[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by GTO

About 1 month back, there was excessive petrol smell in the cabin whenever the engine was running. After 15 - 20 days, it disappeared by itself.

Hi GTO, not sure if this ever happened again or if this got resolved, but let me share my experience on this.

I also started getting petrol smell, on occasion, sometime back in March. Initially, it went back on its own, so I did not care much.

However, recently, it started getting more frequent. I noticed that the smell was strong when I had about half or less than half tank full - that meant a lot more sloshing around of petrol in the tank, and lot of evaporation and fumes.

So I went to check with my Service Advisor. I was worried about some fuel leak in the engine bay like @abirnale discovered in his XUV7OO. The service center inspected the cabin bay thoroughly, with me standing next to it, and there was absolutely no leak anywhere there. The engine bay was clean and dry. There was no petrol stain or smell anywhere there. It all looked fine.

They also checked the fuel vapor canister and that was also all fine.

Then they checked the next suspect - the fuel filler lid - and voila, the O-ring in that had gone bad and the seal was poor. Clearly the smell was coming from the fuel cap. It was leaking the vapors. That is why the smell was stronger when fuel tank was half full or less. Lot of sloshing and vapors there in half tank, and those were leaking out from the fuel cap.

I also Googled it and found that a leaking fuel cap is one of the most common sources of fuel smell in the cabin.

The solution was quite simple. They ordered a new fuel lid cap for me (it was not in stock). And once the part arrived, they changed the lid cap. And now the petrol smell is completely gone!

So just wanted to share this simple check and solution with everyone, in case anyone else has petrol smell in cabin, in a Thar.

[Aditya]

Petrol smell in Mahindra Thar due to faulty Fuel Cap - Post copied to a new thread.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by Aditya

Petrol smell in Mahindra Thar due to faulty Fuel Cap - Post copied to a new thread.

Thanks Aditya for moving this to a new thread.

Now that this is a new thread, please allow me to add some more context and explanation that I gave in the other thread where this was originally discussed.

A couple of people asked me how the smell from fuel cap, located at the rear side of the vehicle, reached inside the cabin.

I thought the same at first, and hence never thought that the fuel cap would be the culprit. I was suspecting some leak and vapors in the engine bay, which the AC system was sucking in.

However, once the SA said it was the fuel cap, it all became obvious. Then I noticed that just standing outside the car, near the fuel cap area, I could feel the strong smell and the vapors. So clearly there was a noticeable vapor leak there, which was easy to smell outside too, not just inside. Just that I usually get out of the car from the driver's door and walk away to the front, which is the diagonally opposite direction to the fuel cap, and thus never went near the fuel cap from the outside and noticed it. I would have noticed it at the petrol pump when I go to refuel, but there my mind naturally assumed it was the general smell of the air there and never realized this as an anomaly.

Now I am still not sure how the AC system was sucking in that vapor from rear left side back into the cabin, but it was happening for sure.

Here are some articles that mention fuel smell inside cabin due to leaking fuel cap.

https://www.carx.com/blog/why-does-t...mell-like-gas/

Malfunctioning Fuel Cap or EVAP system

There is also a chance the gas smell in your car cabin is because of a faulty gas cap or EVAP (emissions) system. If your vehicle’s gas cap isn’t sealing correctly or is loose, damaged, or missing, gasoline fumes may escape through the fuel filler.

https://www.capitol-chevy.com/servic...e-your-car.htm

1. Trouble with the Gas Cap

We've saved the best news for last. There's a possibility that the smell in your car is due to nothing more serious than a loose, damaged, or missing gas cap. This cap seals gasoline vapors into your gas tank, so a cap that's not doing its job may stink up your car. A loose gas cap is the easiest to fix: simply screw it in tighter. However, even a cracked or missing gas cap is a quick and inexpensive fix: simply purchase a new gas cap. They don't cost much, and installation couldn't be simpler!