Drop by a petrol pump to refill the fuel tank; the gas smell will persist in your vehicle for a short while. It is very normal.
However, the situation worsens if the odor gets stuck for a longer duration, like a whole day or many more days.
So you will keep wondering: Why does my car smell like gas on the inside? There must be some engine parts going off the track.
The car smells like gas inside, and the unpleasant smell will immediately invade your nose. All you need to do is stop driving and detect the triggers to apply an appropriate fix.
This article will introduce nine potential reasons leading to gas smell from cars.
We also offer some tips to avoid this issue. So keep scrolling down for in-depth knowledge related to gas smell problems.
Why Does My Car Smells Like Gas Inside?
Aside from gasoline droplets clinging to clothes, faulty engine components are the main culprits.
Ranging from fuel leak, faulty charcoal canister, bad fuel pressure regulator to many other damaged parts, all will lead to a strong gasoline smell. And do not exclude the overused vehicle situation.
In particular, we will take you into the details of each fuel smell trigger. From this, you can look at how to deal with respective cases before the problem becomes more serious.
Exposure To Gas Fumes
It would help if you first considered the car’s exposure to gas fumes. This situation seems very common, happening to almost every driver.
If you park near a petrol station, the gas vapor easily flies into the compartment. It may disappear right after you move out or remain for some time.
Also, unwittingly spilling fuel inside the car, clothing, or nearby parking space causes the gas scent. Similarly, that strange smell will fade later once you change and clean the spilled area.
But if the odor of gas still lingers around in the car, you have faced much more terrible problems.
Exterior Gas Spill
Before going into the inside check, let’s inspect the vehicle exterior first. Probably the gasoline fumes come from that reckless spill.
You have refueled recently and splashed the gas drop on the outer side. The gas smell will remain for a period of time and occupy the trunk.
So what to do to deodorize that annoying scent? Use substances that can neutralize the nasty odor, like baking soda, lemon, and vinegar.
Mix them equally and apply the liquid to the spilled area. Use a towel to rub strongly to remove all the gas smell completely.
Aside from the exposure and exterior gas spill, car leaking gas only when running is an apparent sign of faulty engine components. Keep reading to learn more about engine-related problems.
Fuel Tank Leak
The most common cause must be a fuel tank leak once you sense a strange smell. The engine operates by an appropriate fuel ratio sprayed by the fuel injector in the gas tank.
Over time, the seals on the injector deteriorate, which triggers serious leaky fuel injectors.
Even with a small leaky hole in the fuel line, the fuel smell can escape and spread inside your automobile. As a result, that sign informs you of a risky malfunction that needs a precise fix instantly.
Bring your vehicle to automotive technicians for a professional inspection. They will assess and offer the proper fixing procedures.
The leaky hole will get patched if it is solely trivial. In a more serious case, the larger hole requires a newly replaced gas tank.
Failed Pressure Regulator
A degraded fuel pressure regulator would be another reason why the inside of the car smells like gas. A bad regulator will disturb while the fuel mixture works, making the gas extremely thin or thick.
And you can not imagine what’s next when you turn off the car. The engine will burn an excessive amount of gas, leading to overloading.
The residual gasoline fumes must escape through the leaky exhaust, sneaking into the car ventilation system. That’s why the gas scent hits your nose terribly.
Not to mention the lowered fuel efficiency and engine power, other signals enable you to notice when the fuel pressure regulator goes bad.
It would be best if you took a periodical car testament. But remember to reach out to a qualified auto shop. An expert mechanic can determine the best solution for your car problem.
Damaged Fuel Filler Cap
As you know, a filler cap will seal the gas vapors tightly. Once the cap gets adversely damaged, loosened, or missed, the inside of my car smells like gas.
The exhaust odor easily stinks up the whole cabin, harming your health.
All you need to do is take proper fixes immediately. While loose caps are simple to repair at home, you’re better off replacing cracked or broken ones at auto stores.
In rare cases, you lose the filler cap while driving, so be calm and find an alternative way. Our advice is to utilize an old rag. Wrap the filler neck so the gas evaporation can minimize greatly.
Faulty O-Ring Or Gasket Around The Oil Cap
After checking the whole fuel tank compartment, oil-related parts are where you need to lay your eyes on. Bad gaskets are also one of the common reasons when a car smells like gas.
The loose oil cap will not tightly close the oil tank. And, of course, the oil exhaust will find its way to the AC system and spread out into the cabin. The odd odor alerts you that something goes wrong.
Recheck the gasket around the oil cap. See whether the rubber cracks or degrades, then replace a new one.
If the viscous substance hangs on the surface, making it hard to screw up the cap, take a towel to wipe it clean and keep using.
An Oil Leak
The oil mixes with gas to spray fuel into the engine, running the whole operating system. Thus, an oil leak may spread an awful gas scent in the cabin.
With this issue, DIY-ers can detect oily spots leaked on the engine above the exhaust manifold. Lift the hood and use the flashlight to clean the leaky oil well.
In addition, the smoking coming off from the engine while driving also indicates a dreadful oil leak. However, you need help from an expert mechanic when finding the leaky area is beyond your depth.
Loose Spark Plug
The gas and oil systems have no issues, but the inside of my car smells like gas. Then, the culprit would stem from the loose spark plug.
As you know, the spark plug transfers the spark to ignite the fuel-air mix, and your engine will kick off smoothly. Once we mention the loose plug, it means the O-ring seal gets loose-fitted.
In particular, the gasoline fumes will release from the combustion chamber to the ventilator. That’s why you can sense the fuel vapors. Also, this signal says you need to act fast before the issue worsens.
If you are used to DIY car care, find a wrench to screw up the plug, but not overtighten. Otherwise, have a technician inspect the spark plug issue properly for you.
EVAP System Issues
Most modern cars install an evaporative emissions control or EVAP system to prevent polluting the air.
EVAP traps all the gasoline fumes in a charcoal canister, then delivers them into combustion through a purge valve to burn up.
Therefore, leaky gas exhaust can escape from this core system if any malfunction occurs. For instance, faulty charcoal canisters involving a crack or even a small hole can arouse awful evaporative emissions.
Luckily, the engine light will signify when the EVAP system has mistakes. This problem is complicated to self-inspect, so you should get a professional mechanic check and bypass the EVAP canister.
Is It Safe To Keep Driving If I Smells Gas?
As we mentioned earlier, the gasoline smell shows that your vehicle is not working the way it is.
Regardless of trivial or serious issues, it’s always best to instantly troubleshoot and deodorize the leaky gas scent.
Inhaling constantly gas fumes can deteriorate your lungs and other body parts. In the worst case, you may suffer terrible respiratory diseases.
In addition, a serious gas leak can easily catch fire and make your vehicle explode. So stop driving and call a nearby auto repair shop to take care of your automotive.
Must-Do Things Before Gas Leakage Happen
Prevention is better than cure; that state is always right in any situation. Periodical maintenance enables you to avoid all the potential triggers of fuel smell inside the car.
It would be best to take professional car care once it reaches 12,000 miles. In this stage, all the problems easily show up.
Nevertheless, we also provide some ways to self-prevent the possibility of the gas smell. Please do four following tips regularly:
- Tighten the gas tank cap after refueling
- Check the condition of the filler cap regularly to timely detect any damage.
- Tighten the spark plugs if it gets gradually loose.
- While changing the oil, take a closer look at the oil cap gasket to ensure it’s a qualified one.
Final Thoughts
Our providings have eased your concern significantly about why the car smells like gas inside. Thus, don’t worry about it affecting many parts in the engine operation.
Once you smell the gas leak, check all the abovementioned parts. This warning sign indicates an upcoming dangerous engine.
If you can’t handle it yourself, take the vehicle to a reliable auto repair shop for professional assessment and mending.