A strong gas smell from your car is never a good sign. You may only smell gas when you start your car in the morning as part of your car’s warming-up process. Under any other circumstances, a gas smell is a sign of a problem. As your Lexus dealer in Englewood, NJ, we’d like to tell you some reasons your car smells like gas.
Why Does Your Car Smell Like Gas?
Your Engine Is Fuel-Rich
Efficient combustion requires a precise mixture of air and fuel. These two substances mix in the intake manifold and are drawn into the cylinders. Combustion needs far more air than fuel, as air is necessary to ignite the mixture. Your computer monitors the fuel-air mix with the assistance of the oxygen sensors in your engine.
If your engine doesn’t receive enough air due to a clogged air filter or faulty oxygen sensor, the fuel-air mix will become fuel-rich. A fuel-rich mix damages the spark plugs, increases fuel consumption and produce a strong gas smell. We’ll examine your engine to find the cause of the trouble, and we’ll repair it.
Your Gas Cap Is Loose or Damaged
The gas cap is designed to prevent fuel vapor from escaping your tank and to control the pressure in the fuel system. Your fuel system must be maintained at high pressure to ensure fuel flows at high speed to enable combustion. The gas cap fits securely into its housing and is protected by a seal to make the system airtight.
If your gas cap is loose or the seal is worn, vapor can escape the tank, and you’ll smell gas. This gas leak wastes fuel and also causes pollution. A gas cap that doesn’t work effectively will cause your car to fail a Maryland vehicle emissions test. Our technicians will examine the cap and its seal and repair the damaged component or replace it with a new one.
Loose Spark Plugs
Each cylinder in your engine has a spark plug connected to it. These plugs provide the spark that ignites the fuel-air mixture in the cylinders. Over time, spark plugs can become loose due to the slight movements of the engine as you drive. A loose plug creates a gap between itself and the o ring in the combustion chamber.
Fuel vapor from the chamber will escape into our engine and produce a gas smell. This is a simple problem to fix, as we’ll check your plugs and reseat them to close any gaps. If a plug shows signs of wear, we can replace it too.
Get Your Car Serviced in Englewood, NJ Today
If you smell gas from your car, call us promptly at DARCARS Lexus of Englewood, and we can get your vehicle serviced thoroughly.
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