The stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of carbon steel in simulated fuel-grade ethanol (SFGE) was investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and slow strain rate test (SSRT). Phase angle at low frequency range (< 1 Hz) is sensitive to SCC process of carbon steel in SFGE. Phase angle decreases during an active crack growth. Frequency at maximum phase angle also increases towards an active cracking region at around 1 Hz. A transmission line model (TLM) is used to simulate the EIS response for SCC based on real geometrical parameters. By systematically changing the values of the circuit elements, the activities of the sample surface, crack tip and crack wall were studied in detail. By comparing the Bode plots from both experiment and simulation during SCC, a detailed mechanistic picture is derived to describe the behavior of the stress corrosion crack on carbon steel in the fuel-grade ethanolic environment. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.