K13 Micra smells of petrol

MikeHunt79 · 26 Jun 2011 at 16:22

I've had this car for a few months now and it seems to have been fine but on Friday I filled the fuel tank until the pump went click.

The next day car stinks of petrol, inside and out, so I'm guessing there is petrol leaking from somewhere.

Also I opened the fuel cap again, and there was a hissing sound when undoing the cap.

I'm guessing there must be pressure in the tank, and when I take the fuel cap off the pressure is released.

So is it normal for a petrOl tank to be pressurised or should there be some sort of pressure release valve somewhere?

My old car was a diesel so I'm a petrol newbie!

What is the beat way of fixing this?

Edit I've just realised it's actually a k12 as opposed to a k13, apologies for any confusion....

Ev0 · 26 Jun 2011 at 16:48

Hiss is normal on some types of car/fuel filler so wouldn't worry, my wife's Yaris does it as does my Subaru, but our old Renaults didn't.

My filler even has a little warning on it about the pressure/hissing so I wouldn't worry about that.

MikeHunt79 · 26 Jun 2011 at 16:52

Ok, thanks, so pressure in the fuel tank is nothing to worry about.

I'll see if I can get some photos as I think I may have found a fuel leak, I'm just hoping I don't have a hole in the tank...

MikeHunt79 · 26 Jun 2011 at 17:36

Ok, this isn't the best photo but it looks to me like the fuel is running around the side of the tank:

And here's to confirm, it's actually leaking:

agw_01 · 26 Jun 2011 at 20:44

Not sure how it is on the Micra but on my Rover, the tank is actually two halves sealed together with a rubber seal.

Eventually the seal gives up and allows fuel to leak out. Had this once, not fun seeing your lovely fuel (I'd just filled up with V-Power

) escaping down the road

sigma · 26 Jun 2011 at 21:56

I think mine leaks a bit from the overflow if I drive a bit enthusiastically with a full-ish tank so might be worth investigating around that area, a quick google brings up a forum post of someone mentioning a seal around the overflow leaking.

MikeHunt79 · 26 Jun 2011 at 23:08

agw_01 said:
Not sure how it is on the Micra but on my Rover, the tank is actually two halves sealed together with a rubber seal.

Eventually the seal gives up and allows fuel to leak out. Had this once, not fun seeing your lovely fuel (I'd just filled up with V-Power ) escaping down the road

Thankfully my leak doesn't sound as bad as that, it only drops occasionally but I still need to get this sorted as I'm sure it's not safe! :eek:

sigma said:
I think mine leaks a bit from the overflow if I drive a bit enthusiastically with a full-ish tank so might be worth investigating around that area, a quick google brings up a forum post of someone mentioning a seal around the overflow leaking.

Thanks, that on the forum with the big MSC logo?

I'll have a check under the read seat tomorrow, hopefully I can find this overflow and check where the leak is...

I do drive a bit enthusiastically from time to time, so I guess when I've got a full tank, I'll try and take it a little more steady just like those F1 drivers do...