Why Your Car Smells Like Gas

Hannah DeWitt
· 3 min read
Gas is integral to your car running, but it sure does smell. It certainly doesn’t help when that smell migrates into the cabin of your car. But since so many things can cause this issue, it can be hard to know what to do when your car smells like gas.
It could be something trivial, like residual gas from fueling up, or it could be something more serious involving your gas tank. It’s good to know what to look for and how to check your car for
signs of wear
or damage. With the help of
Home Service Oil Company
, we’ve created a list of reasons why your car might be smelling like gas.
There are a few common issues that could make your car smell like gas.

Issues with refueling 

An easy way to track the smell of gas into your car is through refueling. If you happen to get some gas on you, whether it leaked on your hands or you stepped in a puddle of it, your car might start smelling like gas pretty quickly.
Another reason you might smell it after filling up could be due to your gas cap. If you didn’t seal it fully, or if you forgot to put it back on (we’ve all been there), gas fumes could be working their way out and into your car.
If the gas cap is present and accounted for, it might have a crack or leak and need replacing.
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Issues that need attention

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If none of those things are the issue, there could be more serious problems causing it. According to Home Service Oil Company, a damaged oil cap gasket, or O-ring, can allow dangerous gas fumes into a car’s HVAC system. You can find out if it’s leaking by popping your hood and examining your oil cap for oil buildup.
A punctured or degraded fuel tank could also cause a car’s cabin to smell like gas. This would mean that your fuel tank is damaged and could be leaking gas fumes. If you spot some puddles under your car, that could mean the damage is worse and it’s begun leaking gas.
Finally, damage to your fuel line, which connects the engine and the gas tank, could allow gas fumes to escape into the cabin. This could be the most dangerous issue, as a leak in the fuel line would give gas access to the engine.

What can I do if my car smells like gas?

Issues like spare gas on your hands or clothes should disperse within a few minutes. If you think the smell might be caused by a leak in your fuel tank or fuel line, take your car to a mechanic right away. A cracked O-ring can be dangerous if left untreated, but fuel leaks can lead to fire if gas comes in contact with the engine.
Though it might not help out in situations like this, good car insurance can help you cover damage from accidents and could even pay for hospital bills and beyond. The friendly experts at
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