# Gas smell in the car

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell-in-the-car/8721>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** smells, gasoline, leaks\
**Created:** [December 27, 2007, 6:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell-in-the-car/8721 "2007-12-27T06:13:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dberry46](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@dberry46](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dberry46)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 6:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell-in-the-car/8721/1 "2007-12-27T06:13:56Z")

</div>

I have a 1991 GEO Metro convertable. When I fell the gas tank and while using the first 1/3 of the tank, there is a strong gass smell in the car while driving. The smell seems to increase when I go around a corner during the first 1/3 of a full tank. I have checked the fill and the vent hoses. I have tried filling the tank till it is up in the fill line to try to detect leakage but with no success. Any suggestions  
  
 Dave

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 6:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell-in-the-car/8721/2 "2007-12-27T06:24:34Z")

</div>

“Up to the fill line?” What does that mean? Where’s the fill line?

If you’ve been overfilling the tank, you may have damaged the vapor recover system, which can cause a gasoline odor in the vehicle. You should always stop filling when the gas pump shuts off the first time.

Is the check engine light on?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dberry46](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@dberry46](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dberry46)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 9:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell-in-the-car/8721/3 "2007-12-27T09:41:40Z")

</div>

I guess I should have said “fill Tube”. I normally do stop filling on when the pump stops the first time. I was trying to over fill to see if I could find any place leaking gas.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell-in-the-car/8721/4 "2007-12-27T18:10:34Z")

</div>

Your fuel delivery system has numerous lines, fittings, gaskets and seals, any of which can corrode, split, dry up, or take a “set” over 16 years. I’m afraid that on a car this age it’ll need a thorough look. On a lift. With a worklight.