Malfunctioning gas price signs

[hotdogPi]

Here's what I've seen personally:

• Speedway (now Shell), Dutton St., Lowell MA, some time between 2016 and 2020: Advertised prices show as 3.03 and 3.05 from different directions (or maybe some other numbers that are two cents off). I don't remember which is correct.
• Speedway, MA 28 near Arlington St., Lawrence, guessing 2022: The rewards price is seven cents higher than the non-rewards price.
• Racing Mart, MA 110, Haverhill, 2/14/2023: Premium is 0.009. Regular is unaffected at 3.499.
• BP, NH 38, Pelham, 5/5/2023: "Ultimate" is 0.399. Regular cash (3.499) and diesel (4.299) are unaffected.
• Vana Mart, MA 110, Methuen, photo taken 6/15/2024 but possibly still ongoing: From one side, one of the segments in 9/10 is burned out so that it looks like 4/10.
• Speedway, MA 97/113, Haverhill, 5/25/2025: Regular is typical 3.049, but the 9/10 is blank for "Reg" (i.e. no rewards card), making it a flat 3.110. This may be the case only from one direction.
• BP, Pelham St., Methuen MA, 6/6/2026: Regular cash and regular credit are both shown as 3.599 on one side, but regular credit is 3.699; one of the segments on the 6 is burned out making it look like a 5.
• Sunoco, Pelham St., Methuen MA, 6/6/2026: I noticed that this station, which doesn't price gouge, is listed as 3.799. I then checked the pump, which was 2.799. I went in and told them that their display is a dollar too high and they should fix it so that they actually get business. They immediately did.
• Somewhere on NJ 38 west of NJ 73, 5/15/2026: Diesel is either 0.000 or 0.009. Gasoline is unaffected. (I did not get a photo in time.)
• Somewhere on NJ 38 west of the entry immediately above or on US 30 between there and I-676, 5/15/2026: Diesel is flashing 5.799. The prices are typical, and gasoline is not flashing.
• Shell, Vine/12th in Philadelphia, 5/15/2026: Regular appears as "49 9/10" and diesel appears as "19 9/10", where the first digit is missing in both cases. I'm assuming 4 and 6.

I've never seen an "out of service" 8.88, but I have seen A0 B0 C0 on the pump itself on a Speedway in Lawrence (not the one mentioned above). I don't consider this a malfunction because it's intentional out of service.

[1995hoo]

My brother was here in the DC area in mid-March and he found a station that was advertising $3.84 for low-test, but the pump was programmed for $2.84. He did not go inside and tell them the pump was programmed incorrectly.

[hotdogPi]

My brother was here in the DC area in mid-March and he found a station that was advertising $3.84 for low-test, but the pump was programmed for $2.84. He did not go inside and tell them the pump was programmed incorrectly.

I'm not familiar with low-test fuel. Which one made more sense? In my case, the real price was the intended one, and the external display was showing too high.

[1995hoo]

My brother was here in the DC area in mid-March and he found a station that was advertising $3.84 for low-test, but the pump was programmed for $2.84. He did not go inside and tell them the pump was programmed incorrectly.

I'm not familiar with low-test fuel. Which one made more sense? In my case, the real price was the intended one, and the external display was showing too high.

Low-test fuel, i.e., 87 octane (the low-grade gas). In his case, the pump was incorrect and was saving customers a dollar a gallon.

[kphoger]

I once filled up at the Boondocks truck stop in Iowa (raise your hand if you remember it), and the price on the pump didn't match the price on the sign.  When I told the attendant about it, she said they just must not have changed the price on the sign, and honestly didn't really seem to care.  Yes, I had to pay the higher price as shown on the pump.

My brother was here in the DC area in mid-March and he found a station that was advertising $3.84 for low-test, but the pump was programmed for $2.84. He did not go inside and tell them the pump was programmed incorrectly.

When I used to drive a box truck for a living in southern Illinois, I always filled up at this Hucks station right before heading back to the warehouse at the end of my day.  One evening, I pulled up to the pump farthest back from the road, started pumping, and noticed that the dollar amount was going up re-e-e-e-ally slowly, even though the pump appeared to be functioning just fine.  It turns out that, when she had programmed the pumps that morning, she accidentally put the decimal point in the wrong place for Diesel on that particular pump.  So instead of, say, $4.299/gallon, it was ringing up at $0.4299/gallon (or maybe even $0.04299/gallon, I don't remember for sure).  But nobody had used that pump for Diesel all day, till I got there, so she never realized her mistake.  Anyway, I filled up the tank, went in to pay with the fleet card, and told her about the error.  She had a dickens of a time correcting the sale, because I had already pumped the fuel at a certain price.  It probably took fifteen minutes or more for her to figure the way through getting it corrected.  Afterward, she thanked me profusely, because she said any error over $20 was grounds for termination.

[fwydriver405]

There's this Mobil in Cambridge on Fresh Pond Parkway where the two pump stations further away from the road is like $0.10-0.20 higher than what is posted on the sign facing the street or the two pump stations closest to the road, both for cash and card users. Not sure if this is intentional or an oversight, but it's been this way since Summer 2024 and still is to this day...

In the GSV I linked, the CASH price on both the sign facing FPP and the front two pump stations are shown as $2.999/gallon. But the back two pumps are displaying $3.199/gallon...

[hotdogPi]

There's this Mobil in Cambridge on Fresh Pond Parkway where the two pump stations further away from the road is like $0.10-0.20 higher than what is posted on the sign facing the street or the two pump stations closest to the road, both for cash and card users. Not sure if this is intentional or an oversight, but it's been this way since Summer 2024 and still is to this day...

In the GSV I linked, the CASH price on both the sign facing FPP and the front two pump stations are shown as $2.999/gallon. But the back two pumps are displaying $3.199/gallon...

I can't tell from the GSV photo, but this is typical of a self serve vs. full serve split.

[1995hoo]

There's this Mobil in Cambridge on Fresh Pond Parkway where the two pump stations further away from the road is like $0.10-0.20 higher than what is posted on the sign facing the street or the two pump stations closest to the road, both for cash and card users. Not sure if this is intentional or an oversight, but it's been this way since Summer 2024 and still is to this day...

In the GSV I linked, the CASH price on both the sign facing FPP and the front two pump stations are shown as $2.999/gallon. But the back two pumps are displaying $3.199/gallon...

I can't tell from the GSV photo, but this is typical of a self serve vs. full serve split.

I notice the pump in the foreground has "CASH" lit up and the pump in the background has "CREDIT" lit up (look at the bright white letters above the pricing). Different pricing for cash and credit is no longer common where I live, but I know it's routine in other parts of the country (it's still prevalent in South Carolina, for example). Maybe it's normal in Massachusetts. The sign located to the left says "Regular Cash," which further suggests a cash/credit differential (the word "Cash" would be unnecessary if the prices were the same).

[hotdogPi]

There's this Mobil in Cambridge on Fresh Pond Parkway where the two pump stations further away from the road is like $0.10-0.20 higher than what is posted on the sign facing the street or the two pump stations closest to the road, both for cash and card users. Not sure if this is intentional or an oversight, but it's been this way since Summer 2024 and still is to this day...

In the GSV I linked, the CASH price on both the sign facing FPP and the front two pump stations are shown as $2.999/gallon. But the back two pumps are displaying $3.199/gallon...

I can't tell from the GSV photo, but this is typical of a self serve vs. full serve split.

I notice the pump in the foreground has "CASH" lit up and the pump in the background has "CREDIT" lit up (look at the bright white letters above the pricing). Different pricing for cash and credit is no longer common where I live, but I know it's routine in other parts of the country (it's still prevalent in South Carolina, for example). Maybe it's normal in Massachusetts. The sign located to the left says "Regular Cash," which further suggests a cash/credit differential (the word "Cash" would be unnecessary if the prices were the same).

Cash/credit splits are common here, but either method can be used at any pump. Having different pumps be different prices looks more like self serve vs. full serve.

[1995hoo]

There's this Mobil in Cambridge on Fresh Pond Parkway where the two pump stations further away from the road is like $0.10-0.20 higher than what is posted on the sign facing the street or the two pump stations closest to the road, both for cash and card users. Not sure if this is intentional or an oversight, but it's been this way since Summer 2024 and still is to this day...

In the GSV I linked, the CASH price on both the sign facing FPP and the front two pump stations are shown as $2.999/gallon. But the back two pumps are displaying $3.199/gallon...

I can't tell from the GSV photo, but this is typical of a self serve vs. full serve split.

I notice the pump in the foreground has "CASH" lit up and the pump in the background has "CREDIT" lit up (look at the bright white letters above the pricing). Different pricing for cash and credit is no longer common where I live, but I know it's routine in other parts of the country (it's still prevalent in South Carolina, for example). Maybe it's normal in Massachusetts. The sign located to the left says "Regular Cash," which further suggests a cash/credit differential (the word "Cash" would be unnecessary if the prices were the same).

Cash/credit splits are common here, but either method can be used at any pump. Having different pumps be different prices looks more like self serve vs. full serve.

Well, as I said, look at the Street View link I included. The two pumps to the right side of that image seem to reflect a price differential between cash and credit if you look at the bright white letters above the red pricing figures. I have no idea whether there's a full-serve pump there, but if there is, the far pump to the left seems like the likely candidate because of that folding chair next to it, which seems like it might be there to give the attendant somewhere to sit. (I don't know when the last time I saw a full-serve gas option was. Don't bother citing New Jersey. I haven't driven in that state in probably 16 years, and while I was in Oregon in 2023, I spent the entire trip in downtown Portland near Pioneer Square and didn't see any gas stations.)

[fwydriver405]

I notice the pump in the foreground has "CASH" lit up and the pump in the background has "CREDIT" lit up (look at the bright white letters above the pricing). Different pricing for cash and credit is no longer common where I live, but I know it's routine in other parts of the country (it's still prevalent in South Carolina, for example). Maybe it's normal in Massachusetts. The sign located to the left says "Regular Cash," which further suggests a cash/credit differential (the word "Cash" would be unnecessary if the prices were the same).

Hmm, the last few times I've passed by this station, I could swear I saw different prices for the front and rear pumps between cash-cash and credit-credit. If you look at my GSV again, both of the white lettering between pumps say CASH between the two pumps. At the time of the GSV, the CASH price was $2.999 front, $3.199 rear, and the CREDIT price was $3.099 front and $3.299 rear. (Clicking around confirms that) Which brings me to the next point:

I can't tell from the GSV photo, but this is typical of a self serve vs. full serve split.

Cash/credit splits are common here, but either method can be used at any pump. Having different pumps be different prices looks more like self serve vs. full serve.

The last time I actually filled up here (looking at old Fuelly logs) was September or October 2023, and at that time (and even passing by in 2024, 25, and 26), I don't think they had a full-service option, just self serve. (I pumped around the tail end of afternoon rush hour, so it could be possible they weren't offering self serve at the time).

Might have to do some BOTG investigating if I pass by that station again to see what's going on.

[kphoger]

Having different pumps be different prices looks more like self serve vs. full serve.

Well, as I said, look at the Street View link I included. The two pumps to the right side of that image seem to reflect a price differential between cash and credit if you look at the bright white letters above the red pricing figures. I have no idea whether there's a full-serve pump there, but if there is, the far pump to the left seems like the likely candidate because of that folding chair next to it, which seems like it might be there to give the attendant somewhere to sit.

Yes, the back two pumps are full serve.  There's a 2019 photo on Google Maps that shows a faded 'Full' placard on the other one, whereas the front one has a 'Self' placard:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/rTTF41Zt8tEf4BkD7

[fwydriver405]

(I don't know when the last time I saw a full-serve gas option was. Don't bother citing New Jersey. I haven't driven in that state in probably 16 years, and while I was in Oregon in 2023, I spent the entire trip in downtown Portland near Pioneer Square and didn't see any gas stations.)

I think Arlington, and possibly a small handful of towns in MA - Weymouth comes to mind, prohibits self-service gasoline stations for quite some time now.

[1995hoo]

(I don't know when the last time I saw a full-serve gas option was. Don't bother citing New Jersey. I haven't driven in that state in probably 16 years, and while I was in Oregon in 2023, I spent the entire trip in downtown Portland near Pioneer Square and didn't see any gas stations.)

I think Arlington, and possibly a small handful of towns in MA - Weymouth comes to mind, prohibits self-service gasoline stations for quite some time now.

I'll take your word for that. The last time I passed through Massachusetts was in 2008 en route to and from Nova Scotia, and I remember pumping my own gas at a station somewhere in that state on the northbound trip.

[hotdogPi]

I'll take your word for that. The last time I passed through Massachusetts was in 2008 en route to and from Nova Scotia, and I remember pumping my own gas at a station somewhere in that state on the northbound trip.

About 1/8 of stations are full serve here (and most that are are only full serve; having an option within the same gas station is rare). It's not mandatory.

[LilianaUwU]

I think they're all malfunctioning right now... CA$1.90/litre? Really?

[Tendies]

Analog malfunction: Gas station has four sign faces, and only six 9's. This means that whenever the price is x.69 or x.99, the price cannot be accurately displayed (6s and 9s are interchangeable). Usually the price is displayed as "X_9" on the outer faces, however this street view has the price displayed as "29_" on the inner face.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AkhrxqycbPVmpDMa8
And here is 4.69 being displayed as 4_9


Here's a sign showing n.C, however this might be intentional due to the shortages of '22.


And the last one, I had gas ring up at 8/10c, rather than the standard 9/10. The sign said 9/10, although most 9/10 displays are hard coded and physically incapable of displaying anthing other than 9/10.

[pderocco]

I'll take your word for that. The last time I passed through Massachusetts was in 2008 en route to and from Nova Scotia, and I remember pumping my own gas at a station somewhere in that state on the northbound trip.

About 1/8 of stations are full serve here (and most that are are only full serve; having an option within the same gas station is rare). It's not mandatory.

This is the first I've realized that I haven't seen Full/Self in SoCal for a long time. It used to be common, with an official-looking sign saying that the attendant would serve someone with a handicap plate at the self-serve pumps.

Normally, full serve was always 10-20 cents more. But there's a station in my original home town of Bridgewater MA that was (and probably still is) full serve, but was also the cheapest place in town. I think the immigrant who pumped the gas may have been the owner, because he was always unusually quick, cheerful, and enthusiastic.

[Scott5114]

Sunoco, Pelham St., Methuen MA, 6/6/2026: I noticed that this station, which doesn't price gouge, is listed as 3.799. I then checked the pump, which was 2.799. I went in and told them that their display is a dollar too high and they should fix it so that they actually get business. They immediately did.

I'm impressed that not only do you remember the exact date that this happened, but that you time travelled nineteen days into the future to tell them their sign was wrong.

[kphoger]

The only full-serve pump I remember pulling up to in the USA was, if memory serves correctly, at the old BP station in Louisiana, MO (now a sports bar & grill), right before crossing the Champ Clark Bridge—still a steel truss back then—into Illinois.  It was winter, it was already getting dark, and it was in the middle of a snowstorm.  I pulled up to the pump, and a guy came hobbling out from inside the station, bundled up in about fifty layers against the cold and the wind.  I had no idea what he wanted, but then he said it was a full-serve pump.  Well, I didn't want to pay the extra price, so I backed out and pulled up to a self-serve pump instead.  I felt bad afterward for making him bundle up like that and come outside for no reason.  But, then again, looking back, I guess that was actually better than staying at the first pump and keeping him outside for even longer.