tome10

I just took delivery of my new 'used' 2011 E350 Bluetec Yesterday 10/6/12. The car came from Florida, and most likely never experienced cold weather in it's life. It was cold yesterday (48f). The Exhaust smell is quite prevalent. It doesn't smell like a Diesel at all, it smells like a RC Nitro Car. I tried to play around with the Nitro Cars a couple times, but couldn't get past the Toxic Smell of the Exhaust. Now it seems I may have no choice but to tolerate. Maybe i'm overly sensitive as the wife hasn't said a thing. But the smell gets in the cab and everywhere. Does anyone know what I'm talking about when referring to RC Nitro Cars Exhaust, and is this Normal for a 2011 E Class? I know they did some changes to the Engine in 2012. Maybe the changes were in dealing with this Odor? Maybe the car is running the Regeneration Cycle? Thoughts?

stickygreen

Always been a diesel exhaust smell from our '05 e320 cdi, but I've never smelled anything coming from the '09 GL Bluetec.

Perhaps theres a pre-DPF exhaust leak under the car?

Plutoe

If I were you, I would take the car back and have them do a scan on the DPF system. If they ask what is that-----find and visit a local religious person!!

listerone

I'm on my second diesel (both with DEF) and have never gotten a diesel exhaust smell.If yours is pronounced perhaps a trip to the dealer is in order.

LAS_Bluetec

I have an E320 Bluetec and a ML320CDI and I have noticed very faint exhaust smell outside especially when pulling into the garage and then getting out of the car. I have never smelled anything inside the car. It's a particulate filter, not a exhaust filter, you will still smell some exhaust at times just like any vehicle. I have to say I smell it less than any gas vehicle I have owned especially when cold.

ImInPA

tome10: Are you being serious? Just get rid of the car. There is no fix for a Bluetec exhaust smell, unless the smell is a strong diesel smell (indicating something is not working). You will likely never be happy with the car, and, life is just to short to drive a car that does not make you smile. For someone with "smell issues" this could have easily been discovered before you purchased. Doesn't anyone test drive a car anymore?

RobertG

If the car has been only driven short distances or short drive cycles, then it sounds like it went into regen state. What that means is that its getting the exhaust hot enough to burn off the soot into ash in the DPF. you should let it finish the regen, sometimes it takes a while(20 min.). Best bet is to take the car for a nice highway run. If you shut the engine off in the middle of regen mode then it will try to do it again untill it's done.
If you see a check engine light then a visit to the dealer is needed.

Carsy

+1

dgiturbo

The best way to describe the exhaust on mine is similar to what you smell from a clothes dryer vent.
I have never had an odor after 117K miles of use. You may have something wrong. Have it checked, or find someone or dealer with another Bluetec and compare.

tome10

I'm being serious. I bought it unseen Pictures only from a Ford Dealership in Florida. They didn't know they should have been asking a few grand more for it, or didn't care cause they ripped the guy a new one on the trade in for the King Ranch. I took delivery of it on Saturday, and it was cold. Maybe the computer wasn't calibrated to the cold weather being from Florida. But, you have to believe me, the smell was pretty bad. I don't smoke, so I'm sensitive to stuff, but it was pretty bad. I test drove a 2012, and didn't smell anything. Didn't the engine injection change to Direct Injection? I don't know if that improved the DEF functionality of the system, and my car is a 'normal' 2011, or if there is something wrong. I admit, I could only smell it every once in a while on Sunday. So it was better after being driven for a day. Supposedly, Water and Nitrogen is the end product of the DEF system, and Nitrogen isn't supposed to have an Odor, so maybe there is something wrong.

Carsy

I cannot comment on the Bluetec but my 220CDI which runs on 5% bio smells as clean as LPG at the exhaust with a slight fish & chip shop scent!!. It has 2 cats & no DPF.

Tome, Are you impressed with your new drive other than the smell ?

NewUrban

I have a strong smell of fuel coming from under the hood of my 2008 E320 Bluetec but no signs of a leak. Any idea what is happening?

peggy429

I have a 2007 E320 BT...It roars when it comes in my garage--sounds like a hugh fan.
What is this?

TMAllison

Its an electric fan mounted behind the radiator. Cools your coolant and AC systems amoung others.

TMAllison

Pull the engine cover, find the fuel filter on the top of the engine and follow both sets of fuel lines connected to the filter.

RobertG

if you smell fuel then it's leaking, take it to the shop.

peggy429

Bought my E320 BT new in 2007. In 2011, at 60,000 miles, car not get above 15-20 mph when starting off from a stop. Turning it off and back on would correct the problem. Immediately took it to my dealership. I had to replace the transmission. This acr had all services on time and from the dealer.
August 2012, it had the same problem. This time we replaced the inlet port shut off motor.
Back in shop right now. manifold has carbon build up.
Tech says that it is not the CVT.

This is three very expensive failures in a year.

Any suggestions appreciated.

DubVBenz

Mine smells in the garage, especially if I'm in the middle of a DPF regen. It smells like something burned, because that's what it is. I almost picture white ashes as it burns off the diesel soot.

tome10

Well, It's been a week, and I've driven it to the store and back a few times. I can't smell anything anymore. I guess the smell went away after I filled the tank with fuel. Maybe Florida puts some kind of additive in their fuel that makes it smell different? Maybe it was doing a DPF Burn. I don't know..

I love this thing! Awesome! Distronic Rocks too! ;-)

tome10

Just to let you guys know, the odor is gone. It had to be an additive. Either the Dealership (Ford) put a fuel stabilizer to their cars on the lot, or Florida gets a Special Fuel Blend targeting water. The smell was precisely what my Nitro Powered RC car produced (Alcohol).

RobertG

When diesels with UREA go into stationary regen, that is how they smell out the pipe.

300DTurbo

if it has the urea clean diesel, you are smelling that nasty amonia smell, i would take soot and diesel stick any day over the smell of amonia. Infact the 300Dturbo has a soot stain on my garage floor from where it started over and over for the last 2 decades.

tome10

Well, it's been 2 months, and I haven't smelled anything since my first fill up. I don't think it was the regen cycle as surely it has been in regen within the last two months. I think you can tell when it is in regen when the exhaust does the heat crackle a lot. There is only one explanation.. Or maybe two.
1) Florida Diesel gets a special mixture that is a higher percentage of Alcohol due to the (High Water Table?).
2) The Dealership put a Stabilizer with High Alcohol content in the Tank due to the car expected to sit for a while.

Note1> I bought the car unseen in Florida, and had it Shipped to Arkansas. Hence the fuel in the car with the smell was from Florida/Dealership.

Note2> I have a Duramax. I don't mind the smell of Diesel, but I can't stand the smell of my 1k RC Nitro Truck which is why it sits in the closet. It's exhaust Burns my Eyes, and burns my Lungs. I swear it's toxic.

And by the way this Bluetec is absolutely awesome. I'm getting Real World Average 32mpg. And she's beautiful on the Outside as well.

lkchris

A brave face in the reality of just how toxic unfiltered diesel fumes really are.

I call the smell of my (pre-urea) diesel "laundromat."

pinebaron

100% True. I don't drive my car a lot but it's easy to decern when it goes in regen mode (since I park mine in the garage) and know it's time for a nice long run; then I can enjoy weeks of clean exhaust.