Prius (2004-09) :: Exhaust Fumes On Startup
Mar 24, 2015
A little background on my Prius, I have an 08 that has around 179k miles on it and have never had any major mechanical problem. I have always kept up with routine maintenance. I use Synthetic oil and change it about every 6500 miles.
So, two weeks ago, it was time to change the spark plugs again. Carefully, I took out the old spark plugs and installed the new spark plugs. On the second spark plug wire and spark plug, I noticed a little bit of oil, so I wiped it off with a shop towel, installed the new plug, and kept going.
Interestingly enough, now I have a problem where when I first start my car (and only when I first start it) and I just have the interior fan running (not with the A/C on) I get some serious extreme exhaust fumes through my A/C vents and that wasn't happening before I changed the spark plugs.
Now my first thought was, "Shoot, what the hell did I do to my car?!"
Here's the weird part, once the ICE has warmed up and shut off for regular "ready" mode, I don't smell it ever again even if the ICE activates as I'm driving. Note that at this point, I haven't made any changes to what fan speed or setting the climate is on.
As soon as I turn my car back off, then back on again by pushing the power button, out comes the awful exhaust fumes again.
So, here's where the testing stage comes into play. I have tried everything I can think of. Yesterday, my father take the air box off and we made sure all of the hoses were attached and the recirculation hose didn't have a clamp. We replaced the clamp and resecured all of the hoses in the engine thinking that there might of been a loose hose with the exhaust recirculation.
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I've had my car for 6 months and have noticed that when I start my car with the vent on blowing air I can smell exhaust fumes. It doesn't seem to happen every time and if I start the car with the air off I don't smell anything. I can turn the air on after ten minutes of driving and the smell is there at first then seems to go away, either that or I get used to the smell. My closest dealership is 60 miles away
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I have been getting exhaust in my car cabin since last fall. It is worst when I first start up the engine. Once I get driving, it's not so bad. Switching off the heat or recirculating the air does nothing to change things. I used a CO detector in the cabin and the alarm didn't go off, but it still worries me that I might be breathing in carbon monoxide. And none of the shops have been able to diagnose it, let alone fix it. The first shop installed a new 'flex pipe'. The dealer thinks it's coming from a gasket near the flex pipe. The exhaust manifold is not cracked. A muffler shop said there was no leak. Is it possible that exhaust is somehow getting mixed into the air via a faulty valve or vent?
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After I start the car, warm up a bit then drive, there are exhaust fumes that get into the cabin as you can smell them.
It's happening more often now. I have spoken to my Phaeton tech who said that the car has a sensor that goes off and shuts down external air if it notices exhaust uses getting in.
I have been hearing a little bit of road noise on the driver side so I'm thinking some fumes are coming in from the door seal (although it looks fine).
Sometimes it's bad enough that you have to open the windows or you will feel sick. It passes within 5 minutes or so and the car is fine after that. It only happens right after ignition for a few minutes.
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About two years ago, I noticed the smell of exhaust fumes in the cabin of my 2000 Honda Civic any time the vents were set to pull air from outside the cabin. Switching the vents to recirculate would prevent the fumes. Looking under the hood, I found the exhaust manifold was cracked, so I replaced it along with the catalyic converter (actually one piece in this model) and two O2 sensors. Since the replacement, the problem with exhaust fumes remains. I have asked my mechanic to look at this a couple of times, and he could not find the cause. What to try next to diagnose the problem. We use the car frequently, and just have to leave the vents set on recirculate. This becomes an issue on rainy, humid days when recirculate causes the windows to fog.
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I recently bought a 2003 Hyundai Accent 1.6L DOHC manual transmission hatchback with 124000 miles. So far the work I have done in the car include replacing front bank 02 sensor, new flex pipe, exhaust manifold replaced with a used OEM part. Everything is going great with the car except that the check engine light is on with the P0442 and I occasionally smell gas or exhaust fumes (not sure) while driving and it goes away. My combined mpg is only about 23mpg.
I replaced the gas cap with a brand new OEM part then cleared the CEL. However, after driving 90 miles, it went back on so I brought it to my mechanic who recommended a smoke test. After the smoke test, he said the charcoal canister and the diagnostic module needs to be replaced. Is it worth replacing to fix the CEL code and if the code is related to me smelling fumes inside the car while driving. Also, I would like to know if there might be another problem causing this code instead of the charcoal canister or the diagnostic module.
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I have been having an issue with exhaust fumes in my 13 GT (16,000 miles on it). I am positive its from the exhaust. Its definitely the "rotten egg" smell, not raw gasoline. I don't hear any leaks though.
It only happens when going up a hill when the engine is under more load than usual or under heavy acceleration. I am going to call the dealer about it and have them look at it.
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I have a 2005 Passat and recently I noticed an exhaust fumes smell inside the car; windows closed. This occurs when driving in no traffic... My circulation is on open or outside air...
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One of my exhaust manifolds has been really loud for over a year now, just at startup. Sound becomes more quiet as the engine heats up.
No lights on dash, but I do have emissions here so I'd like to get it fixed early 2016.
Curious what the shop charges for this install. Or if it's worth it to do both at once.
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Why when I come to a stop with the heater on, the car smells like exhaust? I took in into our local Subaru shop and they couldn't find anything wrong. When I'm driving it's fine, but in town or in traffic, I have to keep shutting off the heater. If I forget, the car fills up fumes and I have to drive with the windows down or my daughter's asthma flares up.
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Newly acquired 2002 Accord.
At idle and while at a stop, the cabin receives a heavy dose of exhaust fumes (nope, not from the auto in front of me - I'm often alone at stop lights/signs)... what is the most likely culprit?
This did not seem to occur until AFTER I had the timing belt (package) replaced...coincidence
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Since day one I've had an issue with the exhaust leaking on my car, right at the flex pipe before the cat. I have replaced it at least 5 times in the last year. Every 2 moths or so it tears the flexpipe right in half, like it's literally in 2 pieces when I take it out. So, I thought that maybe the factory dogbone mount was old and weak, causing the engine to move around more, therefore tearing the flexpipe apart, so I got an new dogbone with poly bushings to combat that. It did reduce engine movement, but the exhaust kept breaking at the same spot. Then I thought that the metal was weak from it being welded so many times, so I got a new downpipe with the cat on ebay for like 150 CAN, and put a new gasket on, and now it still leaks...
Only thing though, is that this time on cold starts (as it is winter, so around -25 celcius) its really REALLY loud, like the exhaust sheared off right after the cat. However, after a few hours of driving it seems to get quieter at idle, but if you give it a little gas, it is quite audible. Also I can see exhaust fumes coming out my engine bay on said cold starts, however if I get down to ground level, I can hear it plain as day right where the pinch clamp is that connects to the catback part.
So, my theory is that, cause the bands on the clamp rusted out so my dad just put those u-bolt muffler clamps on there, which I can see an opening in the clamp, even if they're tight, until the exhaust gets hot and expands, kinda making the seal tighter but not air tight like it should. So maybe that clamp isn't doing it's job anymore and I just need a new one. OR it could be that that stupid flex pipe is broken again or that the bolts holding it to the manifold aren't tight, which that can't be cause i got them pretty snug on there. I'll have to take a look underneath again, see If I see any carbon on the exhaust, which would mean a leak, but I checked a few weeks ago and it was shiny metal, no signs of any leaks.
Car is an 04 golf with the 2.0 engine code BEV if that makes any difference. I double checked and NONE of the hangers are broken, and it's held in the right spot as it should, there looks to be no force exerted on the flexpipe at all when installed in the car, so I'm really confused.
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I have a 2000 Ford Focus ZTS with about 135,000 miles on it with a fume problem. Once it's warm, I'm noticing what smells like exhaust fumes in the cabin when stopped or at low speed (not at highway speed.) It runs perfectly otherwise. I took it in a few months ago (before I noticed the correlation with engine temp), and the mechanic could not replicate the problem, and he said there was no exhaust leak, I now suspect this is because he only tested it cold.
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I have a problem with exhaust fumes in my 2003 Silverado truck. Initially, 3 head bolts on the manifold were found to be popped off. After replacing the bolts, the exhaust fumes in the cab still existed. The truck has been evaluated by a Cherolet dealership and 2 independent garages who found no system exhaust leaks. Obviously, I am very frustrated and not sure what to do next or where to go.
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The dealer recently replaced the front and side motor supports. Since then I've noticed that the car idles high when first cranked and I smelled excessive exhaust fumes. One time it idled really high and would not idle down when I hit the gas. Then it started idling up and down when my foot was not on the gas. Could there be any connection between this and the motor support installation? Could linkage to the gas pedal have been bent during installation? 2002 6 cylinder Honda Accord EX.....
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Recently I have been smelling exhaust fumes in the cab of my truck when at a stoplight or parked in the driveway. When driving, the smell tends to go away. This occurs with the windows up and the climate control on auto. I can also smell this when I shut down the truck and exit. I am looking for anything that may be causing this. Hoping not to have to take it to the dealer.
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Our prius is 13 yrs old and the fan of the heat/ac broke. We had it replaced at the dealer and also had them replace the cabin airfilter. Since then, whenever we use the fan (heat or AC), we've been getting fumes in the car, a gas smell (even when there are no cars in front of us, so it's not from other cars). We brought it back to the dealer twice and they have not fixed it. They found a hole in the exhaust system and replaced the muffler etc. My questions:
1) Is there a way to measure the air quality in the cabin and find out what fumes are coming in and how dangerous they are?
2) What could it be and how can we finally get it fixed.
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I have an '04 f150 4x4 5.4L lariat new body style, I purchased it a few months ago. (I had an '03 f150 4x4 5.4L lariat that I am comparing the new one to) It seems like this 04 doesnt want to get up and go,(like the '03 did) best way to describe it is like having a potato stuck in the tail pipe. then after driving it for a few weeks I got CEL I think it was P0140, the day I was going to change bank 1&2 sensors 2, the code went away. So I didn't change them.
I instead opted to change the plugs (all plugs came out fine) now I notice a fuel smell when I let off the accelerator,(not sure if I smelled it before) its like a boat exhaust smell- not a raw fuel smell. I am wondering if all these things add up to a clogged or partially clogged cat or just a bad o2 sensor, I dont to spent $100+ for the rear two o2 sensors and still have the same problems, nor do I want to replace the cats and find out it was the o2 sensors all along. when I smell it in the cab, I do not smell it anywhere else, like: under the hood, or any where else under the truck, nor do I see a leak under the truck.
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I have a 2010 with 5k miles - bought <4 mos.
Last week, I started noticing a petroleum smell in the cabin. I've also had trouble with the inside windshield. When I tried it wipe it, it just smeared. Finally, I used some cleanser and it's clear. It took several applications to work.
I read in the Gen II forums about a loose oil filter cap. I checked mine today. I was able to turn it about 1/2 inch. Now, I'm getting headaches after I drive for more than 15 minutes or so. I've tried switching the circulation but I can't tell which way is better.
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Over the last 2 days here in NJ were its been cold. When starting the Treg and get out of the car I smell a strong odor of gas from the Exhaust. This normal? Haven't had this smell before. Seems like it drives normal. Don't get to drive it everyday anymore. Only on weekends as my wife take the Treg to work now.
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How steamy the exhaust is right after a cold start? I have always noticed it in my passenger mirror, but yesterday I decided to stand behind the car and watch it right after starting it up, and I actually saw a few puffs of black smoke coming out with the steam. I'm not losing any coolant, so I think all of this must be caused by the engine running extremely rich when cold, the fumes were pretty bad too. Once the idle settles down the black puffs go away, but the steam lasts a good while. I have never had a newer car run so rich that it caused black sooty smoke.
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