i have the same problem. i am going sometime to get it checked. i talked to this guy i know that knows alot about cars, he said it could be the O2 sensor.
In short, if it's a constant thing, try a different brand/octane of gas. The lower the sulpher content, the better. The dealer will tell you it's the cat, maybe the O2 sensor, but I doubt either are bad on such a new car. My '95 4-Runner will smell when I get on it, but only smell it with the rear window down - I think it's normal under hard acceleration.
Hello, we have a 2003 Sequoia with Borla exhaust and have experienced the same ammonia smell when we accelerate or tow a boat. It is noticed every week or two but not everytime the car is driven. The local dealer could not re-produce the problem and found nothing wrong with the HVAC [which was their original guess]. Can you please let me know the outcome of your problem? Was it correctly diagnosed? Thanks... glksmith
Go to your toyota dealer and tell them to perform the following TSB on your Sequoia. This is covered under toyota emissions warranty. If they refuse, contact the main toyota customer service.
OK, problem solved.... eventually after going back and forth to Toyota about this problem, one of the service technicions finally took an aggresive approach. He ordered me a new O2 sensor and recalibrated the fuel mixture (backed it off) and then two new catalytic converters - all under warrenty ...... problem is solved and we have not experienced the smell.
There is one caviot, we have not towed with the Sequoia since the repairs. Usually the odor came when accelerating on the freeway and/or towing a boat. I sold the boat so nothing to test with again....
I know this is an old thread, but i will post in case anyone else has this issue.
My 2008 Sequoia also has the mentioned rotten egg smell under hard acceleration. It has been there since new. It is now 2 years old and is well broken in. I took it to a dealership last year. They opened a tech case and the response was "No known fix". I took it to another dealership last week and opened another tech case for the same issue. This time toyota requested I bring it back for a specific test on the cat system and sensors. They didn't say exactly what the test was or its results. I am now waiting for word on what they will do next. I hope they can fix it. I really love the sequoia, but can not accept the smell. I'll keep posting what they do and if it works.
i had this same issue recently, when towing a trailer with a car on it through upstate NY. i thought someone had spilled ammonia somewhere nearby, never thought it could be the car. When I rolled the windows up and turned on AC I didn't smell it anymore so I just assumed it was coming from an external source. It was so bad, my eyes were literally tearing.
I have an 04 and the cat should be covered for 8 years so I should be OK. Dealer won't be able to reproduce it, but I'm now going to have it looked at, reminding them of the TSB.
I know this is an old thread, but i will post in case anyone else has this issue.
My 2008 Sequoia also has the mentioned rotten egg smell under hard acceleration. It has been there since new. It is now 2 years old and is well broken in. I took it to a dealership last year. They opened a tech case and the response was "No known fix". I took it to another dealership last week and opened another tech case for the same issue. This time toyota requested I bring it back for a specific test on the cat system and sensors. They didn't say exactly what the test was or its results. I am now waiting for word on what they will do next. I hope they can fix it. I really love the sequoia, but can not accept the smell. I'll keep posting what they do and if it works.
I have the 2008 Platinum Sequoia also and have noticed the same smell upon acceleration...I would really like to know what they find out with yours, I haven't mentioned it to my local dealer but if it is something serious I would like to know about it.
Thanks
I know this is an old thread, but i will post in case anyone else has this issue.
My 2008 Sequoia also has the mentioned rotten egg smell under hard acceleration. It has been there since new. It is now 2 years old and is well broken in. I took it to a dealership last year. They opened a tech case and the response was "No known fix". I took it to another dealership last week and opened another tech case for the same issue. This time toyota requested I bring it back for a specific test on the cat system and sensors. They didn't say exactly what the test was or its results. I am now waiting for word on what they will do next. I hope they can fix it. I really love the sequoia, but can not accept the smell. I'll keep posting what they do and if it works.
Well the dealership ran the requested test and sent the results to Toyota. Their response was that all the systems were working properly and withing the allowed specifications.
However the Service manager smelled it himself and was insistent on trying to fix the issue. Due to the fact we are getting this smell at highway speeds, he believed the exhaust gasses were getting trapped by the rear bumper (the exhaust tip is just slightly above the bottom of the bumper) and getting circulated up through the body into the cabin. He sealed holes in the frame around the rear A/C, moved the A/C drain away from the ehaust and tried lowering the exhaust tip below the bumper. All with no change. As soon as I pulled out of the dealership, I gunned it and within seconds the smell filled the cabin. Back to square 1.
This is the second tech case I have opened for this issue on this vehicle. Both times the resopnse from Toyota has been ? NO known Fix. I am now researching the Florida Lemon Law and considering getting rid of a really nice vehicle. I just cant live with the smell.
I will keep posting as the process continues. If anyone else is going through the same process, let me know what you try and if it works. I would like to keep the Sequoia if we can resolve the issue.
The 2003 (and others) had a TSB replacing the cats which I had done on mine many years back. The problem as described was a different combination of metals and how it burned it off pollutants when placed under that extreme heat under load. I also added the Toyota chrome exhaust tip which brought it out to edge of bumper as well as adding the spoiler which directs some airflow down over back window area also breaking up that vacuum dead space behind the truck. Haven't noticed any ammonia smells smells since then.
I've also driven behind the truck up hills with my wife driving (who has never been known to be "gentle" on the acceleration) and didn't notice any smells either.
This was the TSB number from above EG021-04 2004-06-14 ENGINE EXCESSIVE SULFUR DIOXIDE ODOR not sure if that's what they used for my '03. DON'T let them give you any of that "try a different gas brand/grade" lower sulfer crap either as that will NOT work.
Same sulfer smell here during hard acceleration. Only notice this when carrying 3 or 4 passengers and accelerating hard to merge with traffic on the highway. Everyone complains obviously. It's definitely coming in through the ventilation system because there's no way a smell like that would come into the cabin with all the windows and doors closed otherwise. My A/C was on circulation mode as well so it wasn't venting in fresh air.
I'm going to take it in for my next oil change soon and I'll bring this up. The bad part is my regular service adviser is no longer with this local dealership. All the other service guys are hacks. I've had 2 separate, rather serious, warranty issues in the past so I've had to deal with how dealerships work a few times. Not looking forward to this.
Sorry for the delay in posts. After several attempts by Toyota to fix the issue, I finally pursued the Lemon Law process in my state. It was a very painless process that I did by myself, no attorney. Based on the rotten egg smell alone in my Sequoia as described in this forum, the arbitrator found my vehicle to be "Defective" and Toyota was mandated to purchase it back from me. I just turned it in a few days ago and received a check for the full purchase price minus a small offset for the mileage attributed to my use. Bottom line, the rotten egg smell is a problem and Toyota does not know how to fix it.
I have two Sequoias ('01 and '05) and haven't experienced this with either. The interesting thing is, I notice that everyone reporting this problem is from a more humid climate. I doubt it has anything to do with it, but just an interesting thought...
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Discussion area for the large Sequoia SUV.
Sequoia Engine Odor
Sequoia with ammonia smell (update)
...... problem is solved and we have not experienced the smell.
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