Hello everyone,
As the title states, I have a CEL on and a strange gas smell coming from the car when I start it up.
I was gone for 2 months and left my 2011 MCS Clubman sitting the whole time, when I got back I started the car and smelt a strange gas smell and just ignored it as I thought it wasn't important, the next day I was driving 80 mph on the Interstate and noticed that my CEL had come on, I don't know how long it had been on, because I was jamming out, but it definitely scared me enough to get me off at the next exit and driving very slowly home. At the moment it's parked at home and I'm using my other MINI, but plan on taking it to the dealer maybe tomorrow, does anyone know what it could be? If it helps its a 2011 MCS Clubman with 50k miles and no mods.

 

So..it it a "strange" gas smell or normal gas smell?
Stale gas? Or just gas? Sulfer smell?
Fumes?

Bet a hose failed or a valve in the vapor recovery system got stuck and failed...old fuel gets gummy...you say the car sat a bit. Might be minor...but with a dealer, you are up to $500 to get it on the lift IMO...

 

It's a normal gas smell, just strange that it smells like gas, sorry about not being so clear. And yeah it was sitting almost empty for 2 months. What should I do, should I take it to an autoparts store to get the CEL code read? I was thinking of doing that, I'm pretty good at repairing things, but not so good at diagnosing problems. Should I try to mend it myself first?

 

Yep, get the code read and post back..

 

it should be posted on a HUGE BILLBOARD , YES you need to get us a code , I think everyone should just buy a code reader, we are talking $10 on ebay for a wifi or BT code reader that you can use your phone on.

And you should never store a car with a near empty fuel tank, they get condensation and will get water in the system, best is to either DRAIN it 100% or fill it 100%.

 

Alright, I'll get it read then and post back up later, and it's funny you say not to store a car with a nearly empty tank, I have two MINI's and left to Europe for 2 months, I thought it's be smart to fill the tanks and leave them at my parents house with the keys so they could start them up every once in a while, lol, turns out my dad decided to use the cars and almost emptied BOTH of them within the first week I was gone! He didn't tell me either, I found out when I got back to 2 MINI's with out gas and barely any money left in my bank to put gas in them!

 

Decided to take the car out yesterday and while I was driving the check engine light vanished! Should I still take it to get read or should I just not worry unless it pops up again?

 

Sometimes a CEL shows up, then disappears. Happened to me, though after about a month it came back and stayed on along with limp mode. Dealer replaced a VANOS solenoid. So, if was me, I'd stop at an auto store (autozone, etc) and get it read when it's convenient. You don't have an active code, but there will be a stored code in there that can be read. That way you'll have a better idea if something serious is going on or no big deal..

 

Your CEL will be stored. It's best to pull it and see what may have caused it and go from there.