What Do You Do With a Rental Car "Malfunction"?

Her son was visiting us the past few days. I agreed to fill his tank this morning, and it took $61 in gas. Maybe around 16 gallons. Tonight he called to ask how much gas I had put in his rental car. I told him the amount, and he told me he had put in the same amount after arriving back in Vegas, but it only showed a half tank no matter how much more he tried to put in the tank. He said it was overflowing and no more could be put in the tank.

Dollar said he didn't have a full tank as it registered only half full. Naturally, he should have gotten a receipt like I always do when I fill the tank, but he didn't. I told him to tell them to try and put more gas in the tank, and when they couldn't, it would prove his point that the tank was full. Don't know the final result yet, but when they try and fill the tank, it will prove he is right. Screw Dollar!

This sounds like this rental was a GM car.

The gas tank is a "saddle" tank meaning that it is not a big box instead it contours over the drivetrain. In doing this the tank two level sensors and since one side could have more gas on it then another the computer can average this out and give an accurate fuel level reading.

So to answer your question; one of the two sensors is not working.

How would Dollar know the gas gauge is broken? They're not car mechanics, they only know the gauge says half full (empty) and therefore, you get charged. Next time, when you encounter a rental car with a problem, call the rental car company and let them know. This way they can get some someone in authority to make a decision on how to handle the problem before you return the car.

Insist they come to your hotel and fix it. I'm sure they won't want to do it, so then you get the supervisor's name and information when you have to go to battle at check out. Rental car companies piss me off with their extra charges. They want you to buy a full tank of gas from them at an above FMV price, and then threaten you that if you have less gas than what you started out with, they will charge you something like double. They have a great little deal, because I'm sure they get a lot of free gas from customers who overfill and are paranoid about being charged. The other question is if complaints were registered by prior customers who drove the car?

Report it to the rental company, which gives them the chance to replace the car if needed. then when turning it in go over the problem again. Knock wood I have never had a problem with a rental company fixing the problem.

It was a Mercury Grand Marquis. I remember having the same problem with a Marquis that I had rented once, but since they know me well, they didn't even question me. Since most of these places have gas pumps, they could have settled the problem by trying to put more gas in the tank. If it wouldn't take more than a $1 that would prove his point. Turns out, that since he screwed around trying to put gas in the tank, he wound up bringing the car back 10 minutes late, and they charged him $30 extra.

I rent from Dollar all the time. I did have an issue once with a car. I was staying at the M resort and on the way out there I heard a loud noise coming from the rear of the car. It sounded like I was on the airport runway about to take off. I think a rear wheel bearing was in the process of going tango uniform. I dumped my bags at the M, and headed back to the airport in a foul mood. They exchanged it without issue. No way I would have accepted a charge or there would have been a mushroom cloud over the car rental facility.

Disable the car, call them and say it's broken down, then they'll come to tow it and bring you another car. Gas won't be discussed.

The problem was renting from 100Dollar.

Hey Bagiant,

I love reading your stories but I always wondered why you are always renting cars instead of driving in your own car to Vegas and this reminded me of it.