I have an '02 Tahoe that gives off a gas smell after I fill the gas tank. The smell goes away after I use a bit of the gas. Don't see any leaks, and it smells strongest in the rear driver wheel well. No smell in the engine area, exhaust, or interior. Any ideas?

 

Do you over fill your tank? by that I mean do you stop filling when the station pump fisrt cuts off or do you continue to put in a bit more to get the filler neck filled?
If you are filling it up too much, gas is probably overflowing into the evap system and spilling out so you smell it till enough fuel is used to not overflow.
Over filling can cause driveability issues also, hard starting make the check engin light come on....

 

my 97 lumina is a bit older than your 02 tahoe but i had a prob with the filler neck rusting and i had gotten some pinholes in it which allowed a bit of gas to leak out on filling.

 

Thanks for the feed back guys...I don't believe I'm over filling, I stop when the pump cuts off. Ok I may put in a few cents more to get an even total, but not more than 5, 10 cents. Is that enough to get an overflow?

I will check the filler hose and gas tank neck today to see if anything can be seen there.

in2pro, if what you are saying about the evap system is true, do you have any idea of which components to check?

 

IF I recall the evap system canister is located under the truck near the fuel tank, its a square black box with small vacuum lines running into and out of it. I'd pull a line or two loose and see if you see an fuel in them, theymay SMELL like gas but there should be NO liquid.


EDIT
I'd check under the vehicle after you fill up also to make sure there is no leaks coming from the tank itself, not that the tank has a leak but that the fuel pump gasket isnt.

 

Has the fuel pump ever been replaced? Next time you fill up when the pump stops do not add anymore and see if you still smell it. If soI would suspect leak is on top of the tank. Most likely the pump seal. Possible even if pump has never been done. If not could be over flowing into evap system all though usually that causes ck engine light and or performance problem. I have always rounded my gas up after the pump stoped in my 2000 and my 2007 and never had a problem with the evap system. At my shop have seen several leaks on top of the tank.

 

I remember when adding another $.10 worth was almost a half gallon.

 

Well it's been a while since I had a chance to get back to the forum but at least now I have an answer to my problem. It turns out the problem was an o-ring or small seal at the fuel pump that was causing the fuel smell. The seal in question is located at the point where the electrical wires enter the top of the fuel pump. The seal must have cracked and was allowing gas fumes to escape. It turned out to be a $0.02 part that caused me to spend $800 on a new pump.

 

Thanks for letting us know what the solution was. Sorry it cost so much.

 

I have a 2007 suburban and the check engine light came on. I noticed that when I filled up with gas there was a strong smell afterwards, and also it was leaking gas. After I drove off the gas was no longer leaking. Any ideas why that is happening, and how I can get it fixed?