Fuel keeps your cars and generators running in Project Zomboid, and running dry can leave you stranded far from safety. There are two reliable ways to get it: siphon gasoline out of vehicles you find in the world, or pump it directly from gas station pumps. Both routes need the right gear in your inventory before anything works.
Quick answer: Right-click a car or fuel pump and choose Siphon Gasoline while carrying a hose and an empty container (gas can, jerry can, or water bottle). To fill a vehicle directly, hold V at a working pump and select Refuel from Gas Pump.
What you need before you can get gas
Two things sit between you and a full tank: something to hold the fuel, and a hose to draw it out of a vehicle. Without a hose in your inventory, the siphon option will not appear at all, so pick one up before you head out looking for cars.
Containers vary in how much they hold. A gas can is the most efficient choice because it stores up to 10L. Empty water bottles work in a pinch but cap out at 1L each, so you would need ten of them to match one gas can. Jerry cans hold the most at 20L.
| Container | Capacity | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Gas can | 10L | Residential and commercial garages, storage sheds, car trunks |
| Jerry can | 20L | Trunks of army vehicles at the checkpoint near Louisville |
| Water bottle | 1L | Cupboards and refrigerators |
Gas cans are somewhat rare, but with so many garages, sheds, and trunks scattered across every town, you will turn one up if you keep searching. Water bottles are far more common, which makes them a decent stopgap early on.
Where to find hoses
Hoses turn up in the same kinds of places as small tools and utilities. Check sheds, garages, hardware stores, and toolboxes. Since you cannot siphon anything without one, grab a hose and a container together before you go car hunting outside.
Siphon gas from vehicles
Not every car has fuel to give. To check before you commit, interact with the vehicle’s hood or open the Vehicle Mechanics screen from inside the car. If the tank is empty, the siphon will produce nothing. Fuel pumps can be siphoned the same way when you want to fill containers rather than a tank.
Note: If the option refuses to show up, the cause is almost always a missing hose or a completely empty tank. Confirm both before assuming the car is broken.
Get fuel from gas stations
During the early days of a run, gas stations are your most dependable fuel source. Many world vehicles start empty, but station pumps still work as long as they hold gas and power is still on across the county. This is the fastest way to top off cars and containers before the grid fails.
To fill a vehicle directly, pull up to a pump, press and hold the V key, and choose Refuel from Gas Pump. Your character fills the tank straight from the station.
Once the electricity shuts down countywide, pumps stop working on their own. You can bring them back by placing a generator on the gas station’s premises to power the pumps again. After that, refueling and siphoning at the station work as before.
Can’t get into a car?
Siphoning does not need keys, but driving does. If you want to move a vehicle after fueling it, search dashboard glove compartments, nearby homes, and the pockets of zombies for keys. You can also hotwire a car by learning the right skills or starting with the Burglar occupation, which lets you skip the key hunt entirely.
