Expert: Roland Finston - 2/2/2012

Question
I own a 06 Chrysler 300.  Every time I fill up the gas tank, my car sputters, stoppes, and runs sluggish.  What could be the problem and how could I fix it?

Answer
Hi Dwight,
Two thoughts: first use the ignition key to try and get a fault code readout:"on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the odometer window in the instrument cluster to see if the mileage reading is replaced by any four digit numbers preceded by a P. If so let me know what they are. If that doesn't happen then go to a nationwide auto parts store, such as Autozone, where they often will use a plug-in reader to get the fault codes and do that for free.
Second: this sort of issue is related to filling the tank due a problem with the fuel vapor capture system and what happens is that it takes up fuel rather than vapor and then when the recycle of vapor is called for instead of vapor, gas gets into the recycling lines and floods the engine with a too rich mixture and thus the sputtering, dying, sluggish situations. Whether it is an issue with the 'purge solenoid' or the 'natural vacuum leak detector' parts above the fuel tank may be revealed by getting a fault code.
This issue was frequent in the minivans in the first half of the decade but I'm sure it could well also occur with the LX 300. The 'fix' in that case was often a replacement of the fuel tank, as I recall! There might even be a recall on it if that is the case, so lets get a code and if that doesn't come forward then check with a dealer or even the Chrysler website for the possibility of a recall on this subject. You might be able to ameliorate the problem by not filling the tank to the top of tube but rather leave about a gallon of free space in the tank, at least till you sort out what is the cause.
Roland