When I turn the heat or AC I get this horrible smell. That said it is not consistent but, sometimes I smell it outside coming from the muffler. I just took it into the dealer and they found nothing wrong with it. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
thanks
Mike
A rotten egg (sulphur) smell from the exhuast is a traditional indicator of a catalytic converter problem.
Mark
The H2S smell is from the exhaust system. It is generated by the catcon being overloaded with fuel. The hvac does not generate H2S. You may be smelling mold and mildew from the hvac but that is nothing like H2S. Perhaps your nose is overly sensitive?
It's the same problem many Toyota models are having including the Camry,
4Runner and Matrix, and my 04 Corolla. The Vibe is the same car as the Matrix. So far there is no recall or real fix to this problem, which seems to be from the design of the catalytic converter. It seems to happen only in areas where gas has a high sulphur content (higher than 30 ppm).The recommended fix is to use low sulphur gas, or if that is not available, to use high octane gas. I've tried them all and still have the problem, and am probably going to sell my car. They already changed the catalytic converter and the whole exhaust system, but fumes still come in through the vents, mostly with the heater on. It's something inherent in the design and the way the exhaust goes right into the cabin. So far Toyota doesn't admit it's a problem. Sorry it's happening to the Pontiac Vibe as well.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required