strong exhaust smell NV3500

[Barb Schick]

Hello all, I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced a really strong, overwhelming odor, kind of sweet smelling, when you start your NV. I have had it into the dealer several times and they stated they could smell it then denied smelling it and said they can't find anything wrong with the vehicle. We are concerned something much more serious is going on. It only has 32K miles, 2013 model with 5.6 V8. It has also had a few issues with huge amounts of white/gray smoke has poured out after sitting a few days and a really awful smell. Car is now out of warranty so we are concerned it will continue to get worse and cause a huge issue down the road. It's running fine, no codes coming up??

[ASD Dad]

First off - Welcome to the forum!

 

Sweet smell plus white smoke = coolant issues.  Antifreeze smells quite sweet and if burned in the engine gives off white smoke.  Add all that up and it "normally" equals a leaking head gasket or other bad thing, but normally head gasket.  

 

What you can check at home easily:

 

Check your coolant.  If it foamy, foul smelling, not clear, dirty looking, low - all that is bad.

 

Pull your oil dipstick - is the level high?  Coolant/water could be leaking in.  Is it light brown/milky/foamy?  Again - all bad.

 

Pull off the oil cap - is it light brown, smelly, foamy, etc - All bad.

 

That white smoke after sitting is it accumulating in the engine oil and getting into the combustion area and burning off.  It goes away after driving and warming up due to it burning off faster than it is building up.

 

Do you notice any drips under the van or around the head gasket?  Any weeping?  Stains on the engine block?  Get a strong flashlight and check the whole gasket area, water pump area, etc.  

 

Others will probably chime in but check those easy things and report back if you can.  If it is the head gasket it needs fixed ASAP and it wont be cheap. 32,000 miles is really low for a 2013 (I have 21,000 on my 1 yr old 2015!).  I am guessing it has sat a lot and sitting isnt all that good for engines if they sit a long long time.

 

There are some ASE Master mechanics on this site along with some Nissan techs so I hope they see and reply.  I am neither but have been wrench turning on vehicles a long time for myself and friends!

Edited April 22, 2016 by ASD Dad

[radin2son]

If you were able to take it to your regular service dealership before or even around the expiration of the 3 year warranty part and have documentation, have them address this with the rep. If you get nowhere with the rep, call Nissan Commercial Consumer service and get a file going.

 

If you took it to another dealership, you still have a record of this. Nissan Commercial will then contact your regular service dealership to obtain service records. If you followed the service manual recommendations, you have a good chance to make a case for what they likely will call "a one time only" fix.

 

You may not have to, but push back hard on this particularly if the dealership screwed up. They should have at least taken it to a service bay to do what ASDad suggested.

[Barb Schick]

Thank you for the feedback, that was my biggest concern was a head gasket or something similar. They act like we are crazy and have no idea what we are talking about at the dealer. I have never smelled anything so strong on any vehicle I have owned and everyone makes a comment about how strong and awful it smells. It can't be normal but I don't think the dealer wants to admit anything could be wrong so they wrote in the paperwork they found nothing and that nothing is wrong.. I will keep pushing and check the things that ASD dad suggested, thank you! I will keep you posted and if there are any ASE mechanics that can help I would greatly appreciate it! :)

[ASD Dad]

Any update?

[NickyDaP]

I have a 2016 3500 Passenger.  Bought it new and now has 10k on it.  I have noticed from day one that the exhaust STINKS!  Not a sweet smell like coolant.  I have smelled that with other vehicles.  At the beginning I thought it would burn off since it was new.  Now almost a year later and it still stinks.  Anyone have any ideas?

[Jeremie Conley]

I have a 2016 3500 Passenger.  Bought it new and now has 10k on it.  I have noticed from day one that the exhaust STINKS!  Not a sweet smell like coolant.  I have smelled that with other vehicles.  At the beginning I thought it would burn off since it was new.  Now almost a year later and it still stinks.  Anyone have any ideas?

Same here. I think it smells like ammonia, unlike any other vehicle exhaust I have smelled. Has been that way since the day I drove it off the lot new. Now have around 9000 miles on it.