Why Is My Vape Spitting, Popping or Gurgling? Causes, Fixes & Prevention

16th Nov 2022

By Joe Delaney, Senior Vape Product Specialist, V2 Cigs UK

Last updated: June 2026. General guidance, not a substitute for the safety instructions that came with your device. Vaping products are for adult smokers and existing vapers only. Not suitable for non-smokers or anyone under 18.

If your vape suddenly starts spitting hot vape juice or making odd bubbling noises, don't assume it's broken. After helping customers with this for years, I'd say around nine times out of ten it's simply a flooded pod rather than a faulty device. It's one of the most common issues we hear about, and in most cases it's easy to fix.

Usually, the problem is simply too much vape juice reaching the coil. The good news? You can often solve it in less than a minute without replacing anything.

Joe's Quick Tip

If someone contacted our customer service team saying their vape had started gurgling after filling it, the first thing I'd suggest isn't replacing the pod. I'd ask them to clear any excess liquid first. It's surprising how often that solves the problem straight away.

In this guide we'll explain:

why your vape spits
what popping noises actually mean
why your vape gurgles after refilling
when you should replace your pod or coil
the quickest fixes that actually work

The 30-Second Fix to Try First

Before changing your pod, replacing the coil or assuming something has gone wrong, try clearing the excess vape juice.

It's the quickest fix we recommend because it's also the one that works most often.

Open the airflow fully if your device has adjustable airflow. If the pod removes from the battery, take it out and hold a tissue over the base. Then blow firmly back through the mouthpiece two or three times.

You're pushing any pooled vape juice back into the cotton where it belongs instead of leaving it sitting on top of the coil.

We've seen plenty of pods that customers thought were finished spring back to life after doing exactly this.

Why does this work?

Inside every pod is a small amount of absorbent cotton surrounding the coil.

That cotton should stay damp, not soaked.

When too much vape juice reaches the coil, it doesn't have chance to turn cleanly into vapour. Instead, it spits tiny droplets upwards or bubbles inside the airflow, creating the familiar gurgling noise.

Blowing gently back through the mouthpiece helps move that excess liquid back into the wick where it can be absorbed properly again.

It's a simple trick, but one we've recommended countless times over the years.

Match the Noise to the Problem

Different noises usually point towards different causes.

My vape is spitting

Spitting comes down to liquid collecting on the coil and being heated in the wrong place, so instead of vaporising cleanly it sizzles and throws tiny droplets up the chimney. Picture a drop of water hitting a hot pan. Same idea.

If hot droplets of vape juice are reaching your lips or tongue, the coil is almost always flooded.

Common reasons include:

overfilling the pod
adding too much vape juice when priming a new coil
using a vape juice that's too thin for your pod
drawing too hard after refilling

My vape crackles or pops

This one catches out lots of first-time vapers. A gentle crackling sound is completely normal.

It's simply the sound of vape juice turning into vapour. In fact, a silent vape would be more unusual than a noisy one.

New coils often sound slightly louder for the first day because they're fully saturated.

Only investigate further if the crackling is accompanied by:

a burnt taste
dry hits
very little vapour
frequent spitback

When It's Condensation, Not a Fault

One of the easiest mistakes to make is assuming your vape is leaking when it's actually just condensation.

We see this quite a lot, particularly during colder weather. Warm vapour naturally cools inside the mouthpiece and pod, turning back into tiny droplets of liquid. If you've just come in from a cold morning or taken your vape out of your pocket, you'll often notice a little moisture around the mouthpiece or airflow.

The good news is that this isn't a fault with your pod.

If the moisture is only around the mouthpiece or airflow, wipe it away with a tissue, blow gently back through the mouthpiece and carry on vaping as normal. It's worth checking for condensation before replacing a pod, because more often than not the pod itself is working perfectly.

Is Spitback Dangerous? And What About Burnt Hits?

Getting a tiny droplet of vape juice on your tongue from spitback is unpleasant, but it's usually nothing more than that.

Vape juice isn't designed to be swallowed, and nicotine can be harmful in larger quantities. That's why UK regulations limit nicotine strength capped at 20mg/ml and sold in child-resistant bottles. If a child swallows vape juice, or you accidentally swallow a significant amount and feel unwell, contact NHS 111 immediately.

A burnt hit is a different story.

If your vape suddenly tastes burnt or dry, stop using it until you've found the cause. Trying to vape through a burnt coil won't improve things, and research has shown that "dry puff" conditions can produce significantly higher levels of harmful aldehydes than normal vaping conditions.

In our experience, burnt hits nearly always come down to one of four things:

the coil has reached the end of its life
there isn't enough vape juice in the pod
the wattage is set too high
the wick hasn't had enough time to absorb fresh vape juice after filling

Replacing the coil, topping up the pod and allowing the wick to soak properly usually solves the problem.

When Should You Replace the Coil or Pod?

Sometimes the simplest answer is the right one - coils don't last forever.

Even with good maintenance, every coil gradually loses flavour and becomes less efficient. If you've already cleared the pod, checked the seals and matched the right vape juice to your device but it's still spitting, gurgling or tasting burnt, it's probably time for a replacement coil.

Most regular vapers find a coil lasts around one to two weeks, although sweeter vape juices and heavier use can shorten that.

One piece of advice I'd always give is to keep a spare pod or coil at home. It saves a lot of frustration when a coil finally gives up unexpectedly.

What If Your Vape Still Keeps Spitting or Gurgling?

If you've worked through everything in this guide and the problem keeps coming back, there are two possibilities.

The first is simply that some pod kits are better designed than others.

When we tested refillable pod systems for our guide on vapes that don't leak, the difference between the best and worst designs was bigger than many people expect. Better airflow design, stronger seals and improved coil positioning all make a noticeable difference over time.

If your device is actually leaking rather than simply making noise, our guide to a leaking vape walks through the most common causes and fixes.

The second possibility is that your current device simply isn't the right fit for how you vape.

Some people enjoy adjusting airflow, changing coils and experimenting with different vape juices. Others just want something that works every time they pick it up.

If you're in the second group, it's worth considering a cigalike or another sealed cartridge system. There's no priming, no overfilling and very little maintenance - which is exactly why so many smokers still choose them when making the switch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it normal for my vape to crackle?

Yes. A gentle crackling sound is simply the coil turning vape juice into vapour. It's particularly common with a brand-new coil. Only investigate further if the crackling is accompanied by a burnt taste, dry hits or spitback.

Why does my vape gurgle straight after refilling?

This is usually caused by a flooded coil. During refilling, a small amount of vape juice can find its way into the airflow or onto the coil. Clearing the pod by blowing gently back through the mouthpiece normally fixes it within a few seconds.

Will swallowing a drop of vape juice harm me?

A tiny droplet from spitback is unpleasant but isn't normally harmful. Vape juice shouldn't be swallowed, though, and it should always be kept well away from children. If a child swallows any vape juice, or you swallow a larger amount and feel unwell, contact NHS 111 straight away.

Why does my brand-new pod spit more than my old one?

New coils are fully saturated and often make slightly more noise while they bed in. Leave a freshly filled pod to soak for five to ten minutes before using it, and the crackling and occasional spitback should settle quickly.

How do I stop my MTL pod from gurgling?

Check you're using the right vape juice. Many MTL pod kits work best with a 50/50 or higher-PG vape juice. Using a thicker high-VG liquid can make it harder for the wick to absorb the liquid properly, causing it to pool around the coil and create that familiar gurgling sound.

About the Author

Joe Delaney is part of the team at V2 Cigs UK. V2 was founded in 2012 to offer adult smokers a genuine alternative to cigarettes, and more than a decade on, what has kept the company going is the trust of its customers - built on a simple commitment to doing right by them. Its cigalike kit has been the familiar starting point for many adult smokers switching to vaping over those years, and that track record is something the team is proud of.

Joe has hands-on, day-to-day experience of the products and of the people switching from cigarettes. The health, safety and regulatory points in this article are drawn from UK authorities - the NHS and the MHRA - and from published research, and linked throughout. This article is general information and is not medical advice.

Sources

MHRA / GOV.UK, E-cigarettes: regulations for consumer products - the UK limits on nicotine strength (20mg/ml), tank size (2ml) and the requirement for child-resistant packaging.
Farsalinos KE et al. (2015), E-cigarettes generate high levels of aldehydes only in 'dry puff' conditions, Addiction - the evidence behind why an overheated, burnt hit is worth fixing.
NHS, When to use NHS 111 - what to do if e-liquid is swallowed or you feel unwell.
Filling, priming and clearing technique follows standard manufacturer instructions, corroborated by our own bench testing of the pod kits we stock.

Vaping products are for adult smokers and existing vapers only. Not suitable for non-smokers or anyone under 18.