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Should Diesel-Powered GM Models Get Capless Fuel Fill: Poll

As you may already know, most new GM vehicles are equipped with capless fuel fill technology, which removes the various inconveniences associated with the gas cap when fueling at the pump. However, this is only the case for gasoline-powered vehicles, and does not apply to diesel-powered vehicles.

2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS exterior - live reveal 015 gas tank capless fuel fill

Capless fuel fill on 2019 Chevrolet Blazer

Why It Matters

The first GM models to launch capless fuel fill were the Cadillac XTS and 2014 Corvette C7 Stingray. Since then, the feature has propagated to most of GM’s vehicle lineup. But diesel models continue with traditional caps, which are painted green to set them apart from the gasoline caps, which are painted black.

Not giving diesel-powered vehicles the super convenient capless fuel filler almost seems sinful – though it’s an understandable choice given the risk that the owner/operator might forget that their vehicle runs on a different version of dyno juice and fill it up with gasoline, thereby ruining the motor.

GM Authority Take

There’s no denying the convenience of capless fuel fill. The feature will likely make its way to all non-electric GM vehicles in the next few years. But despite the convenience, it still has a few shortcomings to consider.

The common-sense arguments against capless fuel fillers do not apply to GM’s implementation of the technology. Specifically, the system uses a dual-chamber configuration that enables it not to leak fuel while also making siphoning gasoline extremely difficult.

XTS Capless Fuel Door

That said, the system does require a special nozzle to fuel the vehicle if you run out of gas and must fuel from a canister. Even so, a specialized nozzle is included with vehicle equipped with a capless fuel system.

So then, the question becomes – should diesel-powered models get the capless fuel filler feature? In other words, do the high levels convenience outweigh the possibilities of the owner/operator fueling the vehicle with the incorrect fuel?

Vote in our poll and sound off in the comments.

GM Authority Executive Editor with a passion for business strategy and fast cars.

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Comments

  1. Cleary all of GM’s issues have been resolved successfully for GMA to alot time to a poll on capless diesel fill points.

    Reply
    1. If you think about this any harder, you’ll end up hurting yourself.

      And if we were to focus solely on GM’s problems, it would be a very sad state of affairs.

      Comments like yours always surprise me. It’s as if there isn’t a solid balance of content on GM Authority… which there is. So there… crisis averted.

      Reply
  2. ” capless fuel fill technology, which removes the stresses and inconveniences associated with the gas cap when fueling at the pump” … are you being sarcastic?

    Reply
    1. Reply
      1. if screwing on a gas cap gives you stress, i can’t imagine the life you live. xanax must be your best friend.

        Reply
        1. Man, you’ve really latched on to this “stress” thing, haven’t ya?

          Call it stress, call it inconvenience, call it whatever… The fact remains that capless is more convenient… which is the reason it exists. There is also data to support the notion that it results in higher customer satisfaction.

          But hey, I’m sure the guys who were starting the Ford Model T with a hand crank thought that an in-vehicle ignition system was unnecessary.

          Reply
          1. i confused you with an automotive journalist who knows the meaning of words.

            but i guess you are just a …. whatever.

            Reply
  3. I have always thought they should have 2 different nozzles for deisel and gas so that a gas nozzle would never fit inside a deisel and a deisel nozzle would never fit inside a gas vehicle. That way capless would be fine for all!

    Reply
    1. That’s a great idea!

      Reply
  4. I honestly could care less.

    I generally find capless fillers to be messier than ones with caps, since you can’t give it a good shake before removing it.

    Reply
  5. Now that I have called my stress is all gone.

    Wow that is a bit of a stretch.

    I have two cap less vehicles and it matters little. I still have to wait for the receipt anyway and putting the cap on gives me something to do as I wait. Other wise I feel stress waiting.

    Reply
  6. When a site has run out of worthwhile articles, it resorts to crud like this.

    Reply
    1. Riiight. What’s not relevant to you happened to have been relevant to 30,000+ other people who read this and voted.

      But hey, when you run out of anything worthwhile to say, you resort to crap like that. Lots of value, your comment brings.

      Reply
      1. Alex, sounds like something Trump would retort with. I mean, seriously, have you read your own articles? They’re weak with structure and substance. Reminds me of those sites that auto generate content. Hire some talent bro.

        P.s. Your polls are fake. 21 comments yet folks managed to vote 30k Times? WTFever.

        Reply
        1. So is trolling with a healthy dose of armchair quarterbacking your day-time job, or is it a hobby?

          GM Authority has proven itself day after day, month after month, year after year to the point that I really don’t need to defend or prove the value of this publication. There is a reason that we have now been around for a decade. But if something isn’t to your liking, then you are more than welcome to leave and never return. Yet here you are, commenting your heart out… trying to prove what, exactly? That it’s easier to criticize than to actually create something. That’s all you have done. Nothing more.

          PS: “Your polls are fake. 21 comments yet folks managed to vote 30k Times? WTFever.”

          Now THAT sounds like a Trump retort.

          But seriously, it seems that you have no clue about the web or publishing, or the ratio of views to comments. I’m personally relieved that it’s not my job to educate you.

          Reply
  7. Dear GM,

    Please add capless filling to all Diesel products ASAP. No matter what you do, some clowns will still figure out how to add the wrong fuel to the wrong vehicle and wonder why the world is not worried about the lost continents under Antarctica.

    I don’t what to tell you about folks who have enough free to complain about product suggestion poles, beats me…

    Reply
  8. Stresses and inconveniences? Anyone who is stressed or inconvenienced by their gas cap is not mentally sound enough to be driving in the first place.

    Reply
  9. I am a transporter and just yesterday I was told to fill a vehicle with deisel that was already parked at the pump. When I saw that it was a capless tank. I knew better than to put diesel in it. Saved my company a lot of money and kept me from getting my ass chewed out.

    Reply
  10. Unscrewing a gas cap has never been difficult for me or time consuming.

    Reply
  11. it prevents a fault code from showing up for not tightening the cap enought clicks. it also prevents gasoline fumes from escaping while refueling because of the tight fit around the pump nozzle

    Reply
    1. Neither of which apply to a diesel-fueled vehicle.

      Reply
  12. Capless is fine, but I still want the option of a locking fuel door. I have a 2017 ZL1 Camaro and I do not like that someone can have access to my fuel tank, capless or not. There is no option for a locking fuel door on current model Camaro’s. I have locking caps and locking fuel doors on all of my vehicles after someone siphoning nearly 30 gallons of fuel from my F150.

    Reply
    1. Anyone with the last name of Hooker is bound to get their tank drained. 😉

      And if you haven’t figured it out yet, you can’t siphon much at all from your Z. I have an 18 Z, FWIW.

      Reply
  13. Water entering the fuel tank is of greater concern on a diesel I prefer the cap..

    Reply
    1. That’s exactly what I think of this as well. A gas car can handle some water. A diesel can’t. Also, gasoline evaporates for the most part. A capless diesel fill would look like an oil spill in very short order.

      Reply
  14. We have 2 cap less chevys in our fleet. Both of them are insanely difficult to fuel. Most if not all gas pumps reject the opening. If you set the nozzle on its slowest setting, it will still auto stop immediately. You have to sit there at every pump & squeeze the handle as little as possible with your fingers to get the gas to go in. Takes about 8 min to put 20 gallons in, & you have to hold the nozzle the entire time just slightly squeezing the handle. Chevy claims it is not a defect & refuses to fix it. Meaning as long as we own these trucks, we will loose 8 min of time every time we fill up. Anyone like to purchase a slightly uses truck?

    Reply
    1. i have a 2018 silverado and I have not seen this problem. it takes a little effort to remove after filling.

      Reply
      1. It’s not hard to remove the handle. The opening & more importantly the tube that directs the fuel down to the tank is too small at the point the nozzle comes to rest. As soon as you squeeze the handle, the fuel backs up & causes the auto stop to activate. GM needs to expand the tube at the point where the tip of the nozzle ends so it won’t do that. Until then, we will be filling our tanks super slow. Truly elementary design defect. Obviously the people that design them, don’t drive them.

        Reply
  15. If one were to really find the answer, one would probably realize that GM was finding a cost savings in getting rid of the cap.

    I prefer a green cap on my diesels as a reminder to only pump diesel. The extra steps involved in removing and subsequent replacing of the cap, also serve as a reminder. As another gentleman stated: It takes longer to wait for the receipt to show up, than it does to replace the cap while you’re waiting. And, a replacement locking cap does not cost much, if you’re worried about theft.

    “Time-saving” is not the answer – “cost-saving” is. Multiply whatever the caps cost by millions and you have real GM bucks.

    Reply

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