There are few things as frustrating as bad odour emanating from your car. To prevent it, many drivers have a freshener spray in their cars. One such bad odour is the pungent smell of petrol which is not only unpleasant to smell but also harmful to inhale. There are multiple causes why your car smells of petrol. Today, we take a look at what causes petrol smell in the car and how to eliminate it.
Fuel Tank Leak
One of the major reasons why does it smell petrol in the car is a petrol tank leak. The first thing you should do if your car smells of petrol is to detect any leak from the petrol tank. Different cars have petrol tanks located on different sides so you can locate the petrol tank in your car by checking the fuel dashboard. The arrow on the fuel dashboard points to the direction in which the petrol tank is located.
The importance of maintaining your car cannot be stressed enough. If your vehicle is not well-maintained and transmission fluids are not changed regularly, rust accumulates on the petrol tank and also the other parts of your car. This causes the petrol tank to corrode and eventually causes holes in it. As a result, petrol leaks from those holes and your car smells of petrol.
If there is consistent excessive leakage, your car will lose fuel which can trigger the warning lights on car dashboard to turn on. You can fix this by applying an epoxy putty adhesive around the leaking area or using a fuel tank sealer to seal the hole(s) and stop the leakage.
Not Tightening the Fuel Cap Properly
Petrol is highly volatile and evaporates at a rapid rate. To prevent petrol from escaping your tank, vehicles have fuel caps. If you are opening the fuel cap for getting your car refuelled or for any other purpose, you need to make sure that the gas cap clicks once it is fully tightened. If it is not clicking, you need to replace the fuel cap. As a result of a loose fuel cap, fuel vapors escape from the fuel tank and thus petrol odour comes from your car.
Faulty or Clogged EVAP Canister
It is necessary that there is a visible leak. There are other reasons too which can cause your car to smell of petrol. An EVAP canister performs the role of absorbing petrol vapours to minimize air pollution. The activated charcoal in the EVAP canister is responsible for absorbing and storing the petrol vapours. If there is any defect in the EVAP system like a cracked charcoal canister or shorted valve circuit, these fuel vapours will escape causing your car to smell like petrol.
Overflowing Petrol
There is a lot of satisfaction when the petrol tank in your car is filled to the brim. However, filling the tank beyond its capacity causes it to overflow. As a result of overflowing, petrol flows down to the charcoal canister, carburettor and other areas of the car making your vehicle smell of petrol.
To prevent petrol from overflowing, you should note that the needle points towards the letter F when your tank is full. As soon as the arrow points to the letter ‘F’, you should not get more petrol added to the tank.
These causes mentioned above are the main reasons why there’s a petrol smell in the car. To decide your next purchase, have a look at these used cars for sale in the UAE.
For more tips and troubleshooting related to automobiles and the automotive industry, stay tuned to UAE’s leading auto blog.
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