Exhaust smell in cabin - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

nixter · 9th April 2006, 03:44

Hi all, I notice an exhuast smell in the cabin now and then. Where should I start?

Thanks,

n

Brian M5 · 9th April 2006, 09:41

Roll down the windows

AndyE · 9th April 2006, 10:27

Find out if one of the exhaust manifolds is leaking.

If it's not that, see if the smell is stronger in the boot than in the cabin.

farrell · 9th April 2006, 11:33

Put the car up on a ramp with the engine running.
Look for soot deposits bleeding from a crack in the header pipes or secondary pipes.
Further back beyond the cats, look at intermediate & tailpipe section where they join the front of the mufflers.
Repairs or bodges should be obvious or any leaks that have just occured due to the ravages of use & time.

The system is always worth repairing.
Its a quality item.

Regards
Farrell

Stevie · 9th April 2006, 14:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by nixter

Hi all, I notice an exhuast smell in the cabin now and then. Where should I start?

Thanks,

n

Tailgate rubber and rearllight seals...... Oh, and the rubber grommets under the back seat, and the sealing of the plate covering the fuel pump in the boot floor.....

Alan Archer · 13th April 2006, 20:52

Had the steering box replaced on my 535i a while back,
they forgot to replace the big fat rubber sealing gromet in the drivers'
footwell area....it wasn't until one very warm day that my feet got hot from
manifold heat !

So theres another place to look at where fumes can come in.

Regards,

Alan.

nixter · 13th April 2006, 22:03

To be totally honest guys I'm just assuming it's exhaust. It doesn't quite smell like exhaust straight out of the pipe though. Smells like exhaust mixed with a little fried brake/burnt rubber kind of smell. *I think* how's that for vague?

The OBC brake warning, is that just for rotors? or pads too?

Thanks for putting up with my silly questions guys, I'm learning!

nix