Hello, since I purchased this vehicle, I have been having issues with fuel vapor smell and stuttering while accelerating after about 2 hours of driving. After it sits overnight, it’s gone until I drive about 2 hours again. No topping off or overfilling. This occurs regardless of gas level or outside temperature. Toyota has been unable to find anything since the check engine light never went on. Now, it has progressed to a slight burning with a hint of sulphur smell, on top of the fuel vapor and stuttering. According to Toyota, this is normal. But over the last 23 years, I have owned 14 different Toyota models, and only the rav4 has done this. It has caused headaches, dizziness, nausea, and wheezing. Is this really normal for a rav4??
2022 RAV4 limited fuel vapor smell and stuttering
GarciaRav22
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Hello, since I purchased this vehicle, I have been having issues with fuel vapor smell and stuttering while accelerating after about 2 hours of driving. After it sits overnight, it’s gone until I drive about 2 hours again. No topping off or overfilling. This occurs regardless of gas level or outside temperature. Toyota has been unable to find anything since the check engine light never went on. Now, it has progressed to a slight burning with a hint of sulphur smell, on top of the fuel vapor and stuttering. According to Toyota, this is normal. But over the last 23 years, I have owned 14 different Toyota models, and only the rav4 has done this. It has caused headaches, dizziness, nausea, and wheezing. Is this really normal for a rav4??
Where is the fuel smell coming from? If in the engine compartment, it could be the high pressure fuel pump leaking. There is a T-SB on the problem.Seems that some of those fuel pumps had faulty manufacturing, causing them to leak.
Here are the fuel odor Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) and the Customer Support Program (TE) for fuel odors in the 5th generationn RAV4. Print them out and take them to your very stupid dealer and insist he make the repairs free under warranty.
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Probably not, but keep checking for gasoline smell in the engine compartment (see post #3 above).
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Thank you for your response, FKHeath. I'm currently facing several issues with my 2023 Rav4. Firstly, it consumes more petrol than a typical hybrid, although less than my usual ICE cars. I am aware of my driving habits, and I'm doing my best to improve fuel efficiency. Secondly, it used to produce a vacuum-like sound when charging, which has lessened after I changed the oil. Finally, the car emits a growling noise during acceleration, even though I understand it's considered normal. Now, there's also a leaking fuel pump. As someone who has always purchased brand new cars, I'm very concerned and disappointed that I've encountered these issues with my Rav4. I have never experienced problems or concerns with other brands like Ford, Mitsubishi, and Nissan. However, I still have faith in the Toyota brand, as it is known for its reliability.
As long as I don't see any check engine lights or receive any alert messages on my display, is it genuinely safe to drive without any danger to myself and my family? I hesitate to visit the dealership because, if they can't replicate the issues, they might simply say nothing is wrong. My experience with my Toyota dealer has been unsatisfactory. During my last service, I rated them poorly because they overfilled my oil by 3 millimeters. I had specifically requested that they fill it only up to the maximum level.
There are both a TSB and a Customer Campaign for fuel odors in RAV4 Hybrids. Only covers up to 2022 model year and not yet updated for 2023. The direct injector high pressure fuel pump leaks.
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It is my opinion (and I've been blasted before for it), the the leak is just a seep, and thus evaporates quickly or is blown away by air or the fans. Thus there is no possibility of fire.
The engine is still getting gas, so stalling won't happen. It is also only the high pressure fuel pump that provides gas for the direct injectors. There is a separate low pressure fuel pump for the port injectors. The engine does not always use the direct injectors.
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Thank you FKHeath. At least I'm not that afraid anymore. I will tell my wife that it's safe. 👍
It IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS!! FKHeath is completely INCORRECT. The low pressure fuel pump is submerged inside the gas tank. That low pressure pump feeds BOTH the port injectors AND the HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP through a shared "Y"connector. The high pressure pump bumps up the fuel PSI in the direct injectors' fuel rail. The high pressure pump feeds the direct fuel injectors. That high pressure pump is ALWAYS PUMPING because it is MECHANICALLY driven off one of the camshafts. The ECM turns those direct injectors on and off but the high pressure pump is ALWAYS pumping up the PSI in the fuel rail. CAR CARE NUT has warned of the extreme high pressures in those direct injector fuel lines and the hazards of disconnecting that high pressure pump and the fuel rail for the direct injectors. In my opinion--ANY FUEL LEAK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS A FIRE HAZARD!! A fuel leak from the high pressure pump, the direct injector fuel rail or lines could drench the engine compartment in a bath of gasoline in seconds. There are numerous possible ignition sources for a fire. If you are on a highway at 60 MPH an engine fire can burn its way into the cabin before you could pull over and stop. IF YOU keep smelling a fuel odor get that high pressure fuel pump leak checked out by a reliable mechanic. There may be a slight pinhole leak now that will suddenly rupture without warning and turn your RAV4 into a fireball.
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I detected the fuel odor for about a minute at an intersection while driving. However, the smell disappeared after we crossed the intersection and headed towards the highway. I am not sure if I should take the car to the dealer or wait and observe. Could the odor have come from outside sources and not my car? How is it possible for a brand-new car to have such an issue? Will there be any alert on my display if anything serious is happening?
After driving for 30 minutes, I decided to pull over at a gas station. I opened the hood of my car and couldn't smell anything unusual.
Very unlikely unless there was a car right next to you with a real bad fuel leak, or a tanker truck leaking fuel, or a gas station with a fuel spill--all right close to your RAV4.
All the various parts--including the high pressure direct injection fuel pump-- on a RAV4 are literally made in the hundreds of thousands or even millions by numerous suppliers and Toyota assembles them into the RAV4. There will always be a few defective lemons in a production run.
If ANY part of the fuel system (either the high pressure pump, any fuel lines from the tank or going to the injectors, etc) has a leak BIG ENOUGH to cause the engine to lack an adequate fuel supply or pressure to operate properly THEN you will get a warning--a check engine light. Then there will be DTC codes a scanner will find. However a pinhole, very small leak might NOT be detected by the sensors and you would get NO warning.
If it was ME and this was MY NEW car under warranty I would go IMMEDIATELY to the dealer and talk to the service manager (not the service adviser) and get it checked thoroughly and get it on the service order that you are smelling fuel odors when you drive and fear a fire. Keep a hard copy in your records in case you DO ever have a fire for legal evidence and insurance purposes. Print out and take a copy of the fuel odor TSB I supplied for the 2022 cars to show the service manager. There are LOTS and LOTS of things that can cause a fuel odor when you drive--the EVAP system can malfunction or its hoses can be loose; the gas tank filler neck or the tank itself may have a small leak; the low pressure fuel pump gasket on top of the tank may be leaking, etc. You should get a MID warning or CEL but NOT IMMEDIATELY and NOT ALWAYS--the technology is not perfect. Any fuel odor while driving is DANGEROUS!
Let me ask you...when you smell the fuel odor did you just fill up your RAV4? Did you TOP OFF the tank (you should NEVER do that or have it done). Is your gas cap on tight?
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On that day, I did not fill up or top off my tank. Since then, my tank has remained halfway full until last night. I plan to have it checked at the dealership mid next week. Is it okay to fill up the tank next Tuesday, which is my usual timeline and before the dealers checkup?
Yes. If there is a leak and fuel odor I think they might be more visible and obvious if the tank is full--so it would help the dealer diagnosis.
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