Q: Gasoline inside the car?

The first concern is whether you could have an exhaust leak or a fuel leak. If leaks of that type exist, they should be repaired as both are safety hazards. Occasionally, just due to the weather, exhaust fumes can get drawn into cabin air. At no time, however, is it normal for significant amounts of raw gasoline to be in the air, or leaking as a liquid, especially on a modern car which has sophisticated systems to capture any potential fugitive emissions of vaporous gasoline. If this was a one-off incident, and just limited to exhaust odor, not to worry but if you regularly detect the distinct odor of raw gasoline, that should be investigated at once because leaking gasoline is a fire/explosion hazard. As far as damage to personal belongings from exhaust or gasoline vapors, in ordinary concentrations and if the exposure is fleeting, there is no damage potential. The reason is gasoline is highly volatile and so evaporates into the atmosphere. However, if you spill liquid gasoline on materials, the non volatile compounds will be around for a long time and indeed will destroy many common materials as gasoline is a highly aggressive solvent. Most of the hazard from gasoline vapors is not to personal property but rather to your health because gasoline contains known, well documented carcinogens such as benzene. So, the bottom line is fleeting exposure to the vapors will not damage property but will damage your health. With regard to leaks (exhaust or gasoline, liquid or vapor), if you desire a safety inspection performed by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request a comprehensive vehicle safety inspection and the responding certified mechanic will address all of your concerns and look at the condition of your entire vehicle. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.