The fuel tank leaks fuel at a full tank and smells of gas in the cabin until about 3/4 tank. Car was dripping a large puddle of gas inside of a parking garage. Problem has been reproduced by my mechanic even after replacing the fuel pump retaining ring. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer or police. CEL did not come on until recently reporting a very small EVAP leak. Inside the car and the surrounding area would smell of gasoline even if there was no leak in the ground.
Mazda MAZDA3 fuel smell problems
33 of the 2,994 owner complaints about the Mazda MAZDA3 describe gas smell in the cabin, most of them for the 2014 model year.
- owner complaints
- 33
- worst model year
- 2014
- typical repair cost reported
- $900
- typical mileage
- 105,000
Is there a fix? There are 4 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
- 20211
- 20182
- 20171
- 20161
- 20152
- 201413
- 20131
- 20124
- 20101
- 20091
- 20071
- 20062
- 20051
- 20042
Often reported together
Fuel pump 11Fuel leak 10Check engine light 4Fire or smoke 1Airbag light 1
Trouble codes mentioned
P0455 1P0442 1P0421 1
What owners say
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of a strong fuel odor around the exterior of the vehicle and inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had occurred after refueling. No warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure, and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The dealer had to reschedule the appointment due to a scheduling issue. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a crack in the top of the fuel pump. The contact was informed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced, and the vehicle was being repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure; however, the VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the vehicle needed to be taken to a dealer for a diagnostic test. The repair coverage was denied because the vehicle was not repaired by a dealer. The failure mileage was 179,550.
Anytime the tank was filled with gas there was a strong smell of gasoline vapors that persisted for several days. The car was a few months past its warranty on emissions issues and so I was charged about $1500 to replace a cracked fuel pump and fuel vent that was stuck open. The mechanic also said that the check engine light should have warned me about the problem but that neither the dashboard light nor his diagnostic equipment was triggered by the defect. He suspects the car's computer is programmed to avoid drawing attention to the problem. Had the light been working I would likely have caught the problem while it was still under warranty.
The contact owns a 2005 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, there was an abnormally strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, other individuals informed the contact that there was a strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. Additionally, the contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the clock spring was faulty. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 220,000.
Noticed strong smell of gasoline when the car was parked. Took it to an independent service dealer who diagnosed leaking fuel from top of the tank. Gas tank was removed and replaced. Tank cost was $380.00 plus repair shop labor/supplies cost. See attached invoice. During a recent online search for this vehicles current book value I noticed there was a manufactures recall issued for this same problem, that I paid to have repaired. I never received any recall notice for a leaking gas tank problem for my vehicle.
Our fuel tank is leaking for no reason. Brought it in last year (2024) for state inspections and let them know we smell gas when we park sometimes. They poke around and find nothing, but note there is a faint gas smell and to bring it to the dealer. We take it to Mazda to see if they can fix, they find nothing and charge my wife $250. Fast-forward to a year later, go for the same state inspection and we get failed. Our mechanic says theres a noticeable gas leak from the fuel tank and to take it to Mazda. There is clearly some issue with the fuel tank parts. The car itself only has 77k miles and it is 13 years old.
The contact owns a 2012 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, there was an abnormal gasoline odor inside and outside the vehicle for the next 5 days, prompting the contact to only fuel the vehicle halfway. The contact observed fuel leaking underneath the vehicle near the fuel tank. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the welded fuel tank nipple fuel line connector. The contact stated that the component was cracked along the bottom of the weld. The contact was informed that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,000.
Started smelling gas fumes several weeks ago after fill ups at the gas station. Took to my mechanic who diagnosed a fuel tank leak due to rust. No warning lights present. No fuel on the ground or fumes within the cabin.
I thought I smelled gasoline when sitting in my car. I got out and inspected all around the vehicle, discovering that gasoline was leaking underneath. Both the hazardous fumes and the potential for a fire in the vehicle put me at risk. The loss of fuel on public roads could have resulted in danger to anyone behind me on the road due to the fire hazard and potential loss of traction before I noticed the problem. I immediately brought the car to my mechanic's personal shop (he is also a master mechanic at a local automotive dealership). He confirmed that the leak was gasoline and diagnosed the problem as a rusted seam near the top of the fuel tank having ruptured, allowing the leak and filling the cabin of the vehicle with fumes. I knew that the local Mazda dealership would be unable to repair this promptly, if at all, since they had just fixed the exact same problem in my mother in law's vehicle of the same make, model, and year, and had struggled to get the replacement tank for weeks due to the supply chain problems experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, I paid my own mechanic to source and install a tank, and coat it with anti-corrosion treatment. I contacted Mazda, explained the problem, and demanded they reimburse me, as the car was only 8 years old at the time. The Mazda representative refused to do anything to help me and did not answer my subsequent emails, so I posted about this problem on the [XXX] forum, and discovered others have had the same problem as my mother in law and I. There were no warning signs of the problem other than the smell of gasoline. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Gas smell / leak from gas tank when more than 7/8 full. Seems to leak from the top. AEB frequently says disabled due to high interior car temperature. Even in winter when temperature below freezing.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
- Risk
- Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
Recall number 21V875000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage
- What is wrong
- Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 Mazda3 vehicles manufactured September 24, 2015, to October 16, 2015. During manufacturing, the fuel tanks for the affected vehicles may have deformed, resulting in a fuel leak from the recirculation pipe welded connection.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Mazda will notify owners, and depending on the tank lot number, dealers will inspect the recirculation pipe weld, replacing the fuel tank, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0216I.
Recall number 16V685000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Mazda Motors North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Mazda3 vehicles manufactured January 4, 2014, to September 18, 2015. The fuel tank of the affected vehicles may have been improperly handled during manufacturing and, as a result, the welded attachment of the Inlet Check Valve (ICV) may fail and allow fuel to leak.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Mazda will notify owners, and depending on the tank lot number, dealers will inspect the ICV weld, replacing the fuel tank, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0116I.
Recall number 16V684000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Mazda3 vehicles manufactured May 21, 2015, to August 25, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with a fuel tank with a shut-off valve that can allow fuel to enter into the fuel tank emissions systems. If enough fuel enters the emission system it may leak out onto the ground or result in an engine stall.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. An engine that stalls increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle's fuel shut-off valve. As needed, the fuel shut-off valve and the affected fuel tank emissions system components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on October 20, 2015. Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the repairs have been completed. Mazda will provide rental cars until that time. Owners may contact the Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800- 222-5500, option #6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8615J.
Recall number 15V621000 · Recall details
Questions about the Mazda MAZDA3 fuel smell
Which Mazda MAZDA3 years have gas smell in the cabin problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2014 (13 complaints), 2012 (4 complaints) and 2004 (2 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix gas smell in the cabin on the Mazda MAZDA3?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $900 (median of 6 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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