[BillG]

Hi Folks,

I'm new to the forum. Wonder if anyone could help with this strange occurrence. I've had my first Yeti Elegance 110TDi Cr 2x2 since last July (reg Nov 2012) and been delighted with it. However mid January my wife was driving it into the city to pick me up when a tremendous smell took over the cabin (almost like over cooked cabbage) Still foul when I got in and for days thereafter. Has reduced over the past weeks but still a faint "reek" requiring use of an air freshner. First reaction was decaying vegetable matter either in or under the car. None found. Any thoughts on source. Reading Forum posts, could it be refrig gas? Air con seems to be working tho!

 

[johntech]

Check for damp carpets although I think rare in a Yeti they can really stink!

 

[kenob]

Could be mould in the windscreen washer bottle. I had this problem once ( not a Yeti ).You will need to totally flush out all the old water from the system.
I think you can get additives to put in the water to prevent it.

Ken

 

[mf1981]

Its not theDPF regeneration thats behind the odd smell?

Could be an oldcabin filter thats never been replaced?

"Some signs that you need a new cabin air filter are reduced air flow through your HVAC system, such as when you crank up the fan too high and you get more noise than results. Another is persistent bad odors. Even if you don't have these warnings, you should have the filter checked at least once a year, and you may be able to do that yourself."

Edited by: mf1981

 

[The Hood]

Next time it happens if the tick over has risen to around 900-1000 rpm, it is the DPF regenerating.

 

[BillG]

Folks,Many thanks for the v prompt replies. What a Forum!

My gut feeling is that because it was such an immediate effect then that possibly rules out the wash water and damp carpets. No sign of a leak anywhere and the car is just 14 months old. It had to be an external cause (something on or in the car) or a car process? I have noticed the rpm - which I noted at around 800-850 - has gone up on occasion to around 950-1000 so will look for this again. How often does the regeneration occur? Can the smell be controlled? The "fresh cotton" freshener has been exposed a bit more as "her indoors" was commenting!

B

 

[w1zzer]

I had cow manure splash up on the underside of the exhaust on another car once giving that type of smell. It took weeks to burn off.

 

[Wile e coyote]

Check your air con has not lost the gas
Also the might be worth giving this ago
http://reviews.halfords.com/4028/786335/reviews.htm

 

[alancooper]

I hope that this is not the reason for your smell but I once had a brand new car delivered to my house (company car, back in those halcyon days!). I drove it around locally for a day or two with no problems and one day I was driving from Banbury to Canterbury - Friday night, M25 at 5.00 pm just what you need. On the way there was a strange smell every so often, I can only describe it as similar to driving past a sewage treatment works, suddenly, whilst in the fast lane, lost all electrics, power etc and took a very speedy left to the hard shoulder. Looked under the bonnet and the top had blown off the battery and sprayed hot acid everywhere. I think that just about every bulb had blown and needless to say the car was undrivable. The problem was a faulty alternator, maximum charge continuously which cooked the battery and as soon as the acid had gone put full alternator volts onto all the electrics - AA relay home, garage next day and repaired under warranty but they didn't see why they should steam clean the engine - needless to say they did clean it.

The car was a Mondeo by the way and the smell - like rotten eggs was from hot sulphuric acid. Thinking back afterwards the lights did seem very bright before this happened!!

 

[plbxr]

It might pay to have a look underneath at the exhaust system to see if you have anything stuck too it. I once had a plastic bag catch on some exhaust bolts as I ran over it and it ended up wrapped around the exhaust pipe. It "cooked" off for weeks.

 

[Llanigraham]

I have noticed the rpm - which I noted at around 800-850 - has gone up on occasion to around 950-1000 so will look for this again. How often does the regeneration occur? Can the smell be controlled? The "fresh cotton" freshener has been exposed a bit more as "her indoors" was commenting!

B

If you have noted the revs up around the 1k mark then that is the DPF regenerating. you may also note that if you teun the engine off the fans will continue working for a while.
Regeneration occurs as and when the filter needs "unblocking" and it does this by increasing the temp of the exhaust gases by increasing the fuelling.
No the smell cannot be controlled.

 

[The Hood]

The frequency of regeneration would depend on the way you drive, thejourneys you make, and possibly the fuel you use. If you were driving at a constant speed along the motorway you would probably not even notice it. I have noticed that mine regenerates at the same place quite frequently, I stop at a set of lights after a run of about ten miles along the M4, and lo and behold there is that familiar smell and the revs at around 900-1000 rpm. I have also learnt to tell when the DPF is regenerating by the engine note whilst driving along.

 

[CSC]

Llanigraham and Hood you may have answered a query I have recently had. On two occasions in the last week when I have arrived home and switched the engine off on my Adventure the cooling fan has been running and there was like a burning smell. The first time I had been on longish run and then stopped talking to a neighbour with the engine running and thought that may have been the cause. The second time I had been on a short stop, start run. On both occasions the fan was running for a good 5 mins after stopping the engine so I re started the engine and switched it off and the fan stopped. I did notice on the second occasion that the temp guage was reading 88 so I thought the fan should not be running and that it may be faulty. I was going to call at the dealer and ask them to check it out but now I will check what the revs are and see how long it takes for the fan to shut down if it happens again.

Stewart

 

[grin factor]

It might pay to have a look underneath at the exhaust system to see if you have anything stuck too it. I once had a plastic bag catch on some exhaust bolts as I ran over it and it ended up wrapped around the exhaust pipe. It "cooked" off for weeks.

Thats a good point, it could as someone else said about be "muck" thrown up on the exhaust. Worth a look.

 

[yet I]

Hope its not the clutch.For a moment when the clutch slips especially on a gradiant the clutch emits this smell. Thetop layer of the clutch plates are coated with an additive which give out this kind of smell.
You can see the wearout in the picture below.

 

[Alshut]

Carefully check the carpets for damp. If your Yeti has a sunroof it could be the start of a leak problem which could turn out very expensive to repair. The underlay is very thick and the water will take a long time to appear. That's just what's happening with mine right now and as the warranty has expired I'm still arguing with Skoda about the £1300 bill.

 

[andyspan]

Carefully check the carpets for damp. If your Yeti has a sunroof it could be the start of a leak problem which could turn out very expensive to repair. The underlay is very thick and the water will take a long time to appear. That's just what's happening with mine right now and as the warranty has expired I'm still arguing with Skoda about the £1300 bill.

Blimey, note to self; Don't get one with a sunroof!

What have they said needs to be done to warrant that amount?

 

[Alshut]

From my original post:
I too have owned a 2009 Skoda Yeti with a panoramic sunroof which I bought new in December 2009. After going to Scotland for the New Year and a night of torrential rain I opened the door in the morning to find that the rubber floor mats in the front and rear drivers side foot wells were about 1 inch under water. I tried to start the car but the battery was almost flat and wouldn't start the engine which was weird as this had never happened before. I managed to jump start the car and soaked up all the water but then noticed that the bluetooth for the phone no longer worked.I took the car to the supplying dealer to find the fault who told me that they had had a few Yetis in due to water leaks with the fault found to be due to leaking sunroofs and Skoda had now done a modification as the roof drains were not large enough to cope with the British weather! The modification also means re-routing the new drain tubes to a different outlet and not the existing ones near the front door hingesAfter a couple of days the dealer reported back that the bluetooth unit which is located under the drivers seat has been destroyed due to being under water and needed to be replaced and all the underlay has also got to be replaced as it was rotten due to the fact that it had been soaking for some time but not been spotted due to being so thick and under the carpet and rubber mats. As a "goodwill gesture" Skoda have offered to pay 20% towards the bill which the dealer has estimated I will have to pay £1300 due to being a huge job. After going to the dealer I find that my car has been gutted inside with no seats in and all the carpets and underlay taken out with the entire floor exposed down to the painted metal and they also say that the roof lining has also got to be removed so that the modified tubes can be fitted.I understand that my dealer, Claybank Skoda, who has been fantastic to deal with ever since I bought the car, has now got a lot of work to do but the 20% goodwill gesture is pathetic due to the fact that this fault should never have happened and is due to a design flaw which was rectified in later models.I have now told the dealer that I am extremely unhappy with the 20% gesture and am now waiting for a reply from Skoda.The Yeti has been a brilliant car so far with a good four wheel drive system which I need and up until this I would gladly replace it with a new one.I have test driven a Kia Sportage with all the bells and whistles (and plastic) but I much prefer my Yeti.But that 7 year warranty is beginning to look very appealing.

 

[Alshut]

Well I finally got my Yeti back. New carpets and underlay, new drain tubes which were also re-routed according to the modification spec.I managed to get Skoda UK to put 40% towards the bill as a goodwill gesture but then the bill to me was £1019. Ouch.
Whilst the car has been away I have been doing some research into possible trade in to get a different vehicle instead of the Yeti. I have to travel 225 miles each way to our static caravan in Scotland so I need good fuel economy and comfort. When I get there it has to get my 17ft fishing boat into and out of the sea on its trailer so it needs 4 wheel drive. It also has to pull an Ifor Williams single horse trailer rated at 1600kg. It also has to carry lots of sea fishing gear and horse tack.
After checking around for a vehicle to tick all these boxes I found that there is only the Yeti that will do it.
All the toy cars like the qashqai do not have the towing capacity and Range Rovers and Discoveries are poor on fuel economy and stupidly expensive.
So I'll stick with the Yeti for a while - or at least until May when the new Jeep Cherokee comes out.
That looks like it could be a Yeti beater and it looks the part too.