Gasoline Smell Fills Cabin on 2010 Prius

:welcome: welcome to PriusChat.

As far as I can remember you are the first member to post with that problem. My only suggestion would be to take it in, could be a safety issue.

Be sure to let us know what they find.

 

Welcome aboard!

Never heard of the issue either. How full was your tank? Could be a leaky gas line. In any case, I am sure the dealer will look it over carefully.

 

Shouldn't happen. You sure you fitted the fuel cap back correctly? Do you fill the car up to first click on the pump or do you brim it? Even so, it shouldn't smell so get it checked.

 

Hey, are you driving w my wife? She is the only member of our family that smells weird odors when nobody else does...

 

Hello, and welcome!
This is NOT normal, as mentioned and I would take the car to a dealer and have it checked out.

As for your mpg, I don't know what the temps are like there, but has it dropped down at all?
The colder temps play a factor on your mpg's.

Let us know the outcome!

 

Quote:

"I quickly accelerated to 80 mph to pass that traffic to gain access to the right hand lane and my exit. Once I had slowed down to regular speed, the gasoline smell was there. Both occasions were the same way...me having to suddenly accelerate in order to not miss an exit."

Check for the obvious first, then try to duplicate on demand before going to the dealer.

 

lol I don't fancy sitting next to him as he tanks it at 80 mph before cutting across the traffic to take the exit! (I'd take his word on it)

 

That was not meant literal, thank you.

 

hersh I think I've experienced that as well on the highway in dallas

VM670 ?

 

My first thought is that the smell has come in from another vehicle. I have experienced this numerous times, especially in congested traffic. It is confusing because the smell is so strong.

However your rise in consumption is suspicious and you should definitely consult the dealer. On the whole the prius fuel system is very well sealed.

 

Admitting your mistake does not absolve you of cutting in front of me or anyone else when we're patiently exiting the highway. Since you did it twice, it must be a habit. As for the gas smell, beats me - but if it only smells while performing your "maneuver", that should be a clue to stop doing it.

 

GET IT CHECKED!

If the gas smell is strong, you could have a fuel leak in the engine compartment. It does not take much (like, a few drops) for the smell in the people tank to become very strong. However (comma!) it does not take much (like, a few drops) to start a fire in the same place!
Hopefully, your MPG drop is more temperature and right foot related than from spewing gasoline into the environment, but you never know...
G3 Priuses are not usually plagued by fuel leaks. If this is a one-owner vehicle that's never been wrecked, I would not expect you to have such a problem....but since you do, I would keep the giveacrap switch in the "DO" position until you find out what's going on.


GET IT CHECKED OUT aggressively until you find out what's happening, especially if you haul kids or other passengers around.

Good Luck!
(you might need it)

 

If you are smelling gasoline in thee cab of the Prius, then I suggest you get to the nearest Toyota service dept ASAP - unless you like the idea of turning into a rolling Molatov cocktail.
:target:

 

could be the hard accelleration is forcing gas out somewhere, but honestly, idon't think you should be waiting around for someone here to diagnose it. get it to a qualified mechanic asap, don't mess with your (and others) safety.

 

Get it to a dealer ASAP.

Do you top-off the tank when filling it?

 

I think you're days overdue for a trip to the nearest Toyota dealership!
Maybe I didn't make my point well enough the other day.

G3's are fuel injected.
This means that the little pipe (or tube) that runs to your motor has gasoline in it that's being pressurized by the fuel pump in the gas tank. Like about 2-3 times more than the water in your kitchen sink is being pressurized by your local water supply.
With me?
OK.
So, you're yanking and banking around the freeway and for some reason there may be a leak in one of your fuel pipes, causing gas to escape from a fitting.
Where are most of the fittings you ask?
Right.
In the engine compartment...

Probably not the best place to have a leak, especially if you're driving at freeway speeds.

Is this the problem?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Has your car ever been wrecked? Worked on other than routine maintenance? Are you the original owner?

It doesn't matter.
Yesterday, I overfilled my G3. Like by about 2 cups worth of gas on the left rear quarter panel. No....I didn't have the nozzle locked, it just failed to stop before gas was pouring out of the filler neck.

When I drove away from the CHEVRON dealership, I didn't catch the least little whiff of gas in the people compartment. Believe it or not.....I actually thought about this posting when it happened.

The point is....you don't know where it's coming from. Neither do I.
Maybe the problem will go away alllllllllll by itself and you won't be inconvenienced by trip(s) to the dealer.

On the other hand....maybe you'll make the six o'clock news!

Life is like that sometimes.

Your call.....

 

I too am diagnosing fuel leak in engine compartment. Consider fire extinguisher (not sure I have one myself). Engine fuel lines needs to be checked. Check 12v battery re: MPG loss.