05 Stinks!!

[mrstrailblazer]

I have an 05 Trailblazer, 13,000 miles. When I am driving it around town going 30 mph, it will start to stink. It comes from under the doors area, not the front or the back. I get bad gas mileage, in town about 12-13. on the hwy about 16-17. I have it to the dealership many times in the year I have owned it. They didn't know what I was talking about for the last year. Finally about 2 weeks ago one of the service men smelled it, and said that it wasn't right. but he had no idea what it was. Then today I took it back there and another person smelled it. But get this!! He says it is normal, just smells like i am driving it hard. Has anyone else had a problem like this?? I need some ideas, am in the process of filing with the Better Business Burea...

[ScarabEpic22]

Is it a rotten-egg smell? If so, I have the same problem on my 02 TB. It has stopped for the most part unless I am really pushing it for 20-30min and then just shut it down without allowing the exhaust gases to be burt up. It is actually normal, but if you are getting that bad of mileage, does your truck sound like a jet airplane when you are driving? If so, your fan clutch is bad and need replacement. Usually helps out with bad mileage a lot too. Also, check tire pressures and run a tank of Chevron Techron fuel injector cleaner.

[mrstrailblazer]

Originally Posted by ScarabEpic22

Is it a rotten-egg smell? If so, I have the same problem on my 02 TB. It has stopped for the most part unless I am really pushing it for 20-30min and then just shut it down without allowing the exhaust gases to be burt up. It is actually normal, but if you are getting that bad of mileage, does your truck sound like a jet airplane when you are driving? If so, your fan clutch is bad and need replacement. Usually helps out with bad mileage a lot too. Also, check tire pressures and run a tank of Chevron Techron fuel injector cleaner.

No it's not a rotten egg smell. I had the converter replaced like 5 months ago because I thought that was the problem. It is a smell that is hard to describe. It smells so bad that it almost makes you sick though. They replaced both of the O2 sensors too. The mechanic at the dealership says it's a normal smell of the newer trailblazers. I think they are wrong though. My hubby's 99 chevy truck does not stink like that..lol
they say it should be getting better gas mileage though. When I got my oil changed the last 2 times my hubby ran some of that stuff in it, and it didn't help. One of the men at at dealership says it's burning too much fuel for some reason. But they can't figure it out. Am so sick of it..lol Never will get another Trailblazer, after all the problems I have had with this one. And yes the air pressure is fine in the tires. We have checked everything. And the only time it sounds funny when I am driving it, is when it's in the AWD, not 4 wheel drive.

[phewop118]

You may have a lemon. Check your state's lemon laws. Also, try going to another dealer, while the car is still under warranty. If they don't help, call gm and keep complaining (yes, it's a hassle) until they help you. Trailblazers do not normally smell, especially new ones!

[Robert1010]

After you drive the TB and you get the smell back. Sniff the carpet on the rf floor (a over heated exhaust makes a bad smell). Sniff the radio (the radio will get VERY hot with the heat on).
Make sure nothing has died in the fender or air duct.
Check for any fluid stains on frt shocks, transmission, frt differential.

Cats like to pee on tires.

I get the same mileage, always have.

This problem can be found!

[mrstrailblazer]

There is nothing dead in it..lol It has smelled since we bought it a year ago. I was at the dealership again this morning for warranty work. They are still saying it is the new design of the motors, and the converters that is the problem. I am just so sick of it..lol Has anyone had a smell at all from the middle of their's? ( under the doors. not the front or rear) If so I will drop it, but if not I will keep calling GM. I have been calling them since last spring. They are sick of me though, and have closed my files on me 3 times now. Am in the process with working with the BBB. Hopefully that will get me some where.

[srbianats]

I would like to hear what you find out. Me and my wife bought a brand new 2005 TB back in July. She just started complaining about a NASTY smell yesterday. I opened the hood. There was a slight smell of coolant. Checked everything. Couldn't find anything except a tad bit of dried coolant around the raidiator cap. But, that wasn't the smell she was complaining about. She said that it smelled like something was burning. It was kind of hard to describe. She has the 2005 TB EXT 4X4. She is taking it in tomarrow.

[mrstrailblazer]

I have yet to find anything out. They keep saying it is normal, which I can't believe. Yeah it is a very nast smell,not the rotten egg smell, but something hard to describe too... They say it's cause I beat on it, which I don't do, just driving it around town going like 30 MPH it stinks.

[TuBlaz]

Maybe you hit a skunk. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Hope it works out for you.

-TuType

[tom3]

Using too much fuel, and an odor. I'm guessing the converter is getting overheated, heating up the floor and something in the carpet, or probably the padding underneath, is gassing you. I can't believe dealers are so far off the mark these days when it comes to satisfying customers. This is not a low dollar vehicle by any means. I'd think they would have a factory rep to investigate this stuff. Maybe they downsized all of them?

[rrclyoung]

I have an 05' 2wd I6 motor. Just last week after changing the oil and the air filter while it was running in the garage I noticed it had a really bad smell coming from under the middle of it. I have never smelled it before and My wife has never smelled it either. The smell was so bad it chased me out of the garage.....hope I never smell it again....mine was like a sulphur smell....almost like discharged gunpowder....I chalked it up to a hot cat conv....being it had been idling for a while. I will keep checking back to see if you found anything out

[rodeo02]

The 2005's have an air injection system that blows air into the catalytic converter under certain conditions to 'enhance' the chemical reaction in the cat (increase light-off). That's probably what you smelled. The cat lit off due to air injection & gave u a burst of stink. There is a ~1"dia hose that steals filtered air from the air intake tube, routes it under the truck to an electric blower, then to the exhaust.
G/luck
Joel

[rrclyoung]

Joel,

Thanks for the info.. I will look this up in my manual to see what it says about it.......you really do learn something every day, that's what so great about this forum.......

Chuck

[domvoyer]

Is this only on 2005 models or this can happen on 2003-04 also?

[rodeo02]

Originally Posted by domvoyer

Is this only on 2005 models or this can happen on 2003-04 also?

Only the 2004+ 4.2L's have the air injection reaction (AIR)system.

Joel