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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Sandtrap on 09 April 2017, 17:20

Title: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: Sandtrap on 09 April 2017, 17:20
My 2014 GTI PP is out of warranty by only 7 days and I think I'm smelling fuel inside the car .. very occasionally and it's very faint .. at first I wasn't even sure it it was coming from my car , I can possibly detect the smell next to the passenger side front wheel arch ...
has anyone got any ideas? Ill contact VW in the morning to see what they say ... hopefully they will check it out under warranty as I have been suspecting something for around a week now !
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: robtt on 09 April 2017, 18:09
I read in America there had been problems with a batch of fuel pumps .
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: nlm on 10 April 2017, 23:17
Confirm. On my gti 2013 the fuel pump was been replaced 2 times. The smell is from a leak i the pump when start/stop is on.
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: Moro on 11 April 2017, 09:30
My car had the High Pressure Fuel Pump replaced under warranty at the time of its first MOT.
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: Sandtrap on 12 April 2017, 02:44
My warranty ran out almost 2 weeks ago . I informed VW that its been two weeks iv been noticing this problem but initally i was unsure if the was a problem. At first i thought i may have driven over some fuel or the smell was coming from another car
Im hoping they will as part of good will and customer relations, included this issue under warranty !  What do you think ?
 
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: Talk-torque on 12 April 2017, 07:05
My warranty ran out almost 2 weeks ago . I informed VW that its been two weeks iv been noticing this problem but initally i was unsure if the was a problem. At first i thought i may have driven over some fuel or the smell was coming from another car
Im hoping they will as part of good will and customer relations, included this issue under warranty !  What do you think ?

If you have had the car serviced with them, according to the book, then they are usually good for this. If your dealer is not helpful, try VW Customer Services.
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: Sandtrap on 12 April 2017, 08:11
they serviced the car only a few weeks before the end of warranty..
I'm still not 100% sure there is actually a problem ? ..  the smell is only occasionally and only noticeable for a few seconds   
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: clubsport on 12 April 2017, 08:25
With a potential fuel leak, why be so placid?

I consider a fuel leak to be way above an occasional rattle from trim in how I would approach VW.

You are not sure of there is a leak, so you can't be sure if it is nothing or the car is at risk of catching fire?

This could be a serious issue, I would ask VW to resolve the problem as you are genuinely concerned, if the car does catch fire (unlikely) this will not look good for VW, especially as they recently serviced the car.

There is history with fuel pump leaks on these cars, you can normally see it seeping out of the top of fuel pump body on the rear of the block if it is that. 
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: SRGTD on 12 April 2017, 10:28
With a potential fuel leak, why be so placid?

I consider a fuel leak to be way above an occasional rattle from trim in how I would approach VW.

Agree clubsport, if I was the OP, I'd be getting this investigated as a priority as it could be a potential fire hazard.

Some years ago, l was getting the smell of fuel in my car (not a VW) and booked it into the dealer. Dealer initially said there wasn't a problem. The smell persisted so took the car straight back to the dealer. Turns out fuel was seeping around one of the injectors where it fitted into the fuel injector rail. New injector rail fitted and no more seeping or smells.
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: simonpolly on 12 April 2017, 11:00
My car is the same age as yours and did exactly the same it will be a leaking fuel pump,does it smell stronger under the passengers wheel arch ?.Mine was six months out of warranty the dealer only charged for their time and not the pump after i told them i had read about high pressure fuel pumps leaking on earlier models.
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: Sandtrap on 12 April 2017, 11:57
My car is the same age as yours and did exactly the same it will be a leaking fuel pump,does it smell stronger under the passengers wheel arch ?.Mine was six months out of warranty the dealer only charged for their time and not the pump after i told them i had read about high pressure fuel pumps leaking on earlier models.
Yes I smel it under the passenger side front wheel .. but it is very faint and only now and then I smell it inside
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: Sandtrap on 13 April 2017, 20:21
Driving into Aberdeen today I again could smell fuel , so I pulled over to investigate , removed the engine cover and found the high lift pump wet with fuel , and worse I found a rag stuffed under it !  now the only people to be in there lately have been VW when they did a service 4 weeks ago. the car has been for MOT since but wouldn't think an MOT inspector would be into the pump!
went directly to VW. they didn't even come out to look at it !  car is booked in for Monday anyway to investigate the fuel smell. the warranty was out  25-03-17 but they did the service 26-02-17 so in my mind they left the rag there then.
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/menzies007/HP%20fuel%20pump.jpg) (http://s179.photobucket.com/user/menzies007/media/HP%20fuel%20pump.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: SRGTD on 13 April 2017, 23:48
Wow! A petrol soaked rag in a hot engine bay; not a good combination. Doesn't bear thinking about what could've happened!

I'd be kicking up a stink with the dealer, and expect some serious goodwill in getting it fixed! 
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: a9wyn on 14 April 2017, 09:09
Driving into Aberdeen today I again could smell fuel , so I pulled over to investigate , removed the engine cover and found the high lift pump wet with fuel , and worse I found a rag stuffed under it !  now the only people to be in there lately have been VW when they did a service 4 weeks ago. the car has been for MOT since but wouldn't think an MOT inspector would be into the pump!
went directly to VW. they didn't even come out to look at it !  car is booked in for Monday anyway to investigate the fuel smell. the warranty was out  25-03-17 but they did the service 26-02-17 so in my mind they left the rag there then.
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/menzies007/HP%20fuel%20pump.jpg) (http://s179.photobucket.com/user/menzies007/media/HP%20fuel%20pump.jpg.html)
Wouldn't the MoT inspector noticed the rag? Also from your photo there seems to be oil on the rag as well. It used to be during an Mot  inspection they would remove the dipstick to install a thermostat to check the oil temp. for the emmisions check.My thinking is the rag could have belonged to the MoT inspector and the oil is where he wiped the dipstick. Having said that it still doesn't account for the fuel leak.
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: I wanted a GTi on 14 April 2017, 09:15
Driving into Aberdeen today I again could smell fuel , so I pulled over to investigate , removed the engine cover and found the high lift pump wet with fuel , and worse I found a rag stuffed under it !  now the only people to be in there lately have been VW when they did a service 4 weeks ago. the car has been for MOT since but wouldn't think an MOT inspector would be into the pump!
went directly to VW. they didn't even come out to look at it !  car is booked in for Monday anyway to investigate the fuel smell. the warranty was out  25-03-17 but they did the service 26-02-17 so in my mind they left the rag there then.
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/menzies007/HP%20fuel%20pump.jpg) (http://s179.photobucket.com/user/menzies007/media/HP%20fuel%20pump.jpg.html)
Wouldn't the MoT inspector noticed the rag? Also from your photo there seems to be oil on the rag as well. It used to be during an Mot  inspection they would remove the dipstick to install a thermostat to check the oil temp. for the emmisions check.My thinking is the rag could have belonged to the MoT inspector and the oil is where he wiped the dipstick. Having said that it still doesn't account for the fuel leak.

The mot inspector surely wouldn't take the engine cover off though.

Sandtrap, I'd be straight onto VW UK about this. How many miles has the car covered since the service? What dealer was it?
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: Sandtrap on 14 April 2017, 09:44
Car has done 700 miles since the service.. I'll go see the MOT guy and ask him but I wouldn't think he would have put a rag directly under the HP fuel pump .. VW yesterday didn't even come outside and look at the car !  I'm with the thinking that VW during the service put the rag there and forgot to remove it . So at the service they must have suspected the HP pump was leaking !
It looks like oil but I think it's fuel with road dirt / dust

Just called VW service manager in Aberdeen, they are saying they would not have been into the HP pump area during a service!   I won't know for sure till I go see the MOT dude ..
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: simonpolly on 24 April 2017, 15:56
So what was the verdict,where did the rag come from ?
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: Sandtrap on 24 April 2017, 17:27
Just finally got car dropped off with them today !  They said they will cover the costs ! pick it back up on Friday so let's see
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: Sandtrap on 25 April 2017, 17:21
Car fixed .. HP fuel pump replaced but they asked me to pay 90 pounds for time !   I can do that I suppose
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: clubsport on 25 April 2017, 17:29
Car fixed .. HP fuel pump replaced but they asked me to pay 90 pounds for time !   I can do that I suppose

Seriously?

Did you remind them of the rag they left wrapped around the old one, when it was in for a service while under warranty?

At the suggestion of coughing up £90, I would have literally gone mental!!!
Title: Re: Smell of fuel in cabin
Post by: Sandtrap on 25 April 2017, 21:52
I'm not picking car up till Friday so yes perhaps I'll kick up a little then