icshah

When you start the car, it smells like BO and then disappears, First the dealer thought I used Mobil gas, but when I told them that I dont use Mobil gas; they claim its a software problem from Lexus and theyLexus is dilligently workning on it and I should call Lexus hot line. Waitng to hear back from Lexus hot tine customer service since Friday, Have a 2012 Lexus 460 L with 10,500 miles on it, Frustrating,
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I8ABMR

Is the smell coming in from the AC vents or the exhaust???? If its the Ac vents it could be a damp and moldy AC filter ( probably pretty humid in NY right now). I had a sulfur smell ( like rotten eggs) coming from the exhaust and they told me that different gas can contain more elements that cause this. It went away with the next tank of gass, but when I complained the SA had a written script from Lexus that he was supposed to read to me because of the issue. Now if they can only figure out why my LS shakes when driving 70-80 mph

OSU

What is 2912 486?

I8ABMR

good point . didnt even notice

GregCon

What I wonder is just how you came into possession of a 2912 486. 900 years from now, the 486 will be the flagship of the Lexus fleet. The smell? That is the smell of the future.

lexusGTP

I have the same issue, but on my '04 430. I've only had it for about one month, but sometimes upon start up I get a whiff of what I've decided smells like stale cigarette smoke, but it promptly disappears. My guess is that the previous owner was a smoker and the particles are still on the various filters, which I have not yet changed. So when they do get changed I'm hoping the problem goes away.

I8ABMR

Its gotta to be the AC filter and humidity. I would replace the filter and spray a ton of cologne in the car and run the AC. I do that and every time I start my ride it smells like my cologne and not someones BO

phenomeno

iTrader: (1)

I get that smell in the mornings but I live in Vegas and humidity here is of legend. Next oil change ill have the air filters changed and see if I notice tue smell anymore. I also noted that a couple of my friends various year toyota corrollas have the same A/C smell. Hmmmmmm

JFNash

A faulty oxygen sensor can cause a bad smell similar to what you described. Though I wouldn't expect it from a 2012 lexus, I wouldn't rule it out either.

I just want to comment on the suggestion of spraying cologne on the a/c filter or in the a/c vents. Be wary that the matters will get better immediately after using the cologne but will get a TON worse after the fresh smell of the cologne is gone. It's going to be a weird mix of weird smells.

Cleaning/replacing the a/c filter will help a bit. However, the problem is that the pungent odor accumulated over time will be trapped INSIDE the ventilation system and can only be removed by letting the trapped odor out. That can be accomplished either a) by letting fresh air go through the ventilation system while the a/c is operating for some time (the windows are pulled down while driving) or b) by using an a/c refresher kit (sold by most lexus dealerships) or a combination of both.

OSU

Wait, wait, wait, please tell me what 2912 486 is?

I8ABMR

with the lack of humidity in AZ we seldom ever smell stuff from the AC. It happenes but not like if I was in the south east

305Busa

I have/had both issues. Exhaust smell is from the sulfer in the fuel used. Gives off a rotten egg smell. Usually happens when youre either wide open throttle or at high speeds. Tried some fuel with less additives and no methanol (marine fuel) and it went away. I used this fuel in my gasoline RC cars and jetski and thougth Id give it a shot. Only thing is that its more expensive and I have to get if from local marinas. Not worth it.

Next smell was the musk smell. As stated above, it came from the cabin filter. Replaced it and smell was gone. I was suggested at one point to run the AC on recycle and it'll keep most of the moisture out of the car.

SBlexus

Or u guys can try an ozonater / ozone pump that would take pretty much any foul smell out of a car.

GregCon

I occasionally encounter a person who believes cologne is an effective way to handle body odor. Can you guess how I know that is what they believe?

John_R

OMG I'm 952 yrs old today, or i'm vampire

Would the 486 be engine liters or warp speed? lol

If you keep the recirculation button on for a long period of time it causes condensation build up in the system, particularly the filter, which produces a nasty smelling mold. In my case, I simply remembered to keep the recirculation button off, and it went away in a few days. I also have run the car one night with the heat on to help dry it out and kill any molds. In any case, the problem has never returned. There is some kind of foam product that you spray into the car vents to get rid of the foul smell.

As mentioned, it may be excessive condensation, possibly caused by a clogged drain where condensation is getting trapped and festering. It could also be twigs, mud, damp leaves or even a rodent that kicked the bucket near the HVAC air intake.

If you really, really want to avoid the dealership, you could take a look under the hood near the cowl to see if any crud has collected near the air intake for the HVAC system. You could check the cabin air filter and check for any debris caught in the filter that could be causing a questionable odor. Any air that’s drawn into the car through the HVAC system will be filtered through the cabin air filter, and it may be located in a place that can collect outside debris.

305Busa mentioned Exhaust smell is from the sulfer in the fuel used. Gives off a rotten egg smell. From my experience rotten egg smell was from the catalytic converter.