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Cruze Cabin Odors, Sources, and Resolution Summary

191K views 440 replies 74 participants last post by  cfusar0  
#1 · (Edited)
Go back to COMG-The Cruze Owner's Maintenance Guide


Cabin odors in the Cruze have been the hardest to solve and longest running problems with our cars. Thanks in a large part to commutertg, (Banks Chevrolet, Concord, NH) and BigSkyMontana (City Motor Company, Great Falls, Montana), we have a series of solutions.

1) Coolant odor in the engine bay and outside the car. This odor may be pulled into the cabin through the cabin air intakes. There are a lot of possible sources for these odors ranging from leaky water pumps and hoses to a bad seal between the surge tank and surge cap to too much coolant in the system. If you have this issue, you will smell coolant odors in the engine bay and outside the car any time the engine has warmed to operating temperatures. If the engine cowl isn’t properly sealed, you may also smell coolant inside the car, regardless of heater setting.

a) PI-0762: Coolant Leak at Water Pump – (Jul 11, 2012) addresses leaks at the engine water pump and the mounting bolts. Update: http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-s...forum/25-service-issues/20897-pi0762d-coolant-leak-water-pump-aug-1-2013-a.html

b) PI-0740 addresses most other sources of coolant odors in the engine bay, but it doesn’t provide a real solution unless it gets your service department to find and replace a leak in the engine bay. Part of this PI is to put a hose on the coolant surge tank that “reroutes” coolant vapors from the top to the bottom the engine. This reroute has yet to help anyone and although it doesn’t appear to compromise the integrity of the coolant system, it’s ugly and useless.

BigSkyMontana discovered that the engine cowling that is designed to block engine odors from reaching the cabin air intakes can be very difficult to completely seal. He used a light source to help his service department identify and seal leaks in this cowl.



One part that no PI addresses in the engine bay is the coolant surge tank itself and its interface with the 20 PSI pressure cap. If the pressure cap doesn’t properly seal to the surge tank, you will get coolant odors anytime the engine heats up because the system pressure cannot be maintained and the coolant will boil at a lower temperature with the vapors leaking out through this faulty seal. Replacing the cap and/or the surge tank is the solution for this problem. In addition, dealerships apparently have no way to test this seal – they can test the cap by itself and pressure test the coolant system with the cap off, but are unable to test the integrity of the cap/tank seal integrity. You need to do a close visual and touch inspection of the surge tank’s upper lip and a visual inspection of the O-ring in the cap to determine if you have a problem at this interface. For more information on fixing this situation, see Blue Angel's http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-s...om/forum/25-service-issues/110049-fix-coolant-odors-coolant-loss-reservoir.html thread.



Finally, do NOT fill your coolant above the top of the arrow on the side of the surge tank. The top of the arrow is the “cold full” line for the engine coolant. Overfilling your coolant system is a guaranteed method for having major coolant odors in the engine bay and outside your car. Likewise and despite some members reporting the need to "under-fill" their coolant surge tanks to lower the pressure in the tank, I and the rest of the CruzeTalk Staff and Gearheads do not recommend doing this either because this will also lower the boiling point of the coolant mixture, with unknown impact on your engine's longevity.



2) "Coolant” odor inside the cabin, but not outside the car. There are two known sources for this problem.

a) The first is a leaky cabin heater core and appears to be predominately a 2011 model year problem. Replacing the cabin heater core and the floor mats and sound insulation will fix this problem. You must replace the floor mats and sound insulation to insure you don’t have left over odors after the repair is completed.

b) The second and more pervasive issue is the glycol based lubricant on the HVAC duct gearing and air redirection shutters. This issue occurs anytime you run the heater and may or may not occur through all the vent options. Because this lubricant and the DexCool engine anti-freeze are both glycol based the two odors are very, very similar, which is why many people smelling this odor think the problem is with anti-freeze fumes coming from the engine bay into the cabin. The key to identifying the HVAC box as the source is that you do NOT smell coolant odors outside the car.

PI-0935: Odor from HVAC system with Temperature Control Set on High Heat is the corrective action for HVAC sourced “coolant” odor. This is a 4.7 hour major surgery on your Cruze, so it correctly directs your dealership’s service department to PI-0740 to try do eliminate engine bay based odors and their ability to enter the cabin via the cabin air intake.

3) Other odors ranging from dirty socks to other earthy smells inside the car indicate the presence of mold and/or mildew in the HVAC system. This smell can appear anytime you run the blowers or even during forced air induction into the cabin while moving. It does NOT depend on engine temperature or cabin temperature settings. I am including this issue because it can mask and confuse the odors from the first two problems, making them that much harder to identify and resolve.

The resolution for this is to clean out the HVAC system using the GM mold/mildew kit, ensure the HVAC condensation drain is clear and draining, and turn on the HVAC after-blow to dry the system after you use it.

When correcting cabin odors, replace your cabin air filter at the same time. It will catch and hold glycol, mold, mildew, potentially causing a lingering smell that makes it appear the problem hasn't been corrected, only lessoned. Also, there will be some chemical smell after these fixes are done. This smell is distinct from any other smells and will dissipate over two weeks to a month.

Additional threads, in no particular order, about these issues (I have "unstuck" and closed these threads):
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-s.../forum/25-service-issues/7736-pi0762-coolant-leak-water-pump-jul-11-2012-a.html
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-service-issues/11407-coolant-smell-resolution.html
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-s...ues/12369-pi0935-odor-hvac-system-temperature-control-set-high-heat-engine.html
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-service-issues/11235-antifreeze-smell-thread-v-2-a.html
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-service-issues/5843-antifreeze-smell-thread.html

In addition to BigSkyMontana, commutertg and their dealerships, I’d also like to thank Blue Angel, robby and other CruzeTalk members for their efforts in both resolving these problems and in educating me on how the Cruze’s coolant system operates. I’d also like to thank my service advisor, Jeff and his boss Jeremy at Ed Bozarth Chevrolet Park Meadows, Lone Tree, Colorado for listening to the symptoms as I reported to them about the cabin smells in my ECO MT and getting them fixed without trying to second guess my observations. Having a service department that listens to the driver’s observations is critical to correctly identifying and fixing problems with any car.

All pictures are courtesy Blue Angel.
 
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#4 ·
Yesterday I talked to the tech who did the HVAC replacement for me. He told me that the new HVAC part came with new insulation for the firewall, heater core, and HVAC system. Apparently the old lubricant can rub off on multiple absorbent parts inside the dash.
 
#7 ·
I just closed all the referenced threads. This thread will remain open and heavily moderated. The same rules apply here as did in the Anti-Freeze v.2 thread.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Ive been a long time reader, and a big fan of this site, but just signed up today as I am really struggling. Where do you turn when the dealership will not acknowledge that there is an issue with your cruze? All of the items above are great, but what about when they say there is nothing wrong with your car, and refuse to acknowledge the smell? My dealership and district rep have flat out told me there is nothing wrong with my car and they will not perform any additional service on it. So far they have replaced the water pump, thermostat, the thing where they stick the hose and 3m tape on the overflow tank. They refuse to even discuss the lubricant thing because they say they cant confirm the smell, which is absolutely unbearable when the heat is on. I drive two hours a day, and it is just overbearing. I'm not trying to break any forum rules or anything, this is a genuine question as I am at a loss.

2012 Chevy Cruze Eco
20k Miles
 
#9 ·
Ive been a long time reader, and a big fan of this site, but just signed up today as I am really struggling. Where do you turn when the dealership will not acknowledge that there is an issue with your cruze? All of the items above are great, but what about when they say there is nothing wrong with your car, and refuse to acknowledge the smell? My dealership and district rep have flat out told me there is nothing wrong with my car and they will not perform any additional service on it. So far they have replaced the water pump, thermostat, the thing where they stick the hose and 3m tape on the overflow tank. They refuse to even discuss the lubricant thing because they say they cant confirm the smell, which is absolutely unbearable when the heat is on. I drive two hours a day, and it is just overbearing. I'm not trying to break any forum rules or anything, this is a genuine question as I am at a loss.

2012 Chevy Cruze Eco
20k Miles
Drive it around with the heater running full tilt until the odor is really noticeable, then have your service manager ride with you. That's what I did. One of the problems dealership service departments and techs have is they hear, see, and smell so many different things that they don't notice small abnormalities. Large abnormalities they will notice, especially if they are wheezing from the smell.
 
#12 ·
To the best of my knowledge, some of the last 2013s have the new HVAC duct box with the new lubricant, so hopefully Lordstown has completed this change.
 
#14 ·
Hey guys, just wanted to note that we haven't heard of any new coolant/antifreeze/Glycol based lubricant smell issues lately, which is a good thing, but I'm guessing it's more to do with it being summer now and the heater isn't being used which usually seemed to escalate the problem.

With that said, I was wondering if any of the current 2013 Cruze owners here who either ordered their Cruze from the factory just prior to the beginning of the 2014 Cruzes being built or just those who have a late production 2013 Cruze are having any coolant smell issues? Also are any current 2014 Diesel and/or gas Cruze owners having any coolant smell issues?

Would anyone with a late 2013 Cruze or a 2014 Cruze be willing to go on a drive and run their heat (if it gets cool at night where you live) for a while and see if anything happens?
 
#15 · (Edited)
Drive with heat on all the time in the AM and didn't have any "new" smells or feeling of discomfort. Windows are frosted up some mornings when I leave work so I end up fighting the heat vs cooler temp setting work best. Heat works well but as said before after you drive it a bit. This morning when I used it, I forgot I even turned the heat on till about 8 minutes down the road. The thing I do like with this car is you can roll the windows down and shed 85-90% if the frost/condensation.

Build date 5-13-13

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#16 ·
Coolant smelled has returned inside of cabin. Parked the Cruze in my garage for approximately two weeks while on vacation. Returned home and coolant smell still in cabin after being garaged for two weeks. My service manager gave me a bottle of dye to drop in. I will drive for a week or two with dye. Will have them check again for leaks. Checked carpet and surrounding areas around heater core. Appear to be dry. Not sure what's up this time since I've already had the HVAC box R/R'd and cowl areas sealed.
 
#19 ·
Yes, the engine compartment has had a heavier coolant smell. I have been parking in the driveway after arriving home and not pulling in the garage because of the smell. After the engine cools down I pull it in later so the smell is not so heavy. I am also still losing coolant in the reservoir, but it is slow and drops about a mark a month. If I have a leak it is possibly small and maybe evaporating at this time. Hopefully the dye will reveal something next week.
 
#20 ·
I bet that's the source of your cabin smell as well. You definitely have a leak I the engine compartment. Sitting in your garage allowed the odor to seep into the cabin from the garage as a whole.
 
#22 ·
I detected a new smell on my 13 cruze, it is some sory of chemical but being honest I dont know what kind is it, and it happened around 3-4 times now...

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Does it go away after you run the blowers? If so, go sniff one of your socks before it gets washed and compare the smells - seriously. (I don't want you sniffing my socks. :))
 
#23 ·
tavogl,

Have you been able to have your GM dealership look into the new smell? Please keep us posted on your status.

Erica Tiffany
Chevrolet Customer Care
 
#24 ·
I should probably explain my suggestion to sniffing a dirty sock. You need to try to identify and eliminate types of smells that are similar to what you are getting. This will narrow down possible causes. Dirty sock and other "earthy" smells are a sure sign of mold and/or mildew growing on the coolant coils. There is a TSB for this. This can happen to any car at any time and place. While mold & mildew can also sometimes come across as a chemical like smell they more commonly emit a dirty, earthy smell.
 
#25 ·
Had leak check performed today after dye drop. No leaks detected (have to give my service manager and department A+ for another pleasant visit and services received). I previously posted that I noticed more coolant smell in cabin after parking in garage. I suspect it is not a cabin issue, but an engine compartment issue. Been parking outside after arriving home and allowing engine to cool down before pulling into garage. No coolant smell in garage or cabin during this configuration after pulling into garage. I have an extended warranty to 85,000 miles (compliments of my service department and GM after HVAC case R/R), so I will just monitor and take action if and when something surfaces (keeping water pump in mind as a possibility, but uncertain). Voted and commented on the coolant poll thread just posted.
 
#26 ·
obermd, to answer your question you posted on the coolant poll thread, I noticed that I have some coolant residue buildup around the reservoir vent. If you remember, when I had my service department seal the cowl areas and perform the HVAC case R/R , I had them replace my tank and cap (to rid of the tape and tube job outlined in PI0740). They left the disconnected tubing attached and routed at that time (not attached to the reservoir as once configured, but attached to the engine compartment as outlined per PI0740). Today my service manager asked if I wanted the tubing removed from the engine compartment and I told him that I would have it removed next oil change. Obviously, I am losing some coolant somewhere/somehow (as indicted coolant drops approximately an indicator mark a month--unsure whether it is a leak or an evaporation issue). I am curious about the coolant smell, so today I thought I would pop off the vent piece and push the tubing back into the vent on the top of the reservoir. I am not applying any tape as it appears to be a tight fit. I will drive this configuration for a week or two and see if I notice a decrease in smell. Apparently, the verdict is that this configuration has not worked previously, but I thought I just read on the coolant poll that this configuration apparently worked for another Cruze (first posting I am aware of). But, I am curious and since the hose is still attached in the engine compartment I plugged it in and will see if anything changes these next few weeks.
 
#27 ·
We had one other member report that the tubing fixed their smell for about a week. I'm definitely losing coolant through the pressure cap and vent but I don't have any odor in the engine bay, so my loss is apparently so slow that the fumes dissipate before there are enough of them to create an odor issue. Like I said in my response to the poll I'm treating it like the fabled "jeep factory oil seep".
 
#31 · (Edited)
Success with eliminating coolant smell under hood and inside cabin!



After reattaching the tubing previously installed from PI0740 (no tape) it appears that the coolant smell is now eliminated under the hood and in the cabin. I reattached the routed tubing on 8/7/13 and so far successful results. The heavy coolant smell I was experienced under the hood and in the cabin appears to be venting through the tubing and under the vehicle as designed. For those who have followed my previous postings it appeared that PI0740 with the tubing was not successful when initially installed. To quickly recap - At that time I was focusing on the cowl seals as I discovered gaps around the cowl box that was allowing vapors to enter the cabin. When I went in for the final reseal I had my service department replace my surge tank and cap and disconnect the tubing per my request. At the time, my service department left the tubing routed (but disconnected). It appeared at that time that the coolant issue was resolved as I had a faulty O-ring on my pressure cap. The lube issue in my HVAC box continued to draw "vapors" into the cabin which smelled like coolant. I then had my HVAC case R/R'd which appeared to resolve the "coolant smell" issues once again. As the summer months moved in and the temperature started warming up I faintly begin to notice that I was encountering the coolant smell once again. It started to become much heavier and left a heavy odor in my garage after driving. Returning home after two weeks vacation it appeared that the smell had penetrated the cabin as my Cruze sat in the garage for two weeks. I had my service department perform another dye/pressure check (3rd time in 8 months) with no indication of any leaks. After arriving home, I decided to reattach my routed tubing initially installed before the HVAC case R/R was completed. Now the tubing appears to be routing the hot vapors as designed below the vehicle. I have a snug fit and have no desire to install any tape. As long as the current configuration continues to work, it will remain configured as it is now. So, why did it (tubing) appear to not work initially? My thinking is that I did not give it the opportunity to work in conjunction with the HVAC case R/R. Now since it appears that the coolant smell is eliminated the one question remains. Where is 1/4" of coolant disappearing every month? I am wondering since I've had my coolant system pressured checked 3 times these last 8 months that it needs to have time for the system to stabilize since there may be a possibility of air pockets in the system? I will continue to monitor the coolant loss and see if at some point it stabilizes.
 
#32 ·
If the tube solves your odor problem you are loosing coolant through the pressure cap.
 
#33 ·
My thoughts exactly, though it still doesn't make much sense.

The ONLY two things that make sense to me:

1-when shutting the car off, the volume of vented coolant vapors is not exceeding the volume of the tubing and the vapors just aren't making it out of the tube?

2-it's venting so bad that all the expansion takes place before getting the garage closed (but then you would think it wouldn't smell with or without the tubing... ?)

Either way, if the tubing makes a difference it's most certainly coming through the cap or the cap seal. Time to re-visit the o-ring possibility again?

Another good check if you're loosing that much coolant is to get the dealer to measure the coolant mix. If it's more concentrated than it should be then you can be very sure it lost through venting/evaporating. If it's still at the correct concentration there could be an internal leak, assuming they've guaranteed no external leaks exist.

Man, this must have you near the end of your rope...


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#34 ·
I'd get them to order in another surge tank and make sure there is absolutely no defect in the sealing surface.

Mine has a minor defect and appears to be holding and coolant level has been stable for some time. My vent cover is spotless.

I can smell coolant occasionally after shutting the car down, but the odor seems to come from the drivers side of the cylinder head and is very faint.


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#36 ·
Alright, so I get the smell in the cabin only, but not on only high heat.. it usually does not appear at high heat. The odor is present when ac is not on but the dial is all the way to the left (as cold as it goes)

Do you believe this to be the same problem? If so do I contact my dealer about solving this?

Thank you
 
#37 ·
pbf98, describe the smell. Is it "earthy" or similar to "dirty socks"? If so, you have mold and/or mildew in your HVAC system.