Mystery leak

I'm concerned about a fuel smell in my son's EL Ford station wagon. There is no smell as long as the windows are closed, but as soon as the passenger window is opened, there is a strong petrol smell. The car has been checked for leaks three times without finding any. My son has replaced the purge canister and hose as recommended by the Ford dealer without success. We are continuing in our quest to find the problem, and I'd like to ask you what it might be.

It's clearly a fuel leak so check all hose connections carefully for signs of leakage, and do it with the engine running so the system is under pressure. When you say you've replaced the purge tank, I assume that means the evaporative emissions canister to which fuel vapour is fed from the tank. If not, try changing that. Also, check the fuel cap to make sure it's sealing properly. And it's worth checking the dash to ensure all the seals are in place.

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