Abstract: An apparatus and method for vending liquid fuel of the type wherein an electrically driven pump is controllably energized in response to a counter adding a credit unit as electrically signalled by a money acceptor. The counter subtracts credit units in response to a primary dispensing switch which is operatively responsive to the dispensing of fuel. In accordance with the present invention, a fail-safe circuit is provided which is electrically connected with the counter, acceptor and primary switch and which is operable for selectively disabling the pump from delivering fuel. A secondary dispensing switch is provided which is operatively responsive to dispensing of fuel and which cooperates with the fail-safe circuit in monitoring the normal sequence of vending steps and responding to abnormality in such normal sequence of steps by precluding delivery of pumped fuel.