# Gas Smelling Car

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smelling-car/59391>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** smells, toyota, camry, gasoline\
**Created:** [January 1, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smelling-car/59391 "2011-01-01T22:39:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![misskm247](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@misskm247](https://community.cartalk.com/u/misskm247)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smelling-car/59391/1 "2011-01-01T22:39:24Z")

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Every time I’m at a stoplight I smell gasoline in my car. It smells like it is coming through the air vents. Is this a bad thing? and what could it be? How expensive to fix?

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**Author:** ![Goldwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Goldwing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Goldwing)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smelling-car/59391/2 "2011-01-01T22:45:27Z")

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Gas is leaking somewhere. Get it to a shop immediately before the car starts on fire.

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**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smelling-car/59391/3 "2011-01-02T00:51:54Z")

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Yes, it is a bad thing. I have no idea what it is, but my guess would be an exhaust leak. I know getting it fixed is cheaper than risking poisoning yourself from exhaust fumes.

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**Author:** ![kizwiki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7cd45c/32.png) [@kizwiki](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kizwiki)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smelling-car/59391/4 "2011-01-02T02:11:41Z")

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Both good answers. Don’t drive this car. Find out what is going on right away.

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**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-smelling-car/59391/5 "2011-01-02T18:57:57Z")

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Do you top off your gas tank after the pump tries to stop? This overfills the tank and kills the charcoal vapor canister. Once it is dead and filled with gas, you will start to smell gas through the vents. If it is a leak, you can usually spot it with the car running. I would at least look for a fuel leak before I took it in. If you see the leak, have it towed.