I just notices a coolant odor, recently, when I've gotten out of my car in the garage. No signs of any leak, either.

 

Overheating the new brakes can put up a funny smell. How many miles do you have on your cars. What engine?

 

I'm at 13000 and smell coolant every time I come home from driving. I too park in my garage.

 

Me too. I’m at 5200 miles. 2018 XSE


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I don't get a coolant smell. I'm at 21,600 miles and I park in the garage every night. May want to take it into the dealer. Could possible be a small leak from the heater core into the heater housing unit.

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Around 6,000 miles here and there was a smell in the beginning but it was gone after a few hundred miles. Park in a garage overnight as well.


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Is the coolant level low in the coolant recovery tank? Again, what engine have you guys in your cars? Is this happening with both of the engines?

 

V6 and I am pretty sure the smells mine made are typical of new cars as they off gas for a few hundred miles.


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With a cold engine after a night in the garage mark the level of the coolant in the recovery tank with a piece of blue painters tape. Now you have a way to see if you are gradually losing coolant. Just recheck every week and you will see the level drop if you are losing coolant some where. A flashlight shining on the side of the recovery tank will highlight the pink coolant.

 

XLE with just over 10k miles. Smell it quite often.

 

XSE with just under 10K and still smell it frequently.

 

XSE V6. 6K miles. I ALWAYS get the coolant smell after driving for any significant length of time. I reported it during the first service. They said no leaks. Level does not seem to have dropped at all so if there is a leak, it's a small one.

The fact is that the coolant in the overflow tank is not under pressure and is vented to the atmosphere so maybe that's the source of the smell. Although most all other cars are set up the same way and I don't recall ever having this issue with the 30 or so other cars I've owned.

Even my wife smells it and she denies hearing, feeling, smelling, seeing, tasting any vehicle problems I ever complain of.

 

Coolant Smell

I have had the smell since day 1. The car is a 18 LE. Currently has 5600 miles.
I thought it was me. Ever since I bought a new 86 Chevy pickup. I have been sensitive to the smell. That truck had coolant leaks till I got rid of it 7 years latter. They replaced the motor and it still leaked. I can walk in a parking lot and tell if a car is leaking coolant.
I smell it at the drivers door when, I shut off the car and get out. Open the hood no smell and no visible leak. After a few minutes the smell is gone. No drips on the driveway. After I have had a few lemon american trucks, if I have any leak ,even a drop im checking what it is.
I have had occasional smells with the 2 other Camry, Tacoma and Highlander.
I returned it to the dealer at 5000 for Oil, filter and Tire rotation and told them about the odor. They couldn't find anything but documented my complaint. They said they had a Master Tech look at it and he thinks its the recovery bottle relieving pressure. Im wondering if the shape of the hood on the 18, funnels the smell to the door area. I feel a lot better knowing im not the only one.

 

I have a ‘17 XSE V6 and smelled an overheating/coolant smell when parked in the garage since very soon after bringing it home and still to this day just under 10k miles. Definitely not the “break in” smells associated with the exhaust system typical of new cars. I reported it to the dealer at my first service and of course they said they found no leaks or issues.

 

I have a 2019 Avalon. Same engine and I too get the smell when I shutdown and exit vehicle. Anyone find out what it is?

 

I just hit 11,000 miles on mine and all of a sudden I started smelling antifreeze when I get out of the car in the garage. It’s always parked in the garage and haven’t smelled it before. Have any of you found a definite cause yet? Did it stop after so many miles?

 

2018 XSE 4cyl 7000. Miles had the smell since day 1 thought it was maybe some got on engine and would burn away took it to the dealer told master tech and same no leaks all fluids are the good no leaks , glad to know it’s not only me

 

Take it to a shop ask for a Block Check, if there nice, they might even do it for free. It checks for combustion gases entering the cooling system which likely means head gasket failure or a cracked/warped block/cylinder head. Make sure they don't do it idle and make sure the engine is scolding hot.

Could also be a porous casting allowing coolant to travel through the aluminum block or head; heat from the engine compartment will accentuate the smell and if it hits the exhaust manifold then even more so.

Check your coolant recovery tank and see how much coolant you lose. With a stone cold engine, mark the level, then the next morning or whenever, check to see if it has dropped, AFTER you drove it for awhile the day/night before. Do it cold only, easier to control heat expansion variables. If you are losing coolant without external leaks, the engine is burning it.

Another check for coolant loss is to pull your engine dipstick, check for a milky looking color or is reading way too high, unless the oil is just oil filled. Or engine running, remove the oil fill cap and look inside for milky oil.

And just to be sure, ARE YOU SURE you are smelling coolant? Smells sweet right? Also make sure no one spilled fruit punch all over the engine...

 

Same issue - 2019 Camry XSE - Noticed the very distinct coolant odor in my 1st 1500 miles. Mentioned to dealer on first 5k service (rotation). Tech noticed the smell too.

Still present at 7500 miles and its terribly sad that a $700 beater I bought this weekend and drove 600 + miles (2003 Chevy Impala) does't smell a hint of coolant - even after flushing the radiator by disconnecting the lower hose and letting the coolant make a mess of the entire lower engine compartment.

Spoke to my sales person today, and this apparently is a common issue. The Master Tech he spoke to in Wilmington points to some changes made to the emissions as the potential culprit. I'm going to drive to 9500 and bring it in and he'll look at it again.

Funny/not-so-funny. Boris Z asking if its fruit punch spilled...#facepalm. Yea, little Tommy was bored playing Fortnite and on his iPad and decided to open dads hoods and empty his juice box on the engine block..Get real buddy.

 

Same here on my 4 cyl XSE. I couldnt locate the leak.

 

Have had this problem on more than one Toyota car. My current 2015 Avalon has smelled of anti-freeze since new. While under warranty they said can't do anything unless the coolant level goes down. It never did. Now at 27,000 miles, it shows but warranty is over. They are now willing to test for 135.00 Hope you can get luckier.

 

Wonder if the Engine Block Incorrectly Manufactured recall is in any way related to this "mystery"?

 

I took my car in for this exact thing and they could not find a leak. Now I am getting a sour smell in my car. I'm going to show them your post and take the car back in.

 

The only time I have noticed it is in the drive-threw at the bank. I haven't noticed it anywhere else.

 

Yes sir! Congratulations, you too own a Toyota. Toyota said this is a known condition and would not buy mine back. There is no known fix at this point, but it seems to be some type of venting issue. Perhaps the cap pressure is wrong for the radiator, who knows. I smell it coming from around the driver side front of the vehicle. My question is, why? Why am I not losing coolant if I'm smelling it? Is this vapor safe? Good luck. This is the best place to vent, once we have enough complaining, maybe they will figure it out. The local dealer did nothing except hold it for a few hours. Its notated on the work order and still under warranty, which doesn't help. Mine is a 2020 Camry LE

 

I even opened the hood and I couldnt find it. Not sure where it is coming from.

 

I have a 2019 SE and the smell seemed to go away after 7-8k miles. I never smelled it inside the car, only when walking around the front or with the hood up.