gallery: 2027 Jeep Grand Cherokee

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Source: Jeep

Was He Really Being Bamboozled?

A 2005 piece published by Science Daily addresses the very concern brought up by the Jeep driver. A study conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) highlighted this phenomenon. “You fill up your ‘empty’ fuel tank at the gas station and the pump charges you for more gallons than the tank’s rated capacity. Are you being deliberately overcharged?” it says

According to the NIST, this can occur “even at reputable gas stations.” Further, there are “legitimate reasons for a discrepancy between the amount of fuel metered by a gas pump and an automobile’s rated fuel tank capacity.” One such reason is that “that actual fuel tank capacity can vary as much as 3 percent” from a car’s stated capacity.

The NIST adds that fuel gauge clusters aren’t always measuring the exact amount of gasoline inside a car. Rather, these sensors are used to determine an approximate amount of gasoline needed to fill the tank. Since the bottom portion of fuel tanks has an unusable space, and upper areas are reserved for vapor headspace, this can impact fuel gauge readings.

Call Weights And Measures

Science Daily does point out that “unauthorized tampering with pumps does happen.” This is where specific state departments devoted to assessing honest dispensing of fuel amounts come in.

Some areas of the US have Divisions of Weights and Measures that are often part of the Department of Agriculture or Commerce. In other parts of the US, specific counties have their own teams that inspect pumps to verify they’re legitimately giving customers the amount of gasoline their displays indicate. Fuel Transfer writes that in California, for instance, the Division of Measurement Standards has this responsibility.

After these evaluations are conducted, tamper-proof seals are applied to fuel pumps. So if you find yourself in a situation like the Jeep owner, look for a sticker on the pump and see if it’s been messed with. If there isn't a seal, or it looks like it’s been removed or cut, call the local authority tasked with handling these claims.

Slow Gas Pumps: Maintenance Needed

It’s worth mentioning that the Jeep driver stated several times that the fuel pump was dispensing gas very slowly. This may be a sign a pump is faulty or in need of repair. Gas-Station Equipment writes that “a blocked fuel filter … [or] low-pressure … in the fuel supply system, or defective parts inside the pump,” can cause fuel to dispense slowly. Which could also lead to an improperly working venturi sensor, causing pump handles to stop dispensing gas prematurely or not stop pumping at all.

Fuel Logic also writes that faulty or broken fuel pumps can indeed lead to “incorrect flow rate readings.” This is due to defective or poor sensor readings, which are designed to “monitor fuel flow, temperature, and pressure.” Additionally, “a malfunctioning sensor can affect the automatic shutoff … resulting in under or over-dispensing.”

Motor1 has reached out to the account that reposted the Jeep owner's video via TikTok direct message. The original creator could not be located. We also contacted BP for comment. We'll be sure to update this article if either responds.