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Car smells like fuel after driving - normal or not?

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  • Last Post 2 weeks ago
vomelo4028 posted this 03 July 2025

I drive a 2013 Audi A3 1.4 TFSI and lately I’ve noticed a few strange things. After turning off the engine, there’s sometimes a faint fuel smell near the rear of the car. Also, the engine occasionally idles a bit rough, especially when I come to a stop at traffic lights. No major power loss, but something definitely feels off.
There’s no EPC light, but I did get a Check Engine light once - it went away by itself after a day. I haven’t done any diagnostics yet, just wondering if anyone’s experienced similar symptoms?

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mapesoy509 posted this 03 July 2025

Hi, I had the same problem on my 2014 A3 1.8 TSI. This fuel smell after turning off the engine usually indicates a problem with the EVAP system, most likely the N80 purge valve. When this starts to fail, it can leak fuel vapor and cause rough idle. I would recommend scanning the codes with InCarDoc to confirm. It's not a big emergency, but don't ignore it for too long - it can affect emissions and fuel economy.

tegonab273 posted this 03 July 2025

I had a weird fuel smell on my A3 too, and the idle was kind of shaky. Turned out to be a bad purge valve on mine. It wasn’t super obvious at first, but once I replaced it, the smell and rough idle went away.
Maybe try cleaning the valve or just get it tested at a shop.

diyofa7432 posted this 04 July 2025

Sounds like a classic EVAP purge valve problem. The P1434 code is common for this, indicating an electrical fault or short in the purge valve circuit. Sometimes wiring or connectors get corroded or loose.

The rough idle can be caused by the valve sticking open and letting extra air into the intake. Definitely get it checked and replaced if needed. Driving isn’t immediately dangerous but fix it soon.

joxise4009 posted this 4 weeks ago

Yeah, I had something similar on my 2012 Golf 1.4 TSI. I noticed a faint fuel smell near the rear too, plus slightly rough idle at stoplights - turned out to be a small EVAP system leak. Nothing major at first, but it eventually triggered a CEL that stuck.

If you haven’t already, I’d recommend scanning with something like InCarDoc. It’s pretty handy for pulling stored codes even if the CEL disappears. Check for codes like P0441, P0456, or anything related to the EVAP purge valve or charcoal canister.

Also worth inspecting the fuel filler neck area and vapor lines under the rear of the car - mine had a cracked hose near the tank that only leaked vapors when warm.

Could be something simple, but good to catch it early!

mikag15090 posted this 2 weeks ago

Yeah, I had almost the same symptoms on my 2012 A3 1.4 TFSI. Slight fuel smell near the back and rough idle now and then, especially when stopping at lights — no EPC, just a brief CEL that cleared itself.
For me, it turned out to be a small evap system leak — something with the charcoal canister or purge valve acting up. The fuel smell gave it away. It didn’t trigger a permanent CEL right away, just an intermittent one like you mentioned.
I'd recommend doing a quick scan with something like InCarDoc or any basic OBD app — even if the light’s off now, you might still have stored codes that’ll point you in the right direction. Definitely worth checking before it turns into a bigger issue.

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