# Odd gasoline smell while driving

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/odd-gasoline-smell-while-driving/81133>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** regal, buick\
**Created:** [August 30, 2013, 7:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/odd-gasoline-smell-while-driving/81133 "2013-08-30T07:26:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![LenaFena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@LenaFena](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LenaFena)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 7:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/odd-gasoline-smell-while-driving/81133/1 "2013-08-30T07:26:10Z")

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Hi,

I own a 2000 Buick Regal, and have recently come across a gasoline smell while driving. While taking a longer drive, I realized that it would heavily smell like gasoline when I would go from park or from a stop. It really makes me nervous to drive my car not knowing what could be causing this problem. Would you have any ideas of what is going on?

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**Author:** ![Big\_Marc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@Big\_Marc](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Big_Marc)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/odd-gasoline-smell-while-driving/81133/2 "2013-08-30T17:18:23Z")

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is the gas cap on tight at least 3 clicks? if its tight get the car to your mechanic and have them inspect the car any leaks, be carefull it may pay to have it towed to the shop

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/odd-gasoline-smell-while-driving/81133/3 "2013-08-30T20:08:08Z")

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The gas smell might be coming from a leaking fuel injector O-ring. It takes very little gas dripping onto the hot engine to create that smell.

Tester

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**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/odd-gasoline-smell-while-driving/81133/4 "2013-08-30T22:41:00Z")

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One important question: is it really raw gas or exhaust fumes?  
Many people get the two confused.

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/odd-gasoline-smell-while-driving/81133/5 "2013-08-31T03:32:18Z")

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Hard to say. You need someone to do a visual check. Could be a leak anywhere from the fuel tank up to the injectors. Also, a rich mixture could result in gasoline odors coming out the tailpipe. That could be caused by a air/fuel problem, like a faulty O2 sensor.
