How to Fill Up Gas in a Car at Gas Station in USA: 8 Easy Steps
Have you ever wondered how to fill gasoline in the United States? It’s actually quite simple, and in this article we’ll show you how! Just follow these steps and you’ll be good to go. If you are going to Europe or America for the first time, you may need help filling up. In United States, there are no pump attendants at gas stations, you have to do it yourself.
Fuel types for Cars in USA
If you’re driving a gasoline-powered car in the United States, you’ll need to fill up with unleaded gasoline at the pump. Most cars in the US require 87 octane unleaded gasoline, though some require higher-octane fuel. You can usually find this information in your car’s owner’s manual.
If you’re driving a diesel-powered car, you’ll need to fill up with diesel fuel. Diesel fuel is not the same as gasoline, so be sure to fill up at the right pump. Diesel is more expensive than gasoline. At some stations you may not even see diesel. Most of the cars are gasoline cars.
In America, they don’t calculate liters, they calculate gallons. 1 gallon corresponds to 3.79 liters. A standard car can be filled up between 30-35 dollars.
How to Fill Up Gas in a Car in USA
Once you’ve selected the correct type of fuel, follow these steps to fill up your tank:


- Pull up to the pump and Park your car in the designated spot. Make sure your engine is turned off before proceeding.
- Lift the gas cap and unscrew it from the filler neck.
- You have two ways to buy gasoline at gas stations. You can use a credit card or a debit card and fill up yourself without going to the store. First you choose the one you will pay with a credit card and insert the card. Wait for your card to be identified. Some stations ask you to enter a ZIP code. If you’re paying with a credit or debit card, you’ll need to enter your PIN at this time. Write down a few ZIP codes in the neighborhood before you leave for the US.
- After confirming the card, lift the lever up and hold it close to the mouth of your gas tank.
- Squeeze the trigger to start the gas flow and release when your tank is full. If you’re not sure how much gas to get, remember that most cars have a fuel capacity of around 15 gallons. So, if you’re filling up a small car, you shouldn’t need more than 10 or 12 gallons. For larger vehicles, you may need closer to 15 gallons.
- Under the pump there is a device to lock the pump. If you lock the pump, it will automatically discharge when the tank is full.
- Then it will charge your credit card for the amount written on the screen. If you have asked for a receipt before filling up, it will also give you the receipt after filling up.
- When your tank is full, remove the pump nozzle and reinstall the tank cap.


Another option to buy gasoline is to go to the supermarket. You enter the store and indicate the pump number and how much gasoline you want to fill up. The employee at the supermarket will then fill you up with the amount of gasoline you want according to the pump number. When you go to the pump and check the option that you paid at the market and place the pump in the car, it fills up the amount you bought.
The people at the supermarket definitely don’t come to the pump and help you. You can get very bored about this. Some of them may even say they don’t know how. If you can’t do it at all, you can get help from someone else who fills up with gasoline.