Why is my vape leaking?

A leaking vape is almost always one of six things: overfilled tank, dirty or worn o-rings, a flooded coil, the wrong coil for your e-liquid, cracked tank glass or pressure changes from temperature and altitude. The good news is that most are fixable in under five minutes.

The six common causes

Vape tanks and pods work by feeding e-liquid through a wick onto a heated coil at exactly the right rate. Anything that disrupts that balance creates a leak. The six causes below cover most situations.

Overfilling

Pushing liquid past the fill line traps air pressure inside the tank. As pressure tries to escape it pushes liquid out through the airflow holes. Always leave a small air gap when filling.

Worn or dirty o-rings

The rubber seals between tank components compress over time. Even a tiny tear or build-up of dried e-liquid can let fluid seep past the seal. Replacement o-rings are inexpensive.

Flooded coil

Too much e-liquid soaking the coil produces gurgling, spitting and leaks from the airflow holes. Usually caused by chain vaping or leaving the device on its side.

Wrong coil for your e-liquid

Thin, high-PG liquid in a sub-ohm coil floods through the wick faster than it can be vapourised. Thick, high-VG liquid in a small MTL coil cannot wick fast enough and the coil starves.

Cracked or damaged tank

Glass tank sections can crack from impact or temperature shock. Plastic pods can develop hairline fractures. Even a tiny crack will leak slowly over hours.

Pressure and temperature changes

Vapes leak more on aircraft and at altitude. Hot weather expands e-liquid. Storing a device in a hot car can force liquid out through any gap.

How to diagnose what is wrong

Before changing parts or swapping coils, work through the diagnostic steps in order. Most leaks have a quick fix.

Check the fill level
Is the tank overfilled? Look for liquid up to or above the fill line. Tip a little out into a tissue if so. Leave a 2-3mm air gap when filling.
Inspect the seals
Unscrew the tank and check the o-rings (the small black rubber rings). Look for cracks, twists, missing pieces or dried e-liquid residue. Wipe them clean. Replace any that look worn.
Check the coil seating
Coils should screw or click in firmly. Loose coils let liquid bypass the wick and seep out through the airflow. Hand tight, not too tight.
Identify a flooded coil
Listen for gurgling. Look for liquid on the mouthpiece or pooling at the base. Flick the device firmly over a tissue (mouthpiece down) to clear excess fluid, then take a few gentle dry puffs without firing.
Match coil to e-liquid
Check the coil's wattage rating. Below 1.0 ohm needs high-VG liquid (70VG/30PG or higher). Above 1.0 ohm needs more PG (50VG/50PG works well).
Inspect for cracks
Hold the tank up to a light. Look for hairline cracks in glass or plastic. Crackles around the base of the tank near the threading are common.

The correct way to fill a tank

Most leaks start at filling. The technique matters more than people realise.

Correct technique

Hold the tank at a slight angle (about 30 degrees)
Aim the bottle tip down the side of the glass, not the central airway
Squeeze gently, do not flood
Stop just below the fill line, leaving a 2-3mm air gap
Close the cap firmly
Wipe any spillage off the threading before reassembling

Common mistakes

Filling to the top (no room for air expansion)
Squirting liquid into the central airway hole
Filling the device upside down
Forcing more liquid in when the tank looks full
Skipping the wipe-down step before reassembly
Topping up while the device is still hot from use

Fixing a flooded coil

A flooded coil is one of the most common leak causes and one of the easiest to fix. Here is the process.

Remove the tank from the battery
Twist the tank off the battery. Hold the tank mouthpiece-down over a tissue.
Flick firmly to expel excess liquid
Three or four firm downward flicks should expel pooled e-liquid from the chimney and airflow holes onto the tissue.
Take dry puffs without firing
With the battery still detached, take 4 to 6 gentle puffs through the mouthpiece. This draws air through the coil and clears excess liquid from the wick.
Reattach and prime
Screw the tank back on. Take 2-3 gentle 1-second pulls while pressing the fire button (or just inhaling, on auto-draw devices). Stop and listen for gurgling. Repeat if needed.

When to replace versus repair

Replace the coil: Burnt taste alongside leaking, gurgling that persists after clearing, more than 2-3 weeks of regular use.
Replace the o-rings: Visible cracks or splits, liquid seeping past clean rings, more than 6 months of use. Replacement rings cost £1-2 from any vape shop.
Replace the tank or pod: Visible cracks in glass or plastic, leaking that returns even after replacing coil and rings, leaking from threading.
Repair attempt: Loose threading from build-up can sometimes be cleaned. Use a cotton bud and warm water around the threads. Make sure to dry thoroughly before refilling.

Stopping leaks before they happen

Store your device upright when not in use. Most leaks happen during overnight storage on its side.
Leave a 2-3mm air gap when filling. Tanks need that air space to balance pressure.
Match your coil to your e-liquid. Check the coil's wattage rating and pair high-VG with sub-ohm coils, balanced PG/VG with MTL coils.
Replace coils every 1-2 weeks of regular use. A failing coil leaks before it dies.
Avoid topping up the tank when the device is still hot.
If you are flying, leave a bigger air gap and store the device in your hand luggage. Pressure changes are a frequent leak cause on flights.
Buy your kit and replacement parts from a proper vape shop. Counterfeit coils and pods are a leading cause of unexplained leaks.

The bottom line

Most leaks have a simple cause

Overfilling, flooded coils, loose seals and wrong coil-liquid pairing account for the vast majority of leaks. All are quick fixes.

Replace parts before they fail

Coils every 1-2 weeks, o-rings every 6 months. Cheap maintenance prevents most leaks.

If a fix does not stick, replace the tank or pod

Hairline cracks are hard to spot but will leak repeatedly. Tank glass or pod replacements cost a few pounds.

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The six common causes

Overfilling

Pushing liquid past the fill line traps air pressure inside the tank. As pressure tries to escape it pushes liquid out through the airflow holes. Always leave a small air gap when filling.

Worn or dirty o-rings

The rubber seals between tank components compress over time. Even a tiny tear or build-up of dried e-liquid can let fluid seep past the seal. Replacement o-rings are inexpensive.

Flooded coil

Too much e-liquid soaking the coil produces gurgling, spitting and leaks from the airflow holes. Usually caused by chain vaping or leaving the device on its side.

Wrong coil for your e-liquid

Thin, high-PG liquid in a sub-ohm coil floods through the wick faster than it can be vapourised. Thick, high-VG liquid in a small MTL coil cannot wick fast enough and the coil starves.

Cracked or damaged tank

Glass tank sections can crack from impact or temperature shock. Plastic pods can develop hairline fractures. Even a tiny crack will leak slowly over hours.

Pressure and temperature changes

Vapes leak more on aircraft and at altitude. Hot weather expands e-liquid. Storing a device in a hot car can force liquid out through any gap.

How to diagnose what is wrong

Before changing parts or swapping coils, work through the diagnostic steps in order. Most leaks have a quick fix.

Check the fill level

Is the tank overfilled? Look for liquid up to or above the fill line. Tip a little out into a tissue if so. Leave a 2-3mm air gap when filling.

Inspect the seals

Unscrew the tank and check the o-rings (the small black rubber rings). Look for cracks, twists, missing pieces or dried e-liquid residue. Wipe them clean. Replace any that look worn.

Check the coil seating

Coils should screw or click in firmly. Loose coils let liquid bypass the wick and seep out through the airflow. Hand tight, not too tight.

Identify a flooded coil

Listen for gurgling. Look for liquid on the mouthpiece or pooling at the base. Flick the device firmly over a tissue (mouthpiece down) to clear excess fluid, then take a few gentle dry puffs without firing.

Match coil to e-liquid

Check the coil's wattage rating. Below 1.0 ohm needs high-VG liquid (70VG/30PG or higher). Above 1.0 ohm needs more PG (50VG/50PG works well).

Inspect for cracks

Hold the tank up to a light. Look for hairline cracks in glass or plastic. Crackles around the base of the tank near the threading are common.

The correct way to fill a tank

Most leaks start at filling. The technique matters more than people realise.

Correct technique

Hold the tank at a slight angle (about 30 degrees)
Aim the bottle tip down the side of the glass, not the central airway
Squeeze gently, do not flood
Stop just below the fill line, leaving a 2-3mm air gap
Close the cap firmly
Wipe any spillage off the threading before reassembling

Common mistakes

Filling to the top (no room for air expansion)
Squirting liquid into the central airway hole
Filling the device upside down
Forcing more liquid in when the tank looks full
Skipping the wipe-down step before reassembly
Topping up while the device is still hot from use

Fixing a flooded coil

A flooded coil is one of the most common leak causes and one of the easiest to fix. Here is the process.

Remove the tank from the battery

Twist the tank off the battery. Hold the tank mouthpiece-down over a tissue.

Flick firmly to expel excess liquid

Three or four firm downward flicks should expel pooled e-liquid from the chimney and airflow holes onto the tissue.

Take dry puffs without firing

With the battery still detached, take 4 to 6 gentle puffs through the mouthpiece. This draws air through the coil and clears excess liquid from the wick.

Reattach and prime

Screw the tank back on. Take 2-3 gentle 1-second pulls while pressing the fire button (or just inhaling, on auto-draw devices). Stop and listen for gurgling. Repeat if needed.

When to replace versus repair

Replace the coil: Burnt taste alongside leaking, gurgling that persists after clearing, more than 2-3 weeks of regular use.

Replace the o-rings: Visible cracks or splits, liquid seeping past clean rings, more than 6 months of use. Replacement rings cost £1-2 from any vape shop.

Replace the tank or pod: Visible cracks in glass or plastic, leaking that returns even after replacing coil and rings, leaking from threading.

Repair attempt: Loose threading from build-up can sometimes be cleaned. Use a cotton bud and warm water around the threads. Make sure to dry thoroughly before refilling.

Stopping leaks before they happen

Store your device upright when not in use. Most leaks happen during overnight storage on its side.

Leave a 2-3mm air gap when filling. Tanks need that air space to balance pressure.

Match your coil to your e-liquid. Check the coil's wattage rating and pair high-VG with sub-ohm coils, balanced PG/VG with MTL coils.

Replace coils every 1-2 weeks of regular use. A failing coil leaks before it dies.

Avoid topping up the tank when the device is still hot.

If you are flying, leave a bigger air gap and store the device in your hand luggage. Pressure changes are a frequent leak cause on flights.

Buy your kit and replacement parts from a proper vape shop. Counterfeit coils and pods are a leading cause of unexplained leaks.

The bottom line

Most leaks have a simple cause

Overfilling, flooded coils, loose seals and wrong coil-liquid pairing account for the vast majority of leaks. All are quick fixes.

Replace parts before they fail

Coils every 1-2 weeks, o-rings every 6 months. Cheap maintenance prevents most leaks.

If a fix does not stick, replace the tank or pod

Hairline cracks are hard to spot but will leak repeatedly. Tank glass or pod replacements cost a few pounds.

Age Verification

Why is my vape leaking?

The six common causes

How to diagnose what is wrong

The correct way to fill a tank

Fixing a flooded coil

When to replace versus repair

Stopping leaks before they happen

The bottom line

Consumer Guides

Why is my vape leaking?

The six common causes

How to diagnose what is wrong

The correct way to fill a tank

Fixing a flooded coil

When to replace versus repair

Stopping leaks before they happen

The bottom line

Consumer Guides