How does one go about storing extra gasoline in the back of an SUV, I've heard that the fumes will get out of the canister and into the cabin. For truck owners, this is not a problem. Are there gas cans that have really good seals on them?

thanks in advance

I don't know if I would ever really feel comfortable storing fuel in an SUV, but being in Florida and maybe having to choose the lesser of two evils in a hurricane evacuation, I have several Justrite DOT 5 gallon storage cans in my garage filled with gasoline treated with Sta-Bil.

Any can rated to comply with the CARB (California Air Resource Board) is rated to completely contain gasoline fumes when the gasoline is not being poured. However, some gasoline canisters are also designed to "vent" excess pressure caused by temperature changes. If you've ever gotten into a car that has been parked in the full sun on a hot day for a while, then you can imagine that there's a possibility that some lower quality jerry cans will vent. If you're still interested in getting a jerry can, about the best ones I've seen are Justrite Mfg.'s UNO® D.O.T. Safety Cans.

I've also heard of a couple products that are better suited for emergency spare gasoline. One of them was called "Spare Tank" and the other is "dry gas" (which is actually just ethanol or methanol, I believe, and is mainly used for removing suspended water from gasoline). You may want to search the 'net a bit on these alternatives, as it is still tough for me to recommend carrying spare gasoline in an automobile… especially in the passenger cabin like in an SUV.

You got your post off while I was still typing. I'm getting slow. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

thanks for the suggestions and info. I saw those cans online as well.

To clarify, this would be for more of a bug out scenario. I can imagine all the gas stations within a 400 mile radius would have long lines or run out during an evacuation as everyone else would start running low about the same distance.

You will have the same issue with vans and cars, most cars don't have anything solid between the truck and passenger compartment, just the seat so the fumes can still penetrate.
When we made the mistake of buying a minivan instead of a decent vehicle and I had to bring gas home for a lawn mower or something I would open the back vent windows and leave the front windows down to let air flow through. I would suggest that if you do need to carry gas in the back, leave the back window open at least to let the fumes out. I suppose you could always tape some thick plastic behind the back seat, sealing it as well as you can.

If you do this, definately secure the can(s) very well. A bungee cord won't cut it. In an accident, a lose can inside the vehicle would be very bad news.

If you had to evacuate, like the famous hurricane traffic jams, you definately want to conceal any gas cans. There are definately people out there that aren't above robbing fellow evacuees and it would pay to blend in with the crowds.

Something that comes up when it comes to storing gasoline is local laws and fire codes. At least some locals have a code prohibiting storing more than 15 gallons in a residence.

Rather than carrying it inside the vehicle, you could consider a hitch mounted cargo carrier. There are many styles out there, but, they generally are about 2 ft by 5 feet, carry 500lbs, and they are supported by a standard 2" trailer hitch. Most SUV's have a 2" hitch standard now, along with trucks obviously. We use it to carry things like a generator and gas cans. (And the gas grill for football tailgating.) You want to make sure you have a heavy duty one, because some are only for light use. Still, they keep everything outside the passenger cabin.

For the bug out scenario with some theft prone folks, you might have an issue with the outboard storage...but, they do have steel locking cargo boxes too... or you could see one of the threads on firearms for society breaking down type scenarios <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

You shouldn't be securing anything with a bungee cord except maybe a tarp. I see way too many small cars/vans/suv's driving down the road with everything from beds to other furniture to lumper on their roofs held on by rubber cords or string the size of dental floss just waiting to break and let the load fall off and hit someone else.

How could you not see someone siphoning gas from your car?