How to identify if a car is leaking gas when parked?

This article will explain the “Car leaking gas when parked” problem. The vehicle’s gas tank is present underneath the car and is exposed to getting damaged. Thus, it becomes essential for a person to identify when the gas tank is leaking. In this article, we will mention the different signs which tell that the gas tank is leaking. 

The gas tanks on vehicles are designed in such a way that they show strong resilience. The material generally used to fabricate a gas tank on a vehicle is heavy-duty in nature. Moreover, the gas tank is under proper protection from foreign materials, which might hit the gas tank and damage it. But like any other automotive component, the gas tank can also get damaged. Once the damage occurs on the gas tank, the fuel starts to leak from the tank, which is a worrisome condition.

Because driving your vehicle with a leaking gas tank can cost you heavily as you will be needed to spend more on fuel. Moreover, driving with a faulty gas tank can also be dangerous because the leaking fuel might ignite and cause a fire. Thus a person should be aware of the different symptoms of gas leak from an automobile.

How to identify if a car is leaking gas when parked?

The recognise the gas leak. You can do the following procedure:-

  • The smell of fuel coming from the vehicle.
  • Presence of spots of moisture beneath the vehicle
  • Fuel Gauge dropping without any reason

The smell of fuel coming from the vehicle.

Gasoline has a very specific odour: some people will even say that the gasoline smells a little sweet or good. When you drive your car, sometimes you will smell fuel because of its evaporation into the atmosphere. However, the odour of the fuel is faint, and it generally fades away quickly, and if the odour of the fuel doesn’t go away quickly, you will smell the gas almost all the time. For example, you may smell fuel during the following conditions.

  • When you are driving the car down the road.
  • When you walk upto the parked vehicle.
  • Your vehicle is idling at a stop.

Thus if you smell gasoline at these times, then pay attention to other signs of leaking tanks. Generally, when you have a leaking gas tank, the smell of the fuel reaches your nose-first.

Presence of spots of moisture beneath the vehicle

When the fuel leaks from a vehicle, it quickly evaporates because gasoline is highly volatile. Hence, if your vehicle is parked at a particular place for a long duration of time, then you will be able to observe a small wet spot below the vehicle where the car is parked. In such a situation, you need to read the owner’s manual and figure out the precise location of the tank. Once you find the tank, you need to scan it thoroughly.

Moreover, if you park your vehicle on concrete or blacktop, you will be able to see a darkened spot where the fuel is collected. Furthermore, if the vehicle is parked on grass or over foliage, the grass can grow discoloured, and it might die pretty quickly because gasoline affects the growth of weeds and grass.

Fuel Gauge dropping without any reason

The easiest way to tell whether the fuel is leaking or not is by constantly checking the fuel gauge. However, it will be difficult for a person to know whether the fuel leaks during driving until the gauge moves towards empty quickly. 

Thus to figure out the fuel leak using the gauge, you need to follow a simple technique. First, you should measure the fuel level when you park the vehicle and once you return to the vehicle, note the present fuel level. If the current fuel level is lower than the actual fuel level, the fuel is leaking from the tank. 

Moreover, never be careless in terms of a fuel leak. Even the slightest fuel leaks can be fatal as fuel can quickly catch fire. Therefore, as soon as you observe a fuel leak, quickly take the vehicle to the mechanic and get the tank replaced or fixed. 

Conclusion

In this article, we have addressed the “Car leaking gas when parked” problem. To explain the problem in detail and provide help to the driver during a difficult scenario, we have explained the different ways in which a person can identify a fuel leak from a car. Moreover, in some techniques identifying leaks can be tedious. Hence we have also explained how to perform the particular technique.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Car leaking gas when parked

Can your car explode when there is a gas leak?

A gas leak can surely cause an explosion or fire if the vapours of gasoline come in contact with the heat source. Because gasoline is highly volatile, and thus if the leaking gas catches fire, the explosion is possible.

Why is my car leaking gas from beneath?

One of the common reasons behind the gas leaking from the bottom of the vehicle is the broken gas tank. Even if there is a small crack in the gas tank, the gasoline will seep through it and start leaking.

How much does it cost to fix a gas leak?

Most cars have a metal line that runs the length of the car with rubber lines connecting either end. Fixing a fuel line is an easy task and can cost you $60 to $120.

What is the cost of the new fuel tank?

The cost of the new fuel tank is between $1009 to $1091. However, when you go for the fitment of the tank, it might cost you greater because of the labour costs, which starts between $254 and $321.

References

  1. https://www.kellradiatorservice.com/10-reasons-you-should-love-blogging#:~:text=If%20the%20fuel%20hand%20drops,professional%20as%20soon%20as%20possible.