My fuel cap is missing.

I haven’t the first clue how this happened. My car has a fuel door, which opens via a latch on the inside of the car. The only thing I can figure is that it wasn’t replaced during the trip to Erie on my birthday weekend. The next time I went to get gas, it was gone.

So I’ve been driving around without it for two weeks, although I’ve only been aware of it for one. My check engine light is on, presumably because of emissions or some crap like that.

I went to AutoZone on Friday, asked for assistance. The kind sales clerk typed the make, model and year of my car into the computer, and came back with a replacement fuel cap.

Great.

Problem is, it didn’t fit. Thinking they had perhaps given me the wrong one, I returned and attempted to exchange it. I was told that it was the right one. I took my money back and grumbled “Thank you.”

So then I went to Pep Boys. I found their replacement fuel caps in the aisle, but of course had no idea which one would work for me. I grabbed one, took it to the counter, and asked for help.

The kind sales clerk typed the make, model and year of my car into the computer. He looked quizzically at the result, and typed again.

“Looks like (name of company) doesn’t make one for your car.”

Huh?

“Are you sure?”

“Yep. Sorry. Try the dealer.”

*grumble* “Thank you.”

On a lark, I decided to stop by little unknown car parts shop. (It was on the way…) Same story. My car is not at all unusual or uncommon. (Rhymes with Heavy Chisolm.)

So what? It’s some vast conspiracy?

I told R the story, and he said “It’s times like this that it pays to have friends who work at the city dump.”

Unfortunately, I do not.

Grrr….so now I have to continue driving around, emitting nasty toxins (which is ‘dangerous to you, your car and the environment’) until I get around to getting overcharged by the dealer. Great.

Think I can cover the fuel opening with duct tape?