sergeyshk

Hello,
Smell gets to a cabin in my E320 Blutec, 116,000 miles on it. What may be the issue? Smell starts during the cold time of the year only, I replaced a cabin filter and it still smells. Please advise.

Thank you,
Siarhei

rapidoxidation

Does it smell like you need to change your socks or does it smell like an exhaust leak? There's a whole world of smells out there. Can you classify yours?

sergeyshk

sergeyshk

It smells like exhaust but very strong smell, and it is not like a diesel smell neither burned diesel fuel smell. It smell outside too strong smell during the cold or wet weather!

rapidoxidation

I add FPPF (diesel additive) to every tank of fuel and keep a small bottle in my trunk. When that bottle has occasion to leak, the smell WILL work its way into the cabin.

Do you have anything in the trunk that may be the cause? A bottle of additive? A spray can of lube?

sergeyshk

No, I don't have anything in my trunk. Smell sems to be coming from under the hood. My brother has GL 2008 diesel and has the same smell but it doesn't get to the cabin as in my E320. It started after 100,000 miles approximately, I didn't have that smell before...

rapidoxidation

Look for an exhaust leak under the hood. Have someone hold their hand over the exhaust pipe (gently) to (gently) pressurize the exhaust system. Listen closely under the hood, maybe paying attention to where the cabin air filter intake is.

Have you pulled the pans under the car to see if there's anything obviously wrong (leaks, soot streaks, etc.)?

sergeyshk

I looked underneath and didn't find any marks/signs from exhaust leak. There is no any logical signs of exhaust leak near turbocharger.

rapidoxidation

Does your trunk leak during rainstorms? Is it possible that exhaust fumes are being pulled into the cabin from a bad trunk lid seal?
If you run your hand along the top of the exhaust pipe from the front of the car to the back is there anywhere that soot appears, especially under the cabin?
Hopefully someone else will chime in with other ideas.

sergeyshk

Thank you for your help! The smell comes from the air blowers when I turn on air taken from inside or turn off air blowing, smell disappeares.

Shadow5501

I have had the flex pipe crack and leak exhaust under the hood on a w211 bluetec. This is the first section of the exhaust bolted directly to the back of the turbo. Get a good light and look for soot on the silver heat shield on the firewall, on the flexible accordian sections of the pipe, and the underside of the hood.Replacement is not difficult if this is the culprit.

sergeyshk

Thanks!

ptkacik

My car smelled like diesel and it turned out to be marginal hose clamps at the fuel filter. I ended up replacing all the hoses and clamps to the fuel filter. All is well now and the stink is gone.

Peter

sergeyshk

Thanks Peter, the smell is not a diesel fuel, its more like exhast and it is so strong/acid.

bizzy247

Sound like a similar issue I had. In my case, the lid in the engine bay that houses the cabin filter was not fastened correctly. I had just got the car so I figured the smell was normal. After a car wash, I popped the hood to give the engine bay a routine wipe down and I noticed the lid wasn't properly latched down. I removed it to figure out how to properly latch it down. The smell hasn't came back since.

sergeyshk

Thanks! I'll check that too, but I just replaced a cabin filter and placed it back in place.