I recently had my transmission rebuilt in my 2004 Buick Rendezvous and it drives good but ever since the repair I smell gas when the car is parked in the garage. I checked for leaks but see none and the smell was never there before I took it in to get the transmission rebuilt. Could the transmission rebuild have anything to do with this smell?
I think what you may be smelling is automatic transmission fluid. It smells almost like gasoline and is even more pungent. A little bit on the outside of the transmission case will stink for a couple weeks. If you are seeing no evidence of visible leaks, I would say, with my Brooklyn accent, fuhgeddaboudit.
Have someone inspect the fuel injector O-rings for leaks.
What can happen is, the engine is shut off, and the residual fuel pressure will push the gas past the leaking O-ring, and the gas leaks onto the intake manifold. And it doesn’t very much gas to create that smell.
Sometimes you’ll find witness stains at the injectors where gas has been leaking.
Tester
It is possible that a vapor recovery device or line has been dislodged or broken when the transmission was removed or reinstalled. This should illuminate the Check Engine light, though. Is it on?
Yes the service engine light is on. I also put cardboard under the vehicle and noticed a leak spot.
Talk to the shop that did the work. They should at least take a look at it.
Good advice above to ask the repair shop what’s up. I expect they’ll ask you to bring it back in for a look-see. If you have a way to get the diagnostics codes read from computer memory (these codes are a “p” followed by a number) you can post them here for further ideas.
Conclusion: gas lines were rotted.
1 Like