Coloradoheel

I bought my 07 C4s last Wednesday (16k miles). Drove it 1100 miles from CA to CO with no issues whatsoever.
I have been driving "normally" and this evening noticed a very strong fuel/exhaust odor building up in the garage after I got home and parked for the evening.
I can find no leaks or fluid anywhere.
The only thing I can think if is that the car spent 16k miles in CA (I assume being fed 93 octane). CO does not have 93 - 91 is highest octant. Could this change in fuel be the cause for this odor?
Is there a common problem I am not aware of?

I have an appointment at the local dealer Wednesday for a couple of simple issues - since the car is still under warranty I will have them look at this issue. In the interim, I am hoping someone has experienced the same thing and can provide some input.

Thanks.

Steve

Mike in CA

You could have a fuel leak that is collecting somewhere on the engine, but then evaporating and not leaking down to the floor. Perhaps a bad connection or pin leak in a fuel hose. One thing for sure; gas quality isn't the problem. A change in octane couldn't be responsible for your odor even if the octane rating of CA gas was different than Colorado's. But it isn't. The stuff we get here in California is also 91 octane.

Coloradoheel

Thanks. Hopefully the techs will have an answer on Wednesday.

gota911

I know you said it is a "fuel/exhaust odor" but it could be cosmoline. Porsche sprays it on the under side of the engine to protect the parts against salt/rust. It has a very distinctive odor when the car is warm. Ask the service techs about cosmoline AFTER they have checked the car out for a fuel leak.

Macster

Unless there's some area of CA I'm not familiar with good luck assuming 93 octane is available in CA. 91 is as good as it gets, ignoring the rare station that might sell various blends of racing gas with higher (100) octane ratings.

If the gas smell is real there can be a vapor leak. It can come from a leaking gas cap or from a leak in the fuel vapor recovery system.

However, these cars have a pretty sophisticated emissions system and with the DME that can detect a pretty small leak in the vapor recovery system. If the check engine light hasn't come on the odds of a leak in the vapor recovery system or even with the gas cap are small.

Of course there are other places fuel can leak from. It doesn't take puddles of gas on the floor under the car to really stink up the place with gas fumes. Often the gas drips from say a leaking fuel injector and the fuel vaporizes and the smell of gasoline can be strong, yet the leak is very small, sometimes just a few drops (the injector holds very little fuel) before the source of the leak dries up until the next time the engine is started and run.

You are doing the right thing getting the car to the local dealer for a thorough checkout.

Sincerely,

Macster.