2012 rogue intermittent odor... Diesel?

[ras_oscar]

I have 9,000 miles on my 2012 rogue SV AWD. From time to time I notice an odor that seems to appear when the heater is on and the engine is up to temperature. It smells like burning plastic or diesel exhaust. It comes and goes. I assume its the new parts and sealants getting acclimated to their life in the heat stream of an engine compartment. Any others with similar experineces? I hesitate to take a problem to a mechanic if I cannot recreate it reliably.

[otto888man]

Did you had the car sprayed with Rustproofing?

[ImStricken06]

where does diesel come into this?

[Rogue One]

where does diesel come into this?

ras-oscar-u210160.html said "It smells like burning plastic or diesel exhaust." Which begs the question, what would cause an odor that mimics diesel?

[ras_oscar]

No, I had no rust proofing done on my car, Just whatever is done standard at the factory Yes, the diesel comment was an attempt to correlate the smell to something that we all can understand, which is the nbest I can do until we get smell-o-matic forums

[Rogue One]

SNIP>>> until we get smell-o-matic forums

Oh God no! We've got members of the "Garden State" on here. Ewww!

[TrevorK]

I do smell what I think is coolant the occasional time with my Rogue. It happens most often in the mornings when I start the car and back out of the garage and stop on the driveway, which leads me to think it comes out of my exhaust and when I back up into it it enters the cabin. Sometimes I smell it while driving too.

My personal thoughts are that at 9000 miles you should have had any odours go away that are attributed to the chemicals in plastics and such.

[kerrton]

I agree, new cars are quite smelly for the first month or two, no more than a couple thousand miles or less until the factory residues burn off.

ras_oscar, I can't think of anything that would cause a diesel smell, does it smell at all like rotten eggs? If so that's the catalytic converter in the exhaust system. Other smells would be coolant, or gasoline in the case of an engine that is running rich. As for diesel-like smell, you've got me stumped.

I'd take it to the dealer and have them do a computer diagnostic for starters, this will check all of the combustion and exhaust parameters and identify if any are out of spec, indicating a problem.

[ras_oscar]

I hesitate to bring it to a mechanic if I cannot reliably recreate the effect. I understand the sulphur smell of catylitic converter, and the sweet smell of coolant, its neither of those. My first thought when I smell the odor is fire. I'm probably more sensitibe to that because I was in a car accident many years ago and the airbag spread dust over me that I initially thought was smoke. Turned out to be a chemical they put in the airbag to keep it dry. I'll keep tabs on it and see a mechanic if it gets worse. Thanks for all your help.

[TaiLuu]

Check Cabin air filter.
Check Heat core to see if anything unusual got in contact with it.
Does it happen when with the fan on or off. Is the recirculation on? Is the temp. in the Red zone or blue?
Air bag smell is a sweet smell, not necessarily bitter.
*Note that when you bring your engine speed up in gear you will get a smell. It's the Cvt. (Fireworks Smell)