BMW: Smell of Gasoline (1997 BMW 540i), bmw 540i, fuel pumps

Question
Hello Mr Fields. I am having a strong smell of gas in my vehicle mainly on cool mornings. I have been watching my gas gage and I'm at the fuel pumps more often now. Where should I start looking and what should I be looking for. I am not seeing any wet  spots on my garage floor. I tried looking under the back passenger seat and was unable to find a hose from the gas tank. Could it be my fuel pump or just a bad hose that might need to be replaced? Thanks for your time and assistance.

Answer
Jason,
 First off, you should get a fire extinguisher to carry with you until you can find the leak (if there is one).  I had a fuel line bust on my 87 BMW and luckily I had an extinguisher nearby, another minute and it would have been gone.
 I know alot of times the gas cap can cause these problems.  Make sure it's tight and sealing good.  Remove it and check the seal to make sure it's not cracked.  Pressure builds in the system and if there is a leak it will come out there.

 The best thing to do is to start the car and leave it running.  Get a flashlight and shine under the car and check for leaks.  If none are found at the rear (gas tank) then open the hood and look for leaks.  Becareful of this, as if any gasoline is leaking around the alternator it could ignite.  

 If you cant find it, you should take it to a trusted mechanic to have it fixed.

 Hope this helps,
 Josh