Gas Fumes

VANGAL

MEMBER
FORD WINDSTAR

I have a 98 Ford Windstar, 3.8L engine with 170,000 miles. Two weeks ago I took my car in because the "Check engine" light was on. The diagnostics said the valve hoses needed to be replaced - had it fixed. Then I noticed my gas mileage dropped significantly - mechanic said it needed a tune-up, so had a tune-up. NOW I have noticed a strong gas smell inside when the a/c is on, when I first start the car and at random times while driving. My faith in my mechanic is running low; so please help, what can be causing this new problem? THANKS!

1 Reply

SERVICE WRITER

MECHANIC
9,123 POSTS

Don't hang your mechanic. My experience shows that a car can make a guy look incompentent. At 170,000 miles the potential for weirdness of problem and existence for multiple problems increases. My guess is the valve hoses were for the evaporative system? Give the guy a call and just explain it and ask him to look it over for something that may have been not connected. By accident. Sometimes talking to a mechanic in a civil but firm tone can do wonders.

If a tune up was long overdue, it can create other problems that could have been avoidable. But go one step at a time.