Hi!
Honda CRV 2004.
I’m living in this vehicle right now as a student at university. When I was driving through Idaho I stopped at a truck stop to sleep and the cabin filled up like a gas chamber after it was off for 30 min-1 hour alarmingly powerful to the point of panic, thinking it was carbon monoxide or something. It has no smell, but it causes a strong burning sensation in my lungs and now it just makes me cough when I run her. After it’s off for 4-5 days I stop feeling it. After the gas chamber incident it’s been intermittently mild but without a doubt there is some kind of fume leak. I’ve taken this vehicle to two professionals to check the exhaust system and they were 100% confident my exhaust system is fine, the one guy was baffled, another guy said it could either be the EVAP system which he was somewhat doubtful or that there is a rats nest in there possibly in the cabin air filter. I opened the gas cap and smelt inside the tank and no fumes like the ones I’m smelling which (apparently would happen if it’s an evap provlem). It’s been three weeks of driving it and it still produces those fumes so I doubt it’s a rats nest. Some guy at NAPA said it could an EGR valve problem, other than that I’m totally stumped and prefer not to kill any more brain cells and want to get this dealt with as soon as possible.
What do I do about this if these professionals are baffled? I can’t find anything like this happening on a Google search either.
It's probably coming from outside.
All kinds of smells are possible at those truck stops.
It’s not. It’s being produced by the vehicle.
how do you know?
Hey Joe, maybe it’s the smell of molasses. 😁
This is such a bizarr problem, the only possibility as far as I am aware is evap or exhaust but the symptoms aren’t apparent. There is no gasoline smell and two different professional said there’s no exhaust problem.
I don't know what you smell, I just tried to help.
Nope, it doesn’t
Did you already replace your cabin air filter with a good quality/OEM one?
Yep.
If you suspect it’s bacteria related, give it the Lysol or ozone treatment. Maybe check under the car to see if there’s some oil/chemical residue clinging to the exhaust or hot exhaust parts which is smouldering with the engine running.