Curious if anyone else in the Northeast started to experience what I did this weekend.

I was obviously blasting the heat these past few days with temps in the low single-digits. When the car was idle and heat blasting, there was a strange scent, a little bit of gas and a little bit of sea-type smell. When the car was moving along at city speeds (30-40 MPH), the stench would disappear.

Strange- any thoughts on what might have caused this?

 

Do only get it while in the car? What about when you park it and get out. Do you smell it right away outside?

I have been getting a odor ever since I had the tensioner and pump recall fixed. It turned out to be some spilled coolant that was burning off. To me it was a sweet smelling ozone odor. Like plastic just befor it starts to burn.

Is that kinda what you smell?

 

Sea smell? Salty? Road salt?

 

If you run the defrost a lot or leave the climate control on auto with the A/C running all the time you will get some moisture built up and that can cause a funky smell. If the A/C is on try running without it for a while and see if that helps.

 

I do smell it briefly when I get out. The ironic thing is that it just started happening this past weekend when it was very cold out.

The smell is a combination of gasy and the sea smell is more fish-like (when you head into the fish market) than salty.

I'll see if it persists this week.

 

I too have that smell. I have a 99 2.3cl, that i just bought last tuesday. Since the beginning of this week, i have the strong smell of gas inside the car, this happens when i get in the car after letting it idle to either warm up, or when i stop at a red light. i smell it briefly also when i get out, but do not smell it outside the vehicle. This is really aggravating to me given the fact that i just bought it. If anyone knows what may cause this or if anyone else has had this happen, and have fixed it, please let me know. Thank You...

 

The smell is best described as a mix between gas and a plastic bag burning. I do smell it when i get out of the car, and i popped the hood to take a peak last time. Smelled it, but couldn't detect the source.

I'm considering taking it in- haven't decided yet.

 

Yeah, I would take it in to the dealer. Have them pressure test the cooling system. Your smell is very similiar to the smell that I have to. I was told that it was left over coolant that was spilled during the recalls I had done. They pressurised the system and said it was holding fine, and that once it was all burned off, the smell should go away.

I have smelled the old green coolant when it burns or leaks onto the engine. But never the pink coolant that we have. So I can not say wether it is 100%, but I am pretty sure that its coolant..

 

What do you mean during the recalls you had done? Are you referring to having to take the car in for the tranny failure?

Also, what are the potential consequences of just letting it continue to burn off? It seems like it's something that will gradually go away...

 

No No, I had the cam replaced under waranty, and the belt tensioner and pump. Might go away and it might not.