Can't get petrol in car

[penfolds_bin95]

Have not used my RX450H for over a year and after cleaning off the spiders webs a new Battery and service drives lovely again but when  tried to fill with petrol flooded all over the forecourt.

The fuel gage says empty but the dash says 400 miles left?

Is there an easy way to see if tank full and gage is broken or can I put a stick(?) in and check?

Appreciate help for OAP with no mechanical knowledge at all !!!!!

[PaulWhitt20]

You could try a wooden spoon as far as you can get it. Any liquid will soak into the spoon and you will be able to tell if the level is full. 
 

Possibly you have a leak from the petrol tank and it is empty and when you try to fill up it leaks onto the four court. 
 

You could try filing from a can where you have more control of how much goes in and where it goes. 

[penfolds_bin95]

Many thanks. Have tried the wooden spoon but seems too short

Will have to go to garage and get a can and try that - have 2 cans for lawnmower but no nozzles anywhere!!!

[Herbie]

Get two cans (or 1 x 10l jerry can) and drive until it's empty or until you've done enough miles to show that there's plenty in there - say, 100 miles.

[Bluemarlin]

If the car's been sat idle for a year it could be that fuel gauge/sender is stuck on empty.

I'm sure I read somewhere not to let a hybrid run out of petrol, something to do with the system needing to be reset if it fails to start after a few times.  So I'd go with running for a 100 miles or so and then trying to add petrol and see what happens.

[PRT68]

With all the hot weather we've had, there is a possibility that the tank has imploded, thus reducing capacity drastically. Have seen it before. 

[penfolds_bin95]

OK will have that checked.

Many thanks 

[penfolds_bin95]

29 minutes ago, Bluemarlin said:

If the car's been sat idle for a year it could be that fuel gauge/sender is stuck on empty.

I'm sure I read somewhere not to let a hybrid run out of petrol, something to do with the system needing to be reset if it fails to start after a few times.  So I'd go with running for a 100 miles or so and then trying to add petrol and see what happens.

OK will try that 

Many thanks for replying 

[Malc]

Good luck  

Malc