I've been searching around this morning trying to figure out what's wrong with my 99 impreza and its fuel smell issues. I've seen much about the TSB and related loose fuel line info. I don't think that's what I have so I thought I would post and see if anyone can help out.

Symptoms: Car smells like gas inside after filling up. It will linger a little, but goes away if you air it out well. It doesn't do it every time we fill up maybe 1 out of 3 or so? It seems to be related to topping off the tank in that if you don't top off it doesn't smell as often.

Any thoughts? I'm wondering if maybe my charcoal canister has a clogged line or something?

Also, I've tried convincing my wife that she shouldn't be topping off anyway, but you know how that goes.

OK tonight I followed my sophisticated gas detection device (nose) to the source.

I pulled the interior trim pieces off around the fuel neck/ wheel well area to find a puddle of gasoline where the fender meets the hatch area. The extra hose that I think catches the little drips from filling up and drops them into the evap. emissions canister was also disconnected.

I put the hose back into it's receiving part, but here's my question. The rubber tube is loose in the female part. Is there a clamp or something that is missing? Seems a little odd to me that something for gas would just be open to the atmosphere like that, but maybe it prevents a vacuum from forming or something?

I have some photos I can try to post if anyone is interested, but I've been told I smell like gas and that I need a shower.