3 Reasons Your Car Could Be Smelling Like Gas

Outside of when you are filling your car up at the gas station, you shouldn't smell gas when you are driving around in your vehicle. Gasoline is both toxic and flammable, and the vapors are not something that you want to breathe in. However, if you feel like you are smelling gas when you are inside your car, there are a few things that could be causing this to happen.

Reason #1: A Cracked Gas Cap

Often, it can be something straightforward that is causing you to smell gas. For example, the cap that you use to secure the gas tank in place could be cracked. The cap helps maintain pressure in your fuel system and helps to keep the vapors where they should be.

A cracked or damaged gas cap, or even a missing gas cap, can result in you smelling gas inside of your car. This is easy to fix, though; all you need to do is pick up a new gas cap.

Reason #2: A Leak in the Emission Control System

Next, there may be a leak inside of your vehicle's emission control system (EVAP). The EVAP system is designed to take the harmful vapors that build up due to the pressure inside your fuel tank and clean those vapors up before the vapors are burned up in your engine.

If the EVAP system develops a leak, you may start to smell gas driving around. With a damaged EVAP system, you may also notice issues with filling your car up with gas. This is something you will want to get inspected and fixed by your local auto repair shop.

Reason #3: A Leaking Fuel Line

Third, it could have a leaking fuel line. Fuel lines carry the gas from the fuel tank directly to the engine. The fuel goes through a system of hoses before it is injected into the engine.

If you are smelling gas, check and see if you are dripping gasoline underneath your vehicle anywhere. If so, then you have a leaking fuel line or line connection that needs to be replaced as soon as possible. Leaking fuel is not something you want to mess with and is something you want to investigate right away, as leaking fuel can create a hazardous and dangerous situation.

If your car smells like gas when driving, check the state of the gas cap first, and if it is damaged in any way, replace it. If that doesn't fix the problem, you may have a more severe issue with your EVAP or fuel system that needs to be addressed by a professional auto repair shop.

Stop by a dealership, such as Western Avenue Nissan, or a repair shop to get your vehicle looked at.