gasoline smell while driving?

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by buffalogirl

Thanks for your help! If it is the vent hose, wouldn't it smell all the time? Also, will I be able to see gas leaking from it? The car is only 3 years old, does the rubber normally break down/crack after that amount of time? It seems like it should have lasted longer, especially on a new car.

Is the smell stronger when you move the air supply knob to outside air instead of recirculate? If so, and with the smell being stronger with the car running, I would have the fuel system connections under the hood checked ASAP.

You can just pop the hood and see if there is a strong gas smell, or evidence of gas having been sprayed.

Two summers ago, one of my neighbors had his Buick go up in flames in the driveway. He had recently had it serviced and the mechanic failed to properly tighten the connection to the fuel rail after cleaning the injectors.

[buffalogirl]

Originally Posted by CTScott

Is the smell stronger when you move the air supply knob to outside air instead of recirculate? If so, and with the smell being stronger with the car running, I would have the fuel system connections under the hood checked ASAP.

You can just pop the hood and see if there is a strong gas smell, or evidence of gas having been sprayed.

Two summers ago, one of my neighbors had his Buick go up in flames in the driveway. He had recently had it serviced and the mechanic failed to properly tighten the connection to the fuel rail after cleaning the injectors.

I have only had it on outside air, so I don't know if there's a difference in how strong the smell is.

Can I check to see if the smell is there 4 hours after shutting the car off, or do I have to drive it first and check right after? The smell doesn't always start right away (today it was about 10 mins into my drive), but I could go out on my lunch break and run it for a while to see if it starts to smell again.

Could the connection loosen just from driving around? I noticed the smell before getting my oil changed, but thought it was a truck I drove by.

Thanks for the help!

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by buffalogirl

I have only had it on outside air, so I don't know if there's a difference in how strong the smell is.

Can I check to see if the smell is there 4 hours after shutting the car off, or do I have to drive it first and check right after? The smell doesn't always start right away (today it was about 10 mins into my drive), but I could go out on my lunch break and run it for a while to see if it starts to smell again.

Could the connection loosen just from driving around? I noticed the smell before getting my oil changed, but thought it was a truck I drove by.

Thanks for the help!

You could check it at any time, but based on your description, you probably have more of a chance of seeing something as or right after the smell occurs. Maybe do the lunch drive and then as soon as it starts to smell, pull over and pop the hood.

If things were properly tightened, they won't loosen just from driving. Perhaps your oil change people were looking for a way to increase their income from you...

[Yaris Hilton]

Could be a leak anywhere in the fuel system.

If it were that vent hose I mentioned, the problem would be worse right after filling, but can occur anytime the pressure in the tank is above atmospheric, as when it warms up. I could see gas drip from mine after filling it to the top, which is a bad idea anyway as that can cause liquid gas to get pushed into the activated carbon evaporative emissions control canisters when the full tank warms up and pushes fumes and fuel out.

[buffalogirl]

Thanks guys! I'll check for leaks during lunch.

Originally Posted by CTScott

Perhaps your oil change people were looking for a way to increase their income from you...

Couldn't have been them.. the first 2 times it happened were before the oil change, both times next to big trucks so I just assumed it was the trucks and didn't mention it to them to look at. I have heard of places doing stuff like that though... one place broke the pipe to the muffler on my friend's car while she watched and then tried to say it was like that when she brought it in. The place I go has great customer service and I've only heard good things about them... that's why I go there