How Does Your Gs Smell?

[daepp]

I know this is a weird one, but does your GS smell bad? I have an 08 GS350 and neither I nor my children like the interior smell. I am not referring to so called new car smell - this has come later I think. I've had the car for 4 months, and I think it started after about a month or two. Any one else experience this?

[The G Man]

No funny smell here.

[Duckman]

Nothing out of the ordinary on my 06.....only when my kids leave their sweaty/dirty soccer shoes in the back. How many times does a person have to tell their kids to take their shoes out of the car when we get home???

--Duckman

[01 Ultra]

You could possibly check your cabin air filter. I know there are some recent posts regarding replacement & how much of a difference that it makes!

[GDixon]

Try this post:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...495&hl=odor

Search the entire forum for "odor" or "smell" and see what comes up. There are multiple solutions suggested.

[Duckman]

That's extremely interesting!! When I purchased my 2005 RX300, the saleswoman, when reviewing all of the features of the car, told me to leave the AC on all of the time...even in the winter. I did...so I never had any issues. Maybe she knew something about it.

I guess one question becomes...do you turn your AC off? I had my GS's AC turned off for the entire winter, but have not noticed a funny smell this year (other than my wise crack stated above).

--Duckman

[SW03ES]

Is this your first Lexus?

Lexus vehicles have a distinctive smell inside (all cars do), when I get in a Lexus especially after not having been in one for a while I can tell "its a Lexus". Its not a bad smell at all, and I don't know if its the smell you're talking about, but just a thought.

[steviej]

is it an offensive smell, like a dead animal? Although not in Lexi, the following have happened.

1. I have a friend who hit a squirrel and it got lodged up in her strut/spring and started to rot.

2. My aunt had the smell of burning popcorn whenever she put on the heater: turned out a mouse had gotten in the duct work and made a nest. This started to cook when the heat was on.

Check down in between the cushions, did any food item get lodged down in there? Anything is possible with kids (and drunk adults but I will save that story for another time).

steviej

[Member123]

I own an 07 GS350. I also noticed an offensive odor (mildew) several weeks ago. Basically, it was from not running the AC. Running the AC dries our condensation that accumulates in the system. If you never run air (like me because I live in Pacific Northwest) that condensation will eventally mildew and give off that mildew smell. This is even more a problem here in the Pacific Northwest because we have so much moisture in the air. I learned this from my local dealer. They replaced a filter and I now run the air a few minutes every week. Since then, no problem.... I don't suggest running AC 24/7 because it will make your engine work harder and lower gas mileage.

[BigAnthony]

I own an 07 GS350. I also noticed an offensive odor (mildew) several weeks ago. Basically, it was from not running the AC. Running the AC dries our condensation that accumulates in the system. If you never run air (like me because I live in Pacific Northwest) that condensation will eventally mildew and give off that mildew smell. This is even more a problem here in the Pacific Northwest because we have so much moisture in the air. I learned this from my local dealer. They replaced a filter and I now run the air a few minutes every week. Since then, no problem.... I don't suggest running AC 24/7 because it will make your engine work harder and lower gas mileage.

Me too. I usually keep the temp set at 72 on auto and that keeps the air on. When I shut it down to for one reason or another, from time to time there is some sort of funky smell like that of unwashed feet. I push the auto button and within a minute the funk is gone.

[HP in Albany]

That's extremely interesting!! When I purchased my 2005 RX300, the saleswoman, when reviewing all of the features of the car, told me to leave the AC on all of the time...even in the winter. I did...so I never had any issues. Maybe she knew something about it.

I guess one question becomes...do you turn your AC off? I had my GS's AC turned off for the entire winter, but have not noticed a funny smell this year (other than my wise crack stated above).

--Duckman

Sounds familair. My 2007 ES350 has a bad smell probelm for almost a year. I went to the dealer three times and the problem is still there. I have replaced the airfilter and asked them to clean the air intack with heavy duty deodoring liquids and also folllow the dealer's suggestion to turn on A/C and auto at the sametime. I also went to other local garage to clean it twice. The mechanics at the local garage told me that it is the heater core problem. Don't know what to do next.

[Bly]

That's extremely interesting!! When I purchased my 2005 RX300, the saleswoman, when reviewing all of the features of the car, told me to leave the AC on all of the time...even in the winter. I did...so I never had any issues. Maybe she knew something about it.

I guess one question becomes...do you turn your AC off? I had my GS's AC turned off for the entire winter, but have not noticed a funny smell this year (other than my wise crack stated above).

--Duckman

Sounds familair. My 2007 ES350 has a bad smell probelm for almost a year. I went to the dealer three times and the problem is still there. I have replaced the airfilter and asked them to clean the air intack with heavy duty deodoring liquids and also folllow the dealer's suggestion to turn on A/C and auto at the sametime. I also went to other local garage to clean it twice. The mechanics at the local garage told me that it is the heater core problem. Don't know what to do next.

If it smells like a dead animal it may be a leak in the AC system. I had that on a 2002 GS 300. The evaporator is behind the dash board and it smelled awful. Cost me a lot of money to fix it. They had to remove the dashboard back to the firewall but they replaced the part and it was good after a while. Still stank for a little while but then went away.

[adamjmank]

I know this is a weird one, but does your GS smell bad? I have an 08 GS350 and neither I nor my children like the interior smell. I am not referring to so called new car smell - this has come later I think. I've had the car for 4 months, and I think it started after about a month or two. Any one else experience this?

I had a something like a burned cigar smell ( really strong) often.

I took it to the dealer and could not replicate.

Finally I realised it happens only when I wash the car . I wash my car every week almost.

It also happened on a very wet and rainy day once.

It lasts only for about a few minutes ( 3- 5 min) when I start it after I wash it.

finally this week I got the AC treatment done and the micon in cabin air filter replaced. the dealer charged $ 170 including labor .

So far I haven't washed my car after the service. seems ok

[Lexus GS430 Guzzler]

I know this is a weird one, but does your GS smell bad? I have an 08 GS350 and neither I nor my children like the interior smell. I am not referring to so called new car smell - this has come later I think. I've had the car for 4 months, and I think it started after about a month or two. Any one else experience this?

You need to be specific.

I don't have kids, so I don't have little people with greasy hands wiping them on the seats. You might wanna see if a food or other compound was dropped somewhere. Between the seats maybe? Trunk scents also affect cabin smell.

Maguire's Odor Eliminator will get rid of organic smells. Using Lexol Leather Cleaner and Conditioner will clear the leather of non-normal oils and give you the old time leather smell.