After I run my car a few miles to work, let it sit and then start it a few hours later my car gives off a fuel smell... It's very strong and can sure smell it if your around the car. It will go away once I drive a bit. When the car is started it is at least 90 degrees outside. It starts as if it would in winter when it runs richer. Also I recently noticed fuel smell in my engine oil. Any ideas... Monday we are making an appointment to go visit the dealer. Hopefully nothing to major is wrong. Other than that it starts, runs and idles fine. I have a 2.4 running Mobil One Synthetic.

 

The strong fuel smell, and the fuel odor in the oil are making me think that you may have a fuel injector that's hanging open after you shut the engine off. "hung" injectors can drip excess fuel into the cylinder. The excess fuel will eventually make its way past the rings and into the oil pan, also you can get a strong fuel smell as the gasoline evaporates back out through the intake and throttle body.

Its definitely something you'll want to have checked out, especially if fuel is contaminating the oil, gasoline makes a very poor lubricant.

 

Thank you so much for your take on this! I am thinking that this could be something to do with the injectors as well. Hopefully my dealer will be able to diagnose this all for me, and get her all patched up! Just out of curiosity, do you know if they are able to diagnose each individual injector to see which one is the issue or do you think they would replace them all? I don't think this is an issue with the O2 sensors. I have had no codes. Hoping to god this would be covered under my power train!

 

A good tech can use a diagnostic scope to find a sticking injector quite easily, the actual procedure is pretty detailed and probably too much to get into here, but they can find the faulty injector if that is indeed the issue.

You can rule out the O-2 sensors, they wouldn't cause anything like what you're experiencing.

I can't see why the repairs wouldn't be warrantied, but please let us know how you make out at the dealership.

 

Here's the list on the Power Train Warranty, did see "Injector (fuel) replace

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/problems-service-repairs-42/07-09-10-11-powertrain-parts-coverage-list-22231/

 

Nimble fingers there sleeper, you linked it before me.

 

Were you able to get the HHR into the dealership yesterday?

Michelle, Chevrolet Customer Service

 

I sure did. Thank you for checking. Unfortunately they claimed they couldn't recreate the issue so they are not investigating it further. I guess I'm leaving it at that. It's documented so hopefully I'll be okay when my warranty goes out in August. They did say it is possible that my gas tank is venting out gasses that are building up at these high tempatures. I don't know if this is true. My dealership couldn't even give me a list of things they checked or tested.

 

"They did say it is possible that my gas tank is venting out gasses that are building up at these high temperatures."

If it is, you have a leak in the EVAP system, a fuel line, the tank, something. Smelling fuel is not normal, even on the hottest day of the year....it shouldn't vent fuel vapors.

Take it to another dealer, these folks are blowing smoke and wasting your time, failing to give you a list of the diagnostic and service operations performed is unacceptable.

Please contact Michelle at Chevrolet in the morning, she needs to rattle some cages for you.

 

You're welcome. Thank you for the update.

Another avenue you can try is to take the vehicle to another GM dealership to get a second opinion. I wasn't sure if you knew that or not.

Michelle, Chevrolet Customer Service