Comments on: Locking Fuel Caps. Securing Your Fuel

By: Michael Boggs

Michael Boggs — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 23:10:47 +0000

I have been unable to locate a locking cap for my Class C motor home on a 2010 Ford E450 chassis with V-10 engine. Even the Ford Dealer tells me there is no locking cap available for this… I have had couple auto parts sell me ones that do not fit. How close in configuration do the threads have to be? Surely someone makes a locking cap for this rig. Can you help me out? Thank you.

By: Lug_Nut

Lug_Nut — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:53:11 +0000

Andy, I believe Bob has it right. Besides, a gas ap is either a vented or a non-vented, this isn’t exactly rocket science. Sounds like the dealer may be making it far to complicated. I had locking caps that I bought at an auto store on my ‘99 Mountain Aire on a Ford gas chassis.

By: Bob Taylor

Bob Taylor — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:31:18 +0000

I did not know Ford was still using the warranty to prevent after market equipment being added to your vehicles. Because of Ford there was a law passed by Congress to off set this practice.

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (P.L. 93-637) is a United States federal law (15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.). Enacted in 1975, it is the federal statute that governs warranties on consumer products.

You can check it out online. I am not a lawyer.

By: Andy Mirdik

Andy Mirdik — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:58:34 +0000

I ask my Ford part shop about a locking gas cap, I own a Pleasure-way wide body rv on a E-350 Ford w/ a V-10 engine. I was told if I use anything other that my stock unlockable gas cap it would (1) void warranty,(2) could possibly have engine/performance problems. Have you heard anything like that, and are they correct or not?

By: Fran Mazzara

Fran Mazzara — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:39:34 +0000

We store our MH in the back of a small trailer park near our home. Most residents have lived there for years. Safe area buried in the woods up on Mt.Hood, Oregon. Vandals hit the couple of MH near us (only about 5 rigs stored) and we were thankful they did not jimmy the door to our gas fill compartment. Surprise, when we went to fill the tank last week we flooded the gas station. Made it down the road to a dealer…got it up on the lift and you guessed it, they cut the fill tube. So even in a low crime, neighborhood area we got hit. Yes, we will continue to lock it. But, other than that we are all vulnerable. Our insurance is having them do a thorough check to make sure they did not vandalize anything else for the fun of it.

By: Lug_Nut

Lug_Nut — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:35:08 +0000

Great info John. It’s interesting to hear a law enforcement view. Thanks for your input.

By: John Hemeyer

John Hemeyer — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:27:41 +0000

As a retired Sheriff with 34 years dealing with thieves, I heartily concur with locking gas caps. The one bit of advice I add is to purchase several (like 4) additional gas cap keys. True enough, some folks can remove a locking cap but the odds of finding one when you need to fill are slim.

Also – a small fireproof safe/lock box fastened securely inside your RV is cheap insurance for cash, jewelry, papers, etc. and a good place to keep extra keys.

By: Gary Mots

Gary Mots — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:48:03 +0000

I had gas stolen two times, then I put the locking cap on and it hasnt happened again.

I think with the gas prices so high here in So. Cal theres going to be alot more of this going on.

I just had my Suburban smogged, and before I could give the guy the key for the gas cap, he already had it off, he told me he can get any gas cap off within seconds if you know how. I think if they are desperate they will figure out how to do this.

In my case, I think it was just kids in the neighberhood and they now have just gone elsewhere and don’t want to be bothered with a looked one. I’ll leave mine on.

By: TXBrad

TXBrad — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:19:03 +0000

My vote: locking Gas Cap. Other issues as pointed above, make it worth the small cost. ie “something wrong going into my tank. ” A chevy/Ford/Rv dealer can sell the correct Cap : and a very small investment.
These thieves are stealing w/ or w.o. locking gas caps. They can slip under the vech. and be less seen than sticking a hose in fill opening. Some fill pipes are hard to get a hose into, so tap the tank. Many tanks are now poly\plastic , so not much a fire issue. I heard where these folks will tap a tank w/ valve; then come back later , open valve & drain tank !
just something else to be aware of.

By: Royce Wyrick

Royce Wyrick — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:02:41 +0000

Over the years, I have used both locking and non-locking gas caps on my vehicles. From my view point it doesn’t make much difference — however — if some stumblebum pumps diesel into my RV gas tank — the gas cap will not be the subject of our disscussion.

Recently, I saw in the news that thieves were breaking into RVs and making off with electronic equipment such as TVs, computers, etc. etc. Perhaps, the parking location and security of the location could prove much more significant than a gas cap. If a thief has time to drill a hole in a gas tank, then he will likely have time to break out a window or two.

Oh well – perhaps these thoughts are more fuelish than most.