I had that occasionally on my 09 v6. Seemed to be gas related. Octane/brand/ethanol

 

I have a "fix". Don't drive with the throttle wide open.

 

I have a "fix". Don't drive with the throttle wide open.

As you probably already know, driving it without a Wide Open Throttle response every now and then is totally boring! Anyone else have anything to offer on a solution to this problem?

 

What I think is happening is that your catalytic converted is being overloaded at full throttle with unburned combustibles including sulfur compounds that are not oxidizing to the extent that is expected when there is less exhaust flow at lower speeds. What you are getting with an overloaded converter is hydrogen sulfide instead of less odorous hydrogen sulfate or hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is highly odorous at even low concentrations and has a distinct rotten egg smell. I notice this after I am passed by another aggressive driver who has accelerated at a high rate when passing, the last time about six months ago when a highly aggressive driver of a Porsche passed me while weaving back and forth between lanes at a speed I would estimate at 100 mph. Why this odor is in your car instead of behind it seems odd to me. You may have an exhaust leak somewhere that is allowing fumes to enter your car.

 

What I think is happening is that your catalytic converted is being overloaded at full throttle with unburned combustibles including sulfur compounds that are not oxidizing to the extent that is expected when there is less exhaust flow at lower speeds. What you are getting with an overloaded converter is hydrogen sulfide instead of less odorous hydrogen sulfate or hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is highly odorous at even low concentrations and has a distinct rotten egg smell. I notice this after I am passed by another aggressive driver who has accelerated at a high rate when passing, the last time about six months ago when a highly aggressive driver of a Porsche passed me while weaving back and forth between lanes at a speed I would estimate at 100 mph. Why this odor is in your car instead of behind it seems odd to me. You may have an exhaust leak somewhere that is allowing fumes to enter your car.

The Exhaust Leak like symptoms are coming in through the Air Conditioning System and Ducts at Wide Open Throttle and I have not had enough time to check it out yet, as to what the Dealership Service Director told me about the type fuel I am using, then recommending that I change to a different brand. As soon as I can get a chance to change fuel brands I will test the car again and see if there is any differences inside the car through the Air Conditioning Vents again!

 

Having Sulphur Smell Inside Air Conditioning at Wide Open Throttle?

Does anybody else owning a 2012 Camry V6 SE have any problems like mine at wide open throttle with a Sulphur Smell coming in through the Air Conditioning Vents ( With Closed Recircluation Turned On ) inside the Cabin at Wide Open Throttle?

 

It's symptom common to a lot of cars, not only limited to the Camry.

The rotten egg-like smell is mostly caused by excessive unburnt fuel present in the catalytic converter.

Completely normal.

But if you want peace of mind you can always take it back to the dealer you bought it from and have them check it out if you're still under warranty.

 

It's symptom common to a lot of cars, not only limited to the Camry.

The rotten egg-like smell is mostly caused by excessive unburnt fuel present in the catalytic converter.

Completely normal.

But if you want peace of mind you can always take it back to the dealer you bought it from and have them check it out if you're still under warranty.

Excuse me, but what you are specifying to me is not normal, as I have been owning Vehicles for 50 something years and "Never" had a problem like this one before! Like I keep posting, the smell is coming in throught the ( AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM ) and no where else at ( Wide Open Throttle ) only! Now with that being said, WHO owns a 2012 Camry V6 SE having the same problem, as I am going to find out one way or another and get this roblem resolved!

 

wyd_trkr,

I agree with you, this is totally unacceptable :cursin: for a brand new vehicle. All the stink should be going out the tailpipe if the car's moving forward.

I could understand it possibly entering the cabin if you're WOT with the car standing still or going in reverse - which is not the case here.

I look forward to reading about the Toyota Factory Service rep's response to this issue. Do you have a date to meet with the rep yet?

 

wyd_trkr,

I agree with you, this is totally unacceptable :cursin: for a brand new vehicle. All the stink should be going out the tailpipe if the car's moving forward.

I could understand it possibly entering the cabin if you're WOT with the car standing still or going in reverse - which is not the case here.

I look forward to reading about the Toyota Factory Service rep's response to this issue. Do you have a date to meet with the rep yet?

I talked to the Dealerships Service Director today and he is going to be talking to a Factory Representative in Tech Support and get back to me on this, as he knows this is totally unacceptable for it being a brand new car that I have only owned for the past 2 1/2 months!

If I do not hear back by Thursday I will be forced to call Toyota's Corprate Offices again in California to see what they can do for me, without having to Seek Legal Counsel about this ongoing problem, as even my Health Problems with COPD which is Chronic Obstructive Pulminary Disease, I have enough problems breathing, without having to Inhale all these Exhaust Sulphur Fumes into the Vehicles Cabin and Poisoning my Lungs worse than they already are!

I will post back to this forum on what else I find out from Toyota, after I talk to them this week!

 

wyd_trkr,

The suggestion of changing gasoline brands has come up here several times ...... let's please kill that ...... what brand(s) have you experienced the stink with?

 

wyd_trkr,

The suggestion of changing gasoline brands has come up here several times ...... let's please kill that ...... what brand(s) have you experienced the stink with?

87 Octane that I have been usng since I bought the car have been Sam's Wholesale Fuel and I just changed to the FlyinJ Fuel Brand down here in South Florida. This Fuel comes from the same port as all the other 87 octane fuels down in South Florida.

BTW, I just traded in my 2009 Pontiac G8 GT that I had on a Octane Diet of 87 Octane from Sam's Wholesale as well and I never had a problem with running it in a 440 horsepower 6.0 Liter V8, so I will give others the benefit of the doubt by changing it like I did a couple of days ago!

However, the Sulphur problem is still there, even with running this FlyinJ 87 Octane Fuel today! I am almost convinced that the changing the fuel brand is not going to Eliminate the problem, but I will monitor it a couple more days!

 

Stinks with these: http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html ??? Some else would bring this up if I don't.

I don't think switching will eliminate the problem either.

 

An exhaust odor from the pipe is normal under full throttle. The converter is much less effective during power enrichment.

But it is NOT normal to smell it in the car. I'd look for one of two things.

Exhaust leak along entire length of exhaust system.

Leak of car body at rear of car near exhaust pipe. Missing rubber body plugs, gaps, trunk lid sealing, etc. This is my most likely guess, especially if you notice this with windows down (which tends to create vacuum in the cab).

OTOH my new cars have had exhaust smells from oils burning off the new parts. Even after a few thousand miles, especially when working hard. Could it be this?

One other thing, on some steep grades many cars go off closed loop and produce exhaust odor. Could you possibly be smelling other cars?

 

Be aware that there is always some fresh air being taken into a vehicle for ventilation, even though the HVAC system is in the recirculation mode. Fresh air is taken in just below the windshield.

My initial thought is that you have an underhood exhaust leak that is, somehow getting past the firewall, perhaps via the fresh air inlet just below the windshield. Do you get the sulfur smell at full throttle with the HVAC in the normal rather than the recirculation mode?

 

Under full throttle conditions the air conditioning compressor will often be disengaged for a short period of time, the assumption being the HP id needed for acceleration. You will notice a change in the air, I would call it a stale smell when this happens.

 

For the 2GR-FE the sulfur or rotten egg smell is normal after a full throttle acceleration, but usually only if the cats are still cold. If I have to go full throttle with my car I only get the smell after the first full throttle. Any other full throttle I do after that there is no smell, so it shouldn't be happening every time you go full throttle. (Until of course you don't drive your car for a while and let the exhaust cool down again)

My 2009 Camry SE V6, my mom's 2005 Avalon, my grandparent's 2009 Avalon, my grandparent's 2012 Camry XLE V6, our neighbors 2011 Highlander V6, and the 2010 Sienna V6 mini-van dealership courtesy car I drove all create this same smell after the first full throttle of the day. They all have the same exact 2GR-FE V6.

 

my wife just pulled her 2010 4Runner in the garage with this smell. (same engine also)

check your gas first... and maybe see if it's only caused by flooring it with a cold engine?

 

Tell the factory rep that the problem only started with the plug change. And drive another on the lot to compare. If other Camrys don't stink up, then there is a problem with yours. The only problem is dealers like to call everything "normal" if they don't want to deal with it.

 

FWIW, I did all that and then some, as I have driven other V6 Camry SE's and no problem with those cars at all in regards to my situation. Like I mentioned, I will get back to the forum as soon as I find something else out from the Factory Representative.

 

Sorry to hear about your troubles and all the hassle. Hope you get it resolved. 2012 SE V6 here as well for 5 months now and no problem at all. Driving it as if I stole it.


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If you noticed the problem after the spark plugs were swapped, just buy a cheap set, swap them and see what happens. If the problem persists, you know it was the spark plugs.

 

If you noticed the problem after the spark plugs were swapped , just buy a cheap set, swap them and see what happens. If the problem persists, you know it was the spark plugs.

AussieAg, please re-read this thread, as I have posted that the car had a Bad set of Sparkplugs in it from the Factory and the Dealership replaced them and ever since then the Sulphur Smell has been Omitting from the Engine ONLY at Wide Open Throttle in through the Air Conditioner Vents on NORMAL AC Setting with RECIRCULATION turned ON and also when it is on MAXIMUM Setting, which the Recirculation is Turned on Automatically! I am thinking that maybe something was disturbed when they installed the new set of Sparkplugs, as the car runs fine, just that Bad ulphur Smell at Wide Open Throttle!

 

wyd_trkr,

What was they story/symptoms that led up to the spark plugs being replaced?

BTW, you've been using the word "omission" instead of "emission" - they have essentially the opposite meaning.

I hope you get satisfactory resolution on this "rotten egg stinkin'" issue from Toyota.

 

wyd_trkr,

What was they story/symptoms that led up to the spark plugs being replaced?

BTW, you've been using the word "omission" instead of "emission" - they have essentially the opposite meaning.

I hope you get satisfactory resolution on this "rotten egg stinkin'" issue from Toyota.

doznI4SE, if you had been ready my entire story, you would have seen where I posted about my owning my 2012 Camry V6 SE since 12-31-2012 and on 1-25-2012 I went to start my car one morning and it started misfiring and I drove it into the Dealership and they kept the car for 1 1/2 weeks before they called me and told me the problem was ( I told them it was a Sparklug Problem originally ) and that the Factory Representative was summoned to come into the Dealership to inspect the vehicle for the problem of it misfiring and he told the Dealership Service Director that it was indeed a Sparkplug Issue and he called the Factory in Kentucky and had them Overnight a fresh set of Iridium Sparkplugs for my car, as the car being a brand new model year and still using the same V6 engine since 2007 , Toyota changed the Sparkplugs over from Platinum to Iridium Sparkplugs and when these Plugs came in the next morning!

The Dealership then installed them and that took care of the misfiring problem! HOWEVER, yet another problem surfaced after getting the car back and that is at Wide Open Throttle the engine is causing a Sulphur Smell into the Cabin, via the Air Conditioning Vents , regardless if the Air Conditioner is set in a Regular Mode with the Recirculation turned on, or if it is in the Maximum Setting, it happens at Wide Open Throttle ONLY!! I have taken the car back into the Dealership twice for ths Sulphur problem and the Service Director and Factor Representative both told me that there is nothing they can do because it is a Gasoline related problem and it is not coming out of the Exhaust Tailpipes, but through the Air Conditioning!

I further called Toyota Corporate and they also told me they could not do anything for me, can you believe that! Toyota Coporate told me to contact the NCDS > National Center for Dispute Settlements and let and Arbitrator handle it and they will do whatever NCDS tells them to do , after they investigate the problem that Toyota Will Not, or could have corrected.

Further, Toyota's Corporate response to this was they refrred a Technical Service Bulletin that dates all the way back to 2003 that they ask the customers having a Sulphur Exhaust problem to Change to a different Brand of Gasoline! Which at their request I did, going through 4 different gasoline stations and brands, but nothing changed at all.

Which means that this ONLY pertains to a problem if you are experiencing a Sulphur Rotten Egg Smell out of the Exhaust from a vehicle sitting still, NOT Going down the road 60 to 70mph under Wide Open Throttle , to have this Sulphur Smell coming in through the Air Condtioning System, while it in the Recirculation Closed Circulation Mode in Regular, or Maximum Setting! What part of this Do they Not Understand? Whenever someone tells you something like this, that simply means that they "Do Not Know" and they tell you that this is NORMAL!

I am searching out other avenues at this time in someone trying to help me resolve this unpleasant situation, as well as waiting to see what NCDS intends on doing for me, if anything!!!

 

Hello,
Read through your thread. Couple of points. Firstly, not clear on Iridium vs Platinum plug comment, nor are other people asking you about the issue. Why? Because Iridium has been the only factory plug used by Toyota for a decade. Any information regarding the use of Platinum plugs on a brand new Toyota is false or misunderstood.

Secondly the sulfur rotten egg smell. Hydrogen sulfide is present in the gas in small quantities. You normally dont smell it because the converter "converts" it into an orderless gas. Clearly something was wrong, maybe a bad plug. Bad plug means there's fuel, and nothing to burn it. So fuel went unburnt for a period of time onto the catalyst media. Fouled cat.

So here you are today. As the cat media heats up, the cat begins to stink with a buildup of Hydrogen sulfide. The faster you go, the more draft there is behind the car, the more chance of exhaust fumes entering the cabin regardless of vent setting.

Conclusion: This should subside over a period of time as the excess unburnt fuel is cleared off the cat.

or...

The "3 way" catalyst media has been damaged in a way that it can no longer perform the conversion of Hydrogen sulfide. If this can be tied to the warrantied fix of the plugs and excess fuel damaging the cat, replace the cat(s) and the smell goes away.

 

..... The faster you go, the more draft there is behind the car, the more chance of exhaust fumes entering the cabin regardless of vent setting.
......

I like your theory about a damaged catalytic converter. How would one confirm this? An emission test?

Discounting that there's a leak in the exhaust system, I cannot visualize how a car going fast with the exhaust coming out of the tail pipe is going to have any exhaust fumes entering into the cabin.

If there's an exhaust leak somewhere between the engine and the tail pipe, I can understand fumes getting into the cabin.

 

I have driven 7 different vehicles with the 2GR-FE V6 engine, and all of them have the smell under WOT with the air conditioner off, on, recirculate, or outside air. It didn't matter what the A/C was set to, the smell still came in.

Vehicles
My 2009 Camry SE V6
My mom's 2005 Avalon Limited
My grandparent's 2012 Camry XLE V6
My grandparent's 2009 Avalon Limited
2010 Venza dealership courtesy vehicle when my car was getting the floormat and gas pedal shaving recall done
2010 Sienna V6 dealership courtesy vehicle when my car was getting the weather stripping around the front windshield replaced
Neighbor's 2011 Highlander V6

All 7 vehicles produce the same smell under WOT, so I say that it is normal. My car made the smell today on my way home from my afternoon lecture when I was merging onto the highway. My A/C was set to Max A/C with recirculate on. The smell came through my air vents. Just because the A/C is set to recirculate does not mean that NO outside air gets in the cabin, it just means that front air vents that would normall catch incoming air from you driving down the road are closed. The cabin does not become air tight, as you would suffocate if that happened.

If I recall correctly there is either one or two catalytic converters underneath about where the dashboard is, connected between the headers and the exhaust pipes. If that is the case this is probably where the smell is getting into the A/C unit as it is directly underneath the compressor and intake vent.

 

Good data, thanks. How compacted is this? Looking for a seasonal gas mix trend..Or is this over weeks/months/years?

 

My 02 I4 Camry has not been opened, no problems AT ALL. Nothing but neurotic fluid changes - all of them - for a tough city 205k. I challenge any car to do that. Is it rusty? have rattles? yeah. But when I need to go to NYC and leave her (360 miles in an afternoon) She's ready. I love my Camry and she loves me.

 

What does that mean? "oh sure, we sold you on 10k, but if something goes wrong we have no liability after 5k"..

 

leakyseals: Thanks for the pdate on the Interval of the 1st Oil Change etc. I will be talking to my Service Driector about this tomorrow! Also, I have an appointent to visit yet another Dealership tomorrow to Diagnose this Sulphur Smell prblem with different Technician.

I will post what they find. Also, still awaiting my response from the NCDS in the next week or so. Will post response back from them on what they suggest I do about the ongoing problem.

 

If you have the time, let your car sit at the dealership for an hour or so to cool off. I notice the smell is stronger if the engine/exhaust is colder. Hopefully the dealership you are going to has as nice of a waiting area as the dealership I visit. (Free food, coffee/espresso/hot chocolate machine, soda fountain machine, big comfy leather recliners, fast free wifi, ect...) I could easily live at the local Toyota dealership.

 

Yes, you are correct on the smell getting worse by letting the car sit for a couple of hours then go test drive it, as I went to the Mall today and let ths car sit there for 2 hours and then when I left, I had to get around a car in front of me and Whalla, the Sulhpur Smell was worse than the car sitting all night , then taking it out and testing it.

BTW, I also talked to both my Dealership Service Director this afternoon and also the other Toyota Dealership Service Director in which I am taking my car to tomorrow for a Diagnostic Check on what is causing my Sulphur problem, however they both told me that these New 2012 Toyota Camry V6 SE's all have Synthetic Oil in them and the Factory Specified Oil Change Interval is now 10,000 miles from the In Service Date of the vehicle and each consecutive Oil Change there after in 10,000 mile Intervals!

I said to both of them, WHY is it not in the Owners Maintenance Booklet, as on page 34 it explicitly specifies the First 5,000 miles or 6 months, which ever comes first! If the vehicle reaches 5,000 miles within the 6 month period, then change it, if not, then change it every 6 months regardless! This information is not in the Owners Manual, ONLY in the Owners Maintenance Book. So, I will just wait for the 10,000 miles to roll around, then take it back in for my Free Oil Change!! Go Figure, I own a vehicle that you can throw the Owners Maintenance Book out the window because it has misinformation in it contrare about my Brand New 2012 Camry V6 SE!! :disappoin

 

Both could be giving correct information. The dealership is saying 10,000 because they put in Synthetic, while the owner's manual is baising your oil change intervals off of dino oil.

However, I would do it at 5,000 miles regardless. The owner's manual is written by the people that actually made the car and I will trust their word over a dealership's any day.

My oil changes have been free so it doesn't really bother me. (Although my next one may not be, I've had my car for over 3 years now)

 

Both could be giving correct information. The dealership is saying 10,000 because they put in Synthetic, while the owner's manual is baising your oil change intervals off of dino oil.

However, I would do it at 5,000 miles regardless. The owner's manual is written by the people that actually made the car and I will trust their word over a dealership's any day.

My oil changes have been free so it doesn't really bother me. (Although my next one may not be, I've had my car for over 3 years now)

Chris311, if I do an Oil Change before the 10,000 mile interval, it will probably be at my expense, even though I have Free Oil Changes for the next 2 years! I will check on it again tomorrow

 

How did this second dealership come into the picture? Did Toyota suggest this are are you doing it on your own?

Either way, I don't buy that it's normal for a jogger to cut one and smell it while they are running forward.

 

How did this second dealership come into the picture? Did Toyota suggest this are are you doing it on your own?

Either way, I don't buy that it's normal for a jogger to cut one and smell it while they are running forward.

doznI4SE, for peace of mind, I contacted the second Dealership last week on my own to see if maybe they knew something about this situation and have them help me. I have an appointment tomorrow morning again with them, as they have a Factory Diagnostic Technician coming in to run some test on my car, for my wanting this second opinion Dealership handle for me!

I am still waiting to hear something on the NCDS Arbitration company in Michigan sometime next week, but I wanted to see what I could find out on my own, just in case I was to recieve the worst decision on this case I have filed with them. Toyota Corporate is now working with the second Dealership, as to why they are sending in this Technician to assist me in helping find the problem. We shall see what, if anything they can find tomorrow!

 

When I talked to the engineers 2 years or so ago at Toyota village, they did tell me that because of the synth oil they use now in the most of the Toyota's, they can offer those free oil changes. 5k mi for the first 3 mo then can do it at 10k mi after the "break in".

My 09 HL has 87k mi at this point and I to it between 5k & 10k mi. ^_^


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When I talked to the engineers 2 years or so ago at Toyota village, they did tell me that because of the synth oil they use now in the most of the Toyota's, they can offer those free oil changes. 5k mi for the first 3 mo then can do it at 10k mi after the "break in".

My 09 HL has 87k mi at this point and I to it between 5k & 10k mi. ^_^

I agree with this. Anyone thats performed a UOA on a new engine knows there is a substantial amount of metals in the oil as the car breaks in initially. You want those metals out and away from moving parts. Why I think a 5k OC no more at least for the first one. I can't believe they are saying go 10k during the break in period.