What is the most likely cause for fuel leaking from my Jeep?

Its a slow drip. I just bought the car from someone, it had very little gas in it then. I filled it up Sunday bringing it home. We noticed the leak yesterday (Monday). The entire underside of the car is very rusty, I knew that before I bought it. Could it actually need a new fuel tank or is there a more likely cause?


Also - how much would it cost to get it fixed?


It is a 99 jeep grand cherokee.|||It is unlikely that your tank has rusted through so high up. Water is heavier than gas and causes rust and leaks on the bottoms of tanks, where it collects. You typed that the leak did not manifest until you filled the tank. That inclines me to consider that the leak is coming from the filler tube. i am guessing there is a rotten 2 or 3" rubber hose connecting the tank to the tube.


Labor rates at an independent shop are around $90/ hour nowadays. i am a novice and i could do that job in 2 hours; a pro should be quicker. The replacement hose shouldn't cost more than $20.


The leak could also be a decaying fuel line. There are smaller lines running in and out of the tank that could be going. If the tec. finds that one of those is to blame, then you should have him/her replace all of the little hoses in the immediate area as well.


i am suprised that the check engine light is not on. Does it at least come on when you turn the key to the on position? It should, and if it does not then get the bulb replaced.


Whatever the case, make a diagnostic appointment with a place that advertises free diagnostics, if you do not already have a steady wrench. Then fill the tank up and drive there, so the leak is good and obvious when you get there. i would suggest you then make a "fix it" appointment on a later day that you think the tank could be empty by. That way the tec. will have an easier time handling that gas tank if its gotta be removed to do the job. You do not want to pay the shop to siphon the tank. You do not want them to take too long trying to work with a full tank, either. They might not think to empty it first! Inform them of this possible strategy only if it seems like thay haven't written you off as a stupid woman.


i have girl friends who have had this problem, and there is no influencing those kinds of dudes. Have fun and kindly click me back when you find out more. i spent a bunch of time on this answer. i would be almost done with the job by now.


later, d|||you did not describe the source of the leak, is it from the tank itself, a fuel line the fuel filter itself... there are many possibilities.


rust does not suggest fuel though for what it is worth. more than likely a fuel line may be damaged, they are softer materials than the tank, and a lot cheaper!|||It could be a number of things and sometimes the leak is easy to find and others the entire fuel system needs to be checked due to the fact that the leak could be running down a line before it is dripping off. It could be a leaking seam in the gas tank itself, a leak around the connections of the in line fuel filter, if you have one, or a poor connection at any point. A new fuel tank is going to run you somewhere around $130 plus labor and lines are of course less. Good luck