Car smells like gas when I start it but goes away – What’s that smell? Oh no! Is my car on fire? This is a situation where you might be asking yourself, “what do I do?” Luckily for you, we have compiled an excellent list of tips to help you handle this emergency. Whether your car smells like gas when you start it or not, these are 11 things you should know how to do and what to expect if your car catches fire.
If the dashboard lights up: turn off the vehicle right away with the keyless ignition system (if possible), then get out as soon as possible without opening any doors or windows inside the vehicle. Do not try turning off a mobile phone first before exiting the vehicle.
If you see smoke or flames coming from the engine: stop, get out and call 911 immediately (or use a fire extinguisher if one is available). Do not try to put down the fire yourself with your bare hands as this can lead to injury. Remember that when it comes to car fires, size matters; don’t let small sparks turn into a big flame!
When driving off after hearing an audible warning sound: do not pump your brakes in response as this could make them overheat. Turn on headlights for better visibility of obstacles while pulling off slowly and carefully without sudden acceleration. Once at least 100 feet away from the hazard area, pull over safely and wait until emergency personnel arrives before getting back on the roadway.
when the car smells like gas: some cars have a safety mechanism that shuts off the fuel if there is too much vapor in front of the engine. If this does not happen, turn it off manually and pull it over to assess the situation. Do not get out of the car until emergency personnel arrives on the scene as you might be at risk for explosion or fire.
A car starts smelling like gasoline when the gas tank gets too full. This may happen because of a mechanical malfunction, such as an overflowing fuel line or faulty spill catchers on your filler tube. If you’re not sure that’s what caused your car to start smelling like gas, check for these warning signs:
The smell is strongest at startup and then fades away over time
Your engine misfires (hits the piston instead of the top) from time to time during acceleration
You have trouble starting up in cold weather (gasoline vaporizes less readily in low temperatures).
Tips for Dealing with the Smell:
Turn off your car and wait a few minutes.
Check that your gas cap is tight, if it’s loose tighten it or replace the cap.
If you’re passing by an area of high concentrations, keep open windows to ventilate the car before driving in. Add fresh air as needed until the smell dissipates (you may need to stop). Close windows when odor subsides. When stopped at red lights and can’t get the window down, crack the door so oxygen will flow through the car instead. If the vehicle starts up again while sitting still on a side street, restart the engine but slowly drive away keeping distance from other cars and buildings because this makes fuel more volatile causing danger of explosion.
If you’re a car owner, it’s good to know that gas doesn’t actually “smell” like anything; the smell we associate with gasoline is really just the result of some volatile organic compounds in fuel reacting with oxygen (oxygenates) and sulfuric acid when heated by engine exhaust gases.
Additional Tips for Car Owners:
Keep your car well maintained so it operates at its best efficiency.
Check tire pressure regularly or have them checked each time you get an oil change as tires are one of the first things to go wrong on cars since they take more wear and tear than other parts. This also means getting new brake pads if they make noise, leaking fluid, or feel soft.
Check your car’s fluids for levels and top them off if needed, especially brake fluid.
Consider getting an extended warranty to cover you in the case of a costly repair or accident out of your control.
If You Smell Gas:
Turn off ignition immediately and call 911 from a safe location outside the car; do not open windows as this will only cause more gas fumes inside the car which can lead to explosion hazards!
If it is possible, wait five minutes before turning on the engine again so that any released gases have had some time to dissipate.
Contact Professional Car Repair Services Experts ASAP (do NOT attempt DIY fixes) – it’s best to let professionals diagnose what needs to be done in order to make your car safe for driving again.
