# Gas smell **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** jetta, volkswagen\ **Created:** [August 29, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell/35778 "2009-08-29T19:12:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nleesm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@nleesm](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nleesm)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell/35778/1 "2009-08-29T19:12:13Z")
Recently there has been a strong smell of gas upon entering the driver’s side of the car; it seems to be inside, and appears only after the car has been sitting several hours. It matter not, whether the tank is full or partially full. The dealer can find no gas leak nor sign of any previous leak. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell/35778/2 "2009-08-29T21:54:34Z")
Model year? Odometer mileage? ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell/35778/3 "2009-08-29T22:10:30Z")
Could the driver have walked across a gasoline spill and then got into the car, getting it on the carpet? ---
**Author:** ![nleesm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@nleesm](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nleesm)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell/35778/4 "2009-08-30T17:04:46Z")
The car is a 2007 Jetta with about 29000 miles. And no, I have not walked through spilled gasoline. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell/35778/5 "2009-08-30T17:33:31Z")
Do you know if the dealership checked the evaporative emisssions system? This system is designed to capture gasoline fumes so that they do not escape to the atmosphere. If you are smelling gasoline, and if there is no liquid gas leak, then I think that you have to look to the evap system for the source of the problem. If an evap system hose is disconnected, or if the carbon canister that is the heart of the system is defective (or gasoline saturated), this could be the source of the smell. When you fill the gas tank, do you ever continue to click the handle on the pump nozzle to force more gas into the tank after the pump clicks off for the first time? ---
**Author:** ![nleesm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@nleesm](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nleesm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell/35778/6 "2009-08-31T13:29:21Z")
thanks! This sounds like something I can discuss with my dealer. No, I don’t overfill the tank. ---
**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell/35778/7 "2009-09-01T02:07:31Z")
Have you had any problems with engine starting lately? For instance: like having to crank the engine over a little longer than normal to start? If so, the vacuum hose to the fuel pressure regulator may be full of fuel. Disconnect to see. ---
**Author:** ![nleesm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@nleesm](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nleesm)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smell/35778/8 "2009-09-01T21:34:51Z")
thanks, but no – no problems with engine starting. Everything working beautifully.