Leaking
Why does my vape make a gurgling or crackling sound?
7 min readLast updated 16 September 2026
A little crackling or popping is completely normal for most devices, especially mesh coils run at higher wattage; it's simply the sound of e-liquid heating quickly against the coil. A wet, bubbling gurgle is a different sound entirely, and it almost always means there's more e-liquid sitting in the coil or airflow than the device can vaporise cleanly. This is usually called flooding, and in most cases it's easy to fix without any tools or spare parts.
Work through these checks in order
Start by telling the two sounds apart, then work down the list. Most gurgling clears up at the first or second check, so there's no need to strip the device down before you've tried the simple fixes.
Decide whether it's crackle or gurgle
Light, dry crackling or a faint popping sound during a draw is normal, particularly on sub-ohm or mesh coils, and isn't something to fix. A gurgle sounds wetter and more like bubbling liquid, and it's often accompanied by hot e-liquid spitting into your mouth, which is unpleasant but not usually dangerous. If what you're hearing is the second one, work through the checks below.
Check whether you've just refilled
A gurgle that starts straight after filling, or after switching to a fresh coil, is usually just a coil that hasn't fully saturated yet. Fresh wicking material needs a minute or two to soak up e-liquid evenly before it can vaporise it properly. Leave the device to sit for a couple of minutes after filling rather than drawing on it straight away, and try a gentle draw before a full one.
Check your fill level
Filling above the maximum line pushes e-liquid into the central airflow chimney instead of leaving it to sit around the coil, which is one of the most common causes of both gurgling and leaking from the pod or tank. If you tend to fill right to the top, try stopping just below the line and see whether the sound goes away over the next couple of refills.
Check how hard and fast you're drawing
Long, hard, fast draws pull e-liquid through the coil faster than it can vaporise, especially on higher-wattage direct-to-lung tanks with larger juice holes. If you've recently switched to a more powerful device or a thinner e-liquid, try shorter, gentler draws and give the coil a moment to keep up rather than pulling continuously.
Check the angle you're holding or storing it at
Vaping with the device tilted, lying flat, or stored on its side lets e-liquid pool unevenly over the coil head instead of sitting around it properly. This is especially common overnight; a device left flat on a bedside table can flood by the time you pick it up in the morning. Keeping it upright, both while drawing and in storage, is a simple habit that prevents a lot of gurgling before it starts.
Tap it out and let it rest
If a gurgle has already set in, hold the mouthpiece over a tissue or the sink, cover the airflow, and gently tap the device a few times to knock excess e-liquid out of the chimney. Leave it to sit upright for a few minutes afterwards, then try a slow, gentle draw. This clears the majority of flooding without needing to remove the coil at all.
When gurgling means something else
If you've worked through every check above and the gurgle keeps coming back within a day or two of clearing it, the coil itself may be reaching the end of its life. Wicking material degrades with use and can start absorbing liquid unevenly, which produces the same wet, bubbling sound even with a correct fill level and gentle draws. Coils are a consumable part and typically need replacing every one to four weeks depending on use, regardless of the cause.
A gurgle that comes with visible leaking from the seams, rather than just an occasional wet draw, points more towards a worn O-ring or a hairline crack than flooding. Our guide to a leaking pod or tank covers how to check both.
Worth knowing
It's also worth checking whether your e-liquid actually suits your device. High-VG liquid is thicker and designed for sub-ohm tanks with larger juice holes and higher wattage; using it in a low-power mouth-to-lung pod can flood the coil faster than a thinner, higher-PG liquid would. If gurgling started around the same time you changed e-liquid brand or flavour, a mismatched VG ratio is worth ruling out alongside fill level and draw technique.
Preventing gurgling day to day
- Fill to the marked line, not right to the top.
- Wait a minute or two after filling, and after fitting a new coil, before taking a full draw.
- Take shorter, gentler draws rather than long, hard pulls, particularly on higher-wattage devices.
- Keep the device upright during use and while it's stored between sessions.
- Match your e-liquid's PG/VG ratio to what your device is designed for.
Quick reference: what the sound usually points to
| What you hear | Most likely cause |
|---|---|
| Light, dry crackle or pop | Normal for most coils, nothing to fix |
| Wet gurgle right after refilling | Coil not yet saturated; let it rest a minute or two |
| Gurgle that doesn't settle | Overfilled tank, harsh draw, or wrong device angle |
| Gurgle plus liquid at the seams | Worn O-ring or a crack, not flooding |
| Gurgle returns within a day or two | Coil is worn out and needs replacing |
Most gurgling comes down to routine habits rather than a fault: fill to the line rather than over it, draw gently rather than hard, and keep the device upright when you're not using it. Staying on top of regular cleaning and maintenance also helps, since dried residue around the airflow can make a borderline flooding problem worse than it would otherwise be.