Why does my VW Squareback smell like gas or not hold an idle?

Short answer: A gas smell on a Type 3 is usually old fuel hoses leaking over or around the engine. Replace them all with fuel-injection-rated hose. An idle that won't stay up is often a vacuum leak at the intake runners. Treat a fuel smell as urgent, because fuel dripping on a hot engine can start a fire.

Symptom: You smell gas in or near the car, fumes reach the house from the garage, or the idle drops and the engine wants to stall.

What to check first

1. Look over the engine for wet, cracked or swollen fuel hoses.
2. Check hoses at the fuel pump and each injector.
3. Spray soapy water or listen for hissing around the intake runner boots with the engine idling.
4. Check that all the clamps are tight.

Likely causes

1. Dried-out fuel hoses over the engine. The fuel lines run right over the hot engine. Old rubber cracks and leaks fuel onto it.
2. Leaking injector or fuel pump hoses. Fuel-injected Type 3s have many short hoses. Any of them can seep.
3. Vacuum leak at the intake runners. The intake runners seal to the engine with boots and gaskets. If they leak air, the fuel injection can't hold idle.

What it usually costs

Owners in these threads didn't post prices.

Is it safe to keep driving?

No. A fuel leak over a hot engine is a fire risk. Don't park it in an attached garage with fumes, and don't drive until the leak is fixed.

DIY or shop?

Replacing fuel hoses and intake boots is DIY with care. Use hose rated for fuel injection pressure.

Recalls, bulletins and complaints in plain words

• Recalls: NHTSA's recall lookup returned no data for the Volkswagen Squareback for 48 model-year queries on 2026-10-29, so we couldn't confirm recalls here. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If your car is part of a recall, the dealer fixes it for free.
• Plain words: The complaint count below shows how often owners reported problems that mention these words to NHTSA. A count is not proof of a defect.
• NHTSA complaints: 0 keyword-matched complaints for Volkswagen Type 3 (Squareback/Fastback) 1966–1973 (of 0 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-10-29; keywords: fuel, leak, idle, stall, exhaust) (NHTSA returned no data for 48 model-year queries). This counts complaints that mention these words. It is not a defect finding.

What owners report

• In '70 VW Squareback has trouble keeping the idle up on Car Talk, a '70 fuel-injected Squareback wouldn't hold its idle and smelled of fuel. Members pointed to a vacuum leak and said to check the intake runner seals.
• In Fumes from my husband's '69 VW Squareback on Car Talk, fumes were coming into the house from a '69 Squareback. Members explained the fuel lines over the engine dry out and leak, along with hoses at the fuel pump and injectors, and warned about carbon monoxide.

Quick tip

Replace every fuel hose at once with injection-rated hose. On these cars, if one is cracked, the rest aren't far behind.

Vehicle focus: Volkswagen Type 3 (Squareback, Fastback, Notchback), 1966-1973.

Safety / mechanic note

Fuel leaks and fumes are a fire and carbon monoxide risk. Verify with a mechanic.