Why would my car have a gas smell on the outside?

probably a fuel leak somewhere, check for dripping under your car after you park or open your hood afer you stop and look for dripping fuel around the fuel lines and throttle body. Could be something as simple as a cracked rubber fuel line. Could be a gasket or a rusted tank etc. Impossible to advise without seeing it in person but if you do a little searching you should be able to find where the leak is coming from.

Good luck!

That did smell. If you have gas fumes/smell, I'd open the hood and take a look for a gas leak before it starts the car on fire.

I take it that you already made sure the gas cap was still there.

You may have a problem with the charcoal canister which absorbs and holds the fumes in the evap. system. If the purge valve that allows the intake manifold to draw the excess vapors back into the motor to be burnt is bad you could have a build up of vapor or gas fumes outside the car.

If anyone has replaced any gas lines lately you should make sure that high pressure gas line was used, regular rubber hose gas line will blow out on a fuel injected vehicle. This takes a while to happen, but is still a danger for back-yard mechanics that don't know any better.

The gas cap may not be on tight enough or there could be a leak in the line. The car is 17 years old and the lines might be rusting as well as the tank if that is made of metal. If you can get it up on jack stands you should be able to inspect it yourself. Otherwise, have someone check it out for about $80 an hour.

Gasoline Smell In Car

WHOA everyone! this probably has a very easy, free fix. Obviously, look for leaks. But chances are, you are smelling the charcoal canister. It is being filled with liquid gasoline when it was meant to only handle gas fumes. It is getting liquid fuel because when you fill the tank, you keep on adding more after the pump has clicked "off". Most drivers are sure they can squeeze another 50 cents or dollar into their tank when it wasn't designed to handle that much. You fill the evaporative line with liquid and it goes to the canister and stinks for ever (almost). Fill it until it clicks off and DON"T add any more fuel. If you can't wait for two months for it to air out, go buy another canister.

There is no leaks visable on the ground when I pull out of the parking spot. I have been in touch wit Priority Chevrolet and they will fix it at no charge and give me a loaner vehicle. They want to check and replace the Electric Power Steering, the Ignition Switch which they will replace as it is a recall, the replacement lock cylinder, and the ignition key.

Subarus are known for the fuel rail to leak gas in temps below 32*. You might want to check with the dealer first to see if there's a recall.

You need to inspect the fuel line from the gas tank to the

engine. It's hard to say what it is without looking under the

vehicle. It could be something simple like a loose fitting or

clamp.

I would start with the fuel lines under the hood. They get hot and dry out faster than the lines from the tank because of the heat. Go ahead and replace the filter as long as your there. Better outside than in!

there is a vent tube that runs next to the full tube. the vent tube could be loose or come apart. drop the gas tank down a little, useing a jack (with a 2 x 4 inbetween the jack and gas tank). you can do it yourself or pay about $150.00 to $300.00 to a mechanic. or you have a pin hole in the gas line or a loose nut in the gas line (the gas line is a pressured line). $20.00 do it yourself or pay up to $300.00 to have someone do it for u.