My Element is up to 160 miles, and periodically each time I drive, there are just occasional light scents of the famous "rotten egg" smell some cars encounter. Only once was it quite strong, and that was immediately after shutting off the engine. My dealer says not to worry but bring it in after 1,000 mi. if still doing it, as it most likely is not the cat. converter. Should I wait that long?

Yeah, my dealer said that the smell is normal durring the first hundred miles. Don't worry, it will go away! :)

I have only had that smell once and that was when i had the back hatch open while driving. Maybe your getting exhaust in the car somehow? :cry:

[quote:1a67e623ad="Mattaobmoc"]...was when i had the back hatch open while driving.[/quote:1a67e623ad]

Ack! Don't DO that! I'm new here, but I love y'all dearly already and I'd hate to see one of you drop dead from carbon monoxide poisoning! :shock: Seriously, given the placment of the exhaust tip, that's probably an extremely unhealthy way to go. Especially if you've got the Cabana tent on at the moment. ;)

Usually the exhaust does not smell like rotten eggs. I got a slight smell when the care was under 15 miles total milage but only about twice. Now 500 and it has never returned. One thought. Only thing I know that smells like rotten eggs is transmittion fluid when it is burnt. I don't know if it would cause the same smell on a hot muffler or not. Do you have any leaks under your car? Maybe someone was sloppy putting in the origian fluid and it is just burning off. Might want to check your transmittion fluid level just to make sure it's not coming from there. Just a thought. :D

I too have had that nasty smell a few times while driving my EX the first 150 or so miles. Didn't notice it today and hopefully it's done for. Probably some overspray from the undercoat on the exhaust or some such thing. Glad to hear it is a common experience... and not me... :?

I for one, have NEVER experienced the famous smell you all are talking about.

I was told that the smell is from a not tuned up car.

Now that you mentioned it----we had that smell, too, when the car was new. It's a 2004, never had any problems and the smell went away. Gee, I had forgotten all about that!

mine had that a few times.... i assumed it was dog fart :-|

It wasn't me! :shock:

One reason dealers say wait it there are fewer and fewer stations selling hi sulfur gas which is one cause of the rotten eggs odor. Low-sulfur-only gas will be mandatory across the usa sometime in 2006. Until that's complete, sulfur content can vary because fed govt regs allow higher amts from small refiners, "hardship" refiners, and higher amts in the West. Also refiners are allowed to "trade" sulfur amts, which amounts to averaging: a higher amt in one area in exchange for a lower amt in an other. So changing brands mite help, and not using 'off-brand' gas which could be from one of the exempt refiners.

Other reasons for the odor can be a too-rich fuel mixture created by mal-adjustments in the E's fuel system, or a defective Cat converter.

had that smell on another car and i think it ended up being the catalytic converter

Every incident that I smelled this odor with when the passenger has eaten too many deviled eggs and baked beans! :-?

Regards,

had that smell on another car and i think it ended up being the catalytic converter

That's what it smells like to me, although mine is 2003 and I just caught wiff of that smell this month maybe 4 times.
God, I was hoping it had nothing to do with the catalytic converter...:twisted:
I'll follow this post a while.
jurn

I had the smell off and on as well... but I made a discovery today. My washer fluid is somehow rotten and smells roughly like a dead skunk + rotten eggs. I have no idea what happened, but will investigate tomorrow.
:-(

I get that smell out of my '82 CJ7. I had a Borla header and Borla cat-back exhaust system installed, and asked that they install a new catalytic converter at the same time. But when I picked it up at the shop, they said they didn't install a new cat. because it didn't really need it. But this thing is 26 years old! I might again, try to have a new one installed to see if that gets rid of the smell. Luckily, I haven't had to smog it yet. I'm thinking it might not pass right now.

Ooops, I forgot to comment that I had the smell in the Element a couple of times, but only during the first tank of fuel.