Fuel smell in the passenger compartment
A fuel smell appears in the passenger compartment of a 2011 BMW X3 2.0. The service technician checked all fuel line connections but found no leaks. What could be the cause?
1. This is a known issue with X3 (F25) and X4 (F26) models equipped with gasoline engines, resulting from improper underbody heat shield design, which causes overheating and excessive evaporation in the EVAP canister.
2. Remove the underbody heat shield. Drill two 7 mm diameter holes in it as shown in Figure 1, and cut out sections as shown in Figure 2. Reinstall the heat shield on the underbody. Figure 3. This procedure should rectify the fault.
