“What’s the code for free gas?”
Gas is incredibly expensive right now.
Regular unleaded has surpassed $6 per gallon in some states, while diesel has gotten so expensive that some gas stations can’t even display the price on their signs.
No matter how much you love to drive, having to empty your wallet to do so stings. Plus, many parts of America are left with no alternatives to driving, as public transit infrastructure is lacking.
Consequently, the internet has become filled with “hacks” to try to lower your gas bill. These range from pumping at a different speed to only filling their tank at certain times.
But if you know that you can only spend a certain amount of money on gas, you’re probably used to the routine of going inside, asking for a certain amount on the pump, then returning to your car. Otherwise you might get stuck with a hold on your account for an amount far higher than how much you’ve spent at the pump. It’s only natural to wonder: is there a more efficient way to handle this?
According to one TikTok user, there is—and you don’t even have to leave the pump.
In a video with over 596,000 views, TikTok user Julissa Cuevas (@julaburdv) reveals what she says is a “gas preset code.”
“In case you guys didn’t know, there is a preset code,” Cuevas starts. She then shows herself removing the gas cap from her car, then turning to face the pump.
At this point, she moves to the keypad where one would normally type their debit card PIN or ZIP code.
“You just put 7, 8, 9, 8, 9, and enter and you get it,” she says. Sure enough, after pressing those numbers, a screen pops up reading, “Enter preset amount.”
Cuevas isn’t the first to share this hack. It’s been floating around TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, and other social media sites for years. But can you actually do this to enter a preset amount?
The answer, it seems, is “it depends.” In the video, Cuevas is at a 76 gas station. However, gas station software is not universal, meaning a trick that might work at one station will not work on another.
For example, in a Reddit thread on the topic, users reported mixed success actually using the preset gas code. Some said that it was effective at their local gas station, while others claimed that they were unable to enter a preset amount using this method.
But just because this specific code doesn’t work at your gas station, that doesn’t mean that a code doesn’t exist. One video from 2022 shows that a customer at a Shell station was able to access the preset amount screen by pressing clear and enter at the same time. Another Reddit thread alleged that the preset amount screen could be accessed by simply pressing enter once, with some commenters claiming that enter must be pressed twice to access the screen.
Those aren’t the only codes, either. One internet user claimed the correct code was 7, 9, enter, while another claimed the actual code was 1, 7, 8, 5, enter.
So if you want to enter a preset amount from the pump, you’re may have to try a few codes before you access the screen. That said, it does appear that codes like these actually exist. If you have a gas station you frequent, it may be worth it to try a few codes and figure out which one works. That way, you can save yourself a trip inside the shop.
While drivers in the comments section were thankful for the advice, many took the opportunity to gripe about today’s gas prices.
“What’s the code for free gas?” joked a user.
Others noted that there may be additional issues that arise with this practice.
“For anyone that doesn’t know…paying at the pump normally will cause roughly 100-150$ of your account to be held until the transaction is over,” noted a commenter. This is called an authorization hold, and it’s common at gas stations. “Depending on your bank, the refund for the unused money can take anywhere from minutes, to a full 24 hours depending on who you bank through.”
Still, some thought hacks like these are unnecessary.
“How is this a hack? If you want $20, stop at $20,” stated a commenter.
“Or if you pay cash, you don’t have this issue at all,” observed another.
We’ve reached out to 76 via email and media relations contact form, and Cuevas via TikTok direct message and comment. This story will be updated if either responds.
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– The Motor1.com Team