indication that refueling is nearly complete. Also, the station compression
equipment may turn on at any time during the refueling process.
FUEL QUALITY
Do not use liquefied natural gas (LNG) or a CNG that is derived
from a process such as flashing (heating LNG). Failure to use the
correct type of fuel may cause damage to the engine and fuel
system components.
Use only a CNG fuel that meets the specification of NFPA-52 and SAE
J1616 in your NGV. Specifications NFPA-52 and SAE J1616 place limits
on particulate contamination, oil contamination and moisture content to
ensure a quality CNG fuel.
The use of a CNG fuel that does not meet specifications NFPA-52 and
SAE J1616 isnot recommended and may cause engine damage.
Use of poor quality CNG fuel may result in:
• component failure.
• leakage from the fueling point.
• poor vehicle operation.
Use of poor quality fuel may also result in your warranty being
invalidated.
Icing while fueling your vehicle
An icing condition may occur after fueling your vehicle. This may be due
to changes in fuel moisture content, quite often seen during change of
seasons. This condition causes your vehicle ’s fuel fill valve to remain
slightly open, allowing some natural gas to be released.
Breathing hydrocarbon gases (CNG) or air which lacks oxygen
due to the presence of hydrocarbon gases can result in
headache, dizziness and weakness in the arms and legs. In the event of
illness due to inhaling hydrocarbon gases, immediately move the victim
to fresh air and contact medical emergency personnel.
The icing condition may be observed when disconnecting the fuel
dispenser ’s fill nozzle from your vehicle. You may notice more gas than
normal venting from the vehicle fill valve through the vent hose to the
dispenser. If this occurs, keep the fill nozzle connected (or reconnect it)
and wait about 30 seconds. This will allow the ice to melt. Repeat this
procedure as necessary. When normal fuel venting occurs, remove the fill
nozzle and stow it as instructed on the dispenser.
Do not fuel your vehicle with the ignition in the ON position; doing so
may increase the amount of fuel venting during this icing condition.
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SERVICING YOUR NATURAL GAS VEHICLE
Service to the CNG fuel system should be conducted at a
qualified dealership by a trained NGV technician only. Failure to
do so may cause damage to components or cause bodily harm.
FUELING
Do not fuel your vehicle with the ignition on the ON position. Failure to
do so may cause component damage.
Fueling a NGV, with a few exceptions, is very similar to fueling a gasoline
vehicle. The same care and cautions used when fueling a gasoline vehicle
should be exercised when fueling a NGV. In particular, for safety reasons,
an enginemustalways be turned off when refueling is occurring. Always
use the recommended fill nozzle to refuel your vehicle.
The fueling point, or fuel receptacle is located near the driver’s side.
When refueling, the enginemustbe shut off.
Two methods for filling the fuel tanks are available to NGV owners. The
fast-fill method, described below, is available at many of the commercial
and privately owned filling stations. The slow-fill method, also described
below, is available for purchase or lease from a number of commercial or
natural gas utility companies.
Fast fill procedure
“Fast-filling”a NGV involves rapidly (typical fill time: 3–5 minutes)
raising the pressure in the vehicle’s tanks by“fast-fill”refueling station.
“Fast-filling”a vehicle provides the greatest convenience to the driver in
terms of time spent refueling. However, present“fast-fill”refueling
technology does not presently allow a NGV to be completely refueled to
its maximum rated capacity. Therefore,“fast-filling”results in a reduced
driving range and an initial fuel gauge reading of Full. However, within
approximately 10 minutes, the fuel gauge of a NGV that has been
“fast-filled”will drop about
1⁄8th of a tank lower to reflect the reduced
amount of fuel that was actually added.
Slow fill procedure
“Slow-filling” a NGV involves slowly raising the pressure in the vehicle’s
fuel tank(s) by a slow fill station (typical fill rate: 6-8 hours).
“Slow-filling” usually is done overnight and allows the greatest amount of
fuel to be added to a NGV. A properly functioning “slow-fill” refueling
station will fill the NGV’s fuel tank(s) to a fuel gauge reading of “full” at
a temperature of 21°C (70°F).
Servicing your vehicle
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