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• Why does white smoke or steam come from the exhaust pipe?

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Question: 1998 Ford Mustang mileage: 53,000.  Sometimes when I pull away from a stop and give my car gas and shift gears I smell gas. There does not seem to be a problem with the performance of the car, nor do I hear any unusual noises coming from the car.  It does however seem to be using more gas than usual.  I have looked for gas leaks and cannot find any.  I am afraid to drive it.  Do you have any ideas about what could be causing this gas smell?

Answer: Inspect your car immediately.  Leaking gasoline is a fire hazard, especially check the seals on the fuel injectors.

Question: 1999 Eagle Talon mileage: 95,500.  Dear Bob and Ken: When driving my car I can smell unburned gas fumes in the car.   I noticed that it only does this in the afternoon (lunch time) and my drive home versus in the morning when it is still cool outside.   I live in Phoenix, Arizona, how cool can it be.  I thought it may be the charcoal canister, but the car only has around 35,000 miles on it.  Any suggestions?  Thanks,

Answer:  Check the fuel rail that supplies fuel to the injectors.  It may be leaking.  

Question: 1995 Land Rover 620i mileage: 72,000.  A strong smell of anti-freeze in front & rear seating area, which clears after heating has been on for five minutes but after engine has stopped/parked smell, comes back.  I have checked interior for leaks and underneath car but no sign, also checked radiator/cooling system/expansion tank/windscreen tank all of which appear fine.

Answer:  Your heater core has probably failed and is leaking coolant.  Replacing the heater core should fix your problem.

Question: 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee mileage: 103,096.  This problem started happening when the weather got extremely cold.  When I first start the engine, I can smell gas.  I can smell it for about 20 minutes after the truck is running.  I checked on the ground below the engine and I do not see any signs of a leak.  There were other days when it was not as cold, and I did not smell a thing.

Answer: Inspect your car immediately.  Leaking gasoline is a fire hazard, especially have the seals on the fuel injectors checked.

Question: 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee mileage: 100,200.  My car is experiencing terrible gas mileage and has a strong odor of unburned fuel.  Upon opening the hood at idle I can see gas literally dripping from the injectors.  A friend said it is probably the O-rings and they need replaced.  Is this a fairly easy repair?

Answer:   Leaking gasoline is a fire danger.  Replace the o ring with new and your problem is solved. The job takes about 30 minuets with everyday tools.

Question: 1999 Chrysler Concorde mileage: 61,000.  At the end of a 400-mile trip, when I got into stop and go traffic, I noticed the smell of "rotten eggs" coming up from the car. When I got home, I opened the hood and noticed the car battery was steaming and leaking fluid from around the fill caps.   The battery was the original, so I replaced it.  Was this caused by battery age or should I be checking something else, like alternator or regulator?  

Answer:  Check your charging system for proper output, 13.5 to 14.5 volts. It sounds like your alternator is overcharging causing the battery to " boil ". Change alternator with new to repair condition.

Question: 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage mileage: 84,000.  Car is hard to start cold; check engine light is on; smell of raw fuel when starting.  What on earth could be wrong with my car?

Answer: It sounds like you have a fuel pressure regulator, remove vacuum line from regulator and check for fuel in the vacuum line. Replace fuel pressure regulator with new if fuel is present.

Question: 2001: Chevrolet Cavalier mileage: 76,000.  I just recently purchased this car, and I was wondering why is it when I turn the heat on it smells like antifreeze.  Is there any thing I can do or fix?     

Answer:  We believe the smell may be hot coolant leaking from the heater core. Replacing the heater core is the fix if you find that it is leaking.

Question: 2002 Nissan Altima GXE DOHC mileage: 65,999. Car emits "rotten-egg" smell from exhaust. Is it the CAT or the oxygen sensor?

Answer: The "rotten-egg" smell is caused indirectly by the catalytic converter. The main cause is a rich mixture condition from the engine. Your car is equipped with a computer controlled engine management system. You can scan your computer for fault or error codes. The information should pinpoint the malfunctioning components.

Question: 2002 Dodge Caravan mileage: 61,250. Got in my van after it was sitting all night and it had an "ashtray" smell to it. Turned it on and I realize the radio, interior lights & voltage/battery gauge was not working. When driving an "ashtray" smell seems to come from dashboard area (no smell under the hood) I've checked my fuses and they are ok. After 40 miles, smell seems to have gone. What next? Please help.

Answer: You have a wiring problem under the dash that has caused the radio and interior wiring to short circuit. Disassemble to repair as needed, recheck systems.

Question: 2000 Ford Focus mileage: 98,000. When riding in the car there is an odor of gasoline. The odor is worst when idling at a red light. Maybe the fuel pump is about to die?

Answer: Inspect your car immediately.  Leaking gasoline is a fire hazard, especially check the seals on the fuel injectors.

Question: 1998 Pontiac Bonneville, miles 89,000  Has a gas smell. I have checked from the engine all the way back to the tank and I do not find any leaks. You do not smell it after it sits for a while. The catalytic converter seems to be good. Could I have a vacuum problem?

Answer:   Your car is equipped with a gasoline vapor canister. It collects gasoline vapor from the gas tank. That system may not be working properly, causing your problem. Replace with new to recheck problem.

Question: 2002 BMW 540i mileage: 68,000. My Beemer has a faint gas smell while I am driving down the road. When I stop at a stop light the smell increases, and sometimes I can hardly breath it is so bad. I think that the gas leak is coming from the fuel injector, because the gas is not leaking in a liquid form, but I am not a car mechanic. I would like to know what types of problems it could be and approximately how much they would cost so I won't get ripped off.

Answer: Even though you cannot see fuel leaking, it evaporates very quickly, this causes vapors.  Cost will vary depending upon the problem diagnosis, and parts pricing.

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Repair Topics / Smells-1 / Smells-2