Hyundai Sante Fe Fuel Odor in Cabin

I have a 2007 Sante Fe. When I fill the tank (not even totally full) the car will have a fuel smell. The odd thing is that is comes more from the front part of the cabin, and only happens after filling up.

I have been very careful to make sure it is not about stepping in gasoline then getting in the car. It has been to the dealer twice for close to 3 weeks total. They smell it but cannot figure it out.

Ask them to check the vapor canister. If it’s saturated inside with fuel then that could be the source of your fuel smell. The canister is only meant for fuel vapors not raw fuel. The most common cause of raw fuel in the canister is over-filling the fuel tank. It could have been done days or even weeks ago. The canister would have to be replaced if they find raw fuel.

Thanks much. I will get it checked out.

missileman,

Follow up. I car is no longer covered under warranty. It was when I brought it to the dealer for this issue.

Anyway, where is the canister located. I searched on line but did not find a link. I will check it myself and replace it.

“Anyway, where is the canister located.”

If you plan on doing most or any of the maintenance on this car yourself you might consider buying a used OEM shop manual. I found one on ebay a few months ago for my car for less than 50 bucks and it’s already paid for itself.

It’s also nice to have a Haynes manual in addition to the OEM because the OEM is written for professional mechanics so a lot of the details are left out. The OEM can also be used to verify the info in the Haynes manual.