BY WARREN CLARKE / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 29, 2018 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / Do you smell gas in your vehicle when you’re behind the&hellip;{"id":11149,"date":"2019-05-06T14:52:44","date_gmt":"2019-05-06T21:52:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/?p=11149"},"modified":"2019-05-22T14:44:50","modified_gmt":"2019-05-22T21:44:50","slug":"cause-of-car-smells-like-gas-outside-when-started-driving-or-idling-with-ac-heat-on-due-to-fuel-line-injector-and-tank-leak-loose-petrol-cap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/06\/cause-of-car-smells-like-gas-outside-when-started-driving-or-idling-with-ac-heat-on-due-to-fuel-line-injector-and-tank-leak-loose-petrol-cap\/","title":{"rendered":"Causes of Gasoline Smell in a Car: How to Identify and Address Them"},"content":{"rendered":"<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">BY WARREN CLARKE \/ ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 29, 2018 \/<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION<\/a>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">\/<\/span><\/h5><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\n\n<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Do you smell gas in your vehicle when you\u2019re behind the wheel? There are many causes of gasoline smell in a car, and some of these are minor. However, in some cases, this smell could be triggered by a major issue that calls for vehicle repair.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\n\n<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Let\u2019s take a look at both the minor and major issues that could leave your car\u2019s cabin smelling like gasoline.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\n\n<\/span><\/p><h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Minor Issues<\/strong><\/span><\/h5><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\n\n<\/span><\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Refueling.<\/strong>\u00a0If you notice the smell of gas right after refueling, the fumes may have made their way into the cabin during your fill-up. If refueling is the cause, the odor should dissipate after several minutes.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Loose gas cap.<\/strong>\u00a0A loose\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/en\/search?text=gas%2Bcap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>gas cap<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0can cause fumes to waft through your car\u2019s cabin. Tightening the gas cap should solve the problem. If it\u2019s impossible to tighten the cap, it may need to be replaced.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Gas on hands or clothes.<\/strong>\u00a0If you inadvertently got gas on your hands or clothes while refueling, the smell will linger in the cabin. The smell should go away once you\u2019ve washed your hands or entered the car in a fresh set of clothes.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\n\n<\/span><\/p><h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Major Issues That Warrant Vehicle Repair<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n\n<ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Fuel tank leak.<\/strong>\u00a0A<\/span>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/knowhow.napaonline.com\/gastastrophe-jb-weld-gas-tank-repair-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>fuel tank leak<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">may leave your car\u2019s cabin smelling like gas. If you have a leaky tank, you\u2019ll likely notice puddles of gas underneath the car when it\u2019s parked. A mechanic will be able to handle the repair.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Fuel line leak.<\/strong>\u00a0Your car\u2019s engine needs fuel to generate power. The\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/knowhow.napaonline.com\/deal-frozen-fuel-line\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>vehicle\u2019s fuel lines<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">are responsible for transporting gas from the tank to the engine, and they may develop leaks due to age, wear or corrosion. A leaky line may cause your car\u2019s cabin to smell like gasoline, and it should be immediately repaired. The leak may cause gas to make contact with a hot engine component, and this could start a fire.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Fuel injector leak<\/strong>. Your car\u2019s fuel injectors send pressurized gasoline into the engine cylinders or intake manifold. The injectors are fitted with rubber seals that are designed to guard against fuel leaks. Age and wear can degrade these seals, and this could result in a fuel leak. To remedy this situation, a mechanic may need to replace just the seals or the entire set of fuel injectors.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Engine using excessive amounts of fuel.<\/strong>\u00a0If a problem is causing your car\u2019s engine to use excessive amounts of fuel, you may smell gas in the cabin. With older cars, this issue may be caused by the carburetor. With newer cars that use a fuel-injection system, this issue may be triggered by a problem with the vehicle\u2019s engine computer or fuel regulator. A mechanic will be able to address this issue.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\n\n<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">When it comes to\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/knowhow.napaonline.com\/odd-car-smells-and-what-they-mean\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>odd car smells<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, like the scent of gas in your car\u2019s cabin, it\u2019s important to identify the cause. This odor can be triggered by minor problems, but it may also be caused by a major issue that warrants prompt repair. There are many causes of gasoline smell in a car, and all of them should be addressed before a larger issue arises.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\n\n<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Check out all the<\/span>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/en\/c\/fuel-emission-systems\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>fuel &amp; emission system parts<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">available on<\/span>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>NAPA Online<\/strong><\/a> <span style=\"color: #000000;\">or trust one of their 16,000<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.napaautocare.com\/store-finder.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>NAPA AutoCare locations<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on fuel pump failure, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your<\/span><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/en\/store-locator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>local NAPA AUTO PARTS store<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\n\n<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Photo Credit: Pomona Swap Meet<\/em><\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\n\n<\/span><\/p><p><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This article has been reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder, National Automotive Parts Association. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Click here for more<\/span>\u00a0<\/em><strong><em><a href=\"http:\/\/knowhow.napaonline.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">automotive tips and stories<\/a><\/em><\/strong><em>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">from NAPA, or here for more information on<\/span>\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/event-info\/car-show-hours-dates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the next Pomona Swap Meet &amp; Classic Car Show<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":11157,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cos_headline_score":0,"cos_seo_score":0,"cos_headline_text":"","cos_headline_has_been_analyzed":false,"cos_last_analyzed_headline":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[805],"tags":[6976,6993,6992,6990,6991,6995,6996,6997,6985,6983,6982,6978,6998,6994],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/car-smells-like-gas-outside-when-started-driving-or-idling-with-ac-heat-on-due-to-fuel-line-injector-and-tank-leak-loose-petrol-cap.png?fit=872%2C762&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9nnZN-2TP","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11149"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/98"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11149"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11252,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11149\/revisions\/11252"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}