Hondas are reliable and rarely experience any major problems and as a mechanic, I admire the way they are built, although Hondas are reliable they do have some small issues and one of the most common problems is the Gas Cap warning message which reads “Check Fuel Cap”.
In this article, I am going to explain what this message means, the main causes, and how to fix the problem on your Honda.
What is a Fuel Cap on a Honda?
In order to understand what the fault message means it’s important to know what a Fuel cap is in order to pinpoint where the problem is.
In simple terms, a Fuel Cap (Also known as a Gas Cap) is a small plastic piece that fits over the opening on top of your fuel tank. It prevents air from entering the fuel tank while you’re driving and helps keep moisture and water from entering the fuel pump, which can cause lead to the engine failing.
What Does the “Check Fuel Cap” Message Mean on a Honda?
The “Check Fuel Cap” Message on a Honda means the system is detecting an issue with the fuel cap. The most common cause of this fault is that the gas cap is not tightened enough or the seal is damaged. If the gas cap is not tight enough, it can allow air to enter the fuel tank, which in turn causes problems with your fuel system.
When the seal is damaged or worn out, moisture and water can enter the fuel pump and cause corrosion, which leads to engine failure.
Honda Check Fuel Cap Causes
Whether you drive a Honda CRV, Fit, Civic, Pilot, or Odyssey there causes for this issue are the same, now let’s look at the main causes for this.
1. Dirty Fuel Cap:
The gas cap is used to prevent contaminants from entering the fuel tank and contaminating the fuel. In order for this to work, it needs to be clean and free of debris. If your cap has not been cleaned or replaced recently, then it can cause problems with your Honda’s Gas Cap not sealing properly and causing the gas cap message to come on.
2. Lose Fuel Cap:
If your Honda Gas cap is not tightened properly, then it can cause the car to not recognize that it has been properly sealed. This will result in the check fuel cap message on your Honda CRV, Fit, Civic, Pilot, or Odyssey. This can be caused by forgetting to properly tighten your fuel Cap.
3. Damaged Fuel Cap Seal:
The Honda Gas Cap has seals in place designed to stop any air or fluid from entering the fuel system but unfortunately, these can get damaged or worn over time causing them to not seal properly. This can result in the check fuel cap message on your Honda
4. Missing Gas Cap:
In some instances, the gas cap can so lose and completely fall off your Honda and in these cases, the system will detect something is not right with the gas cap then the check fuel cap message will be displayed on your Honda until you replace the gas cap.
How To Fix Honda “Check Fuel Cap” Issue
In order to fix and reset the fault message, as a Mechanic I recommend that you do the following steps:
- Check If the Fuel Cap is Missing: The First thing I recommend that you do is to check if the gas cap on your Honda is missing, if you don’t find the fuel cap then you will have to get a new one from the nearest Honda dealer. If the Fuel cap is still intact then jump to the next step.
- Clean the Fuel Cap: If the Gas cap is still in your Honda then I recommend opening the fuel cap and cleaning the cap itself and the area around it. The reason is dirt and debris can build up and cause the cap not to tighten as it should, allowing the air and water to enter.
- Check the Gas Cap Seals: After cleaning the Fuel cap check the condition of the seal, if you see any signs of wear or damage then you will need to get the seals replaced.
Honda Check Fuel Cap Reset
After fixing the main cause of the problem then you will have to reset your Honda, here are different ways to reset the “Check Fuel Cap” message on your Honda.
1. OBD Scanner:
The quickest way to reset the message is to use an OBD scanner and clear the codes, any general OBD scanner can do the job, all you have to do is plug it in and then clear all error codes. If you don’t have an OBD Scanner then you can do a manual reset which I will explain below.
2. Disconnect the Battery:
If you don’t have an OBD scanner then you can reset the check fuel cap by disconnecting the battery from the terminals, waiting 5 minutes then reconnecting the battery, this will cause the Honda system to reset. Then all you have to do is drive a few miles.
Additional Source
https://cdn.powerequipment.honda.com/pe/pdf/manuals/00X31Z076300.pdf