If you smell gas in your car, the safest response is to turn your engine off and wait for a tow truck to take your vehicle to a mechanic. Since the smell of gas can indicate a serious fire risk, it’s not usually recommended to continue driving your vehicle after smelling gas. However, the smell of gas isn’t always a major safety concern, and drivers should be aware of the various reasons why their cars could smell like gas before they call a tow truck.
5 Reasons Why Your Car Smells Like Gas
While we don’t recommend driving your vehicle after smelling gasoline, you may be able to determine the reason for the smell by knowing the main reasons for the smell of gas and the main signs a particular issue is causing it. As you try to stay safe, learn more about the most common reasons for a car smelling like gas and how you can check where the smell is coming from below:
1. Fuel Line Leak
A fuel leak in your engine compartment is the most dangerous reason for a car smelling like gas. While your car is on, gas travels from your fuel tank to your engine through fuel lines. Since these lines are under high pressure, a leak can cause gas to squirt out of them and onto other parts of your vehicle. If the leak occurs near your exhaust system or engine compartment, it can be an extreme fire risk, as the leaking fuel could catch on fire.
Besides raising the risk of a fire, the gas fumes from the leak will travel through your car’s ventilation system, causing your vehicle’s interior to smell like gas. If you notice gas on the ground underneath your car, it’s a sign you have a leak, especially if the gas is near your engine or exhaust system.
While a fuel leak isn’t always the reason for the smell of gas in a vehicle, you should immediately turn off your vehicle if you smell gas. The risk of a fire starting while you’re driving isn’t worth it, and you’ll want to contact a tow truck to take your vehicle to a mechanic’s shop for an inspection.
2. A Missing or Loose Gas Cap
A less dangerous reason for the smell of gas in your vehicle is a missing or loose gas cap. If you don’t have a gas cap, it won’t seal the fuel vapors inside your fuel tank, leading to a gas smell. A loose gas cap can also cause the same issue. If you’ve forgotten to close your gas cap, the fix is simply to twist it back in, but if your gas cap doesn’t fully seal your tank after you twist it in, you’ll need to replace it.
3. Evaporative Emissions Systems Issues
All modern vehicles should have an evaporative emission control system (EVAP) that captures fuel vapors before they’re released into the atmosphere. Malfunctioning or damaged EVAP systems can prevent fuel vapors from being properly captured and stored, causing a smell of gas in your vehicle. If you smell gas and your engine light is on, there’s a good chance it’s caused by an issue with your vehicle’s EVAP system.
Sometimes, an EVAP issue is due to a damaged charcoal canister, which is a component of your EVAP system. This component absorbs fuel vapors before releasing them into the engine. When your charcoal canister is damaged, gasoline fumes can enter your vehicle. Regardless of the reason for an EVAP issue, you shouldn’t drive your vehicle if you suspect your EVAP system is at fault. Instead, have your vehicle towed to a mechanic for an inspection.
4. Fuel Injector Problems
Another potential reason for the smell of gas in a car is an issue with the fuel injector. When a fuel injector gets stuck in an open position or is partly clogged, it can produce a rich fuel mixture, which can cause fumes to enter your vehicle’s interior.
Since a damaged or clogged fuel injector can hurt your vehicle’s performance and even damage your catalytic converter, you should have your vehicle towed if you suspect a fuel injector problem is the issue. A mechanic can often solve this type of problem by either cleaning or replacing the fuel injector.
5. You Have Gas on Your Clothes or Hands
If you smell gas in your car, one of the simplest reasons is that you spilled gas on your hands or clothes while refilling your vehicle. Before you take your car to the shop, exit your vehicle and check that you’re not just smelling gas on your clothes or skin.
Does Your Car Smell Like Gas? Schedule an Inspection at Chapel Hill Tire
If you live in the NC Triangle and need inspection services for a car that smells like gas, Chapel Hill Tire can help. Our certified mechanics are trained to diagnose the cause of gas smells and repair them. Since it can be dangerous to drive a vehicle that smells like gas, we recommend using our affordable towing service to ensure your vehicle is safely transported to one of our shops. We also recommend checking out our available promotions to see how much you can save on our services.
Learn more about our automotive inspection and repair services today. If you need to bring your car in for service, please make an appointment at one of our convenient locations in the Triangle Area.
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