Gas fumes

[nutbushchris77]

My wife's saying that she smells gas inside her car. She said she smells it real bad after she has filled the tank. Can anyone please help me with this problem.
She has a 1997 Ford Escort.

[AzTumbleweed]

Gas inside the car? Have you tried Beano?

Seriously, first I would check the hose that goes from the filler cap to the gas tank. Since you mainly smell it after fill-up I'm thinking the gas is coming from somewhere near the top of the tank. I'm not sure about a '97 but you should be able to pull the back seat and have access to the fuel pump. The gasket here could be leaking.

NO SMOKING, PLEASE

[nutbushchris77]

You mean pull the backseat out of the car.

[denisond3]

Yup. With the back seat (what you sit on) removed, you can remove a circular plate to see the top of the tank - and the top of the fuel pump/pickup & sender assembly. With this lid off, fill the gas tank and see if you can see a puddle of fuel. Do it with the windows open all the way, and dont light a cigarette, etc.
On our 92 Escrot there is a leak somewhere atop the tank, but its not visible from that circular lid, and with good sealant on the lid, we dont smell it inside the car. I think its one of the hoses that connect to the top of the tank which has gone bad. If we fill the tank fully, gas drips out from underneat the tank.
So until I feel like dropping the tank to fix it, we just dont fill the tank all the way. I will replace the fuel pump at the same time, since the car has passed 200,000 miles, & they cant last forever.

Oh: To remove the back seat there are two small rectangular 'button's you have to push backward to let the front of the seat come up. They are about 13" in from the left/right seat edges.

Also, from underneath you will be able to see the different sized hoses that run from the fuel filler neck down and across to the tank. They can also begin to leak from old age.