Paul4906

I am getting a persistent, faint and unpleasant (sulfur-like) odor in my LS430. It started after an incident where the oil filter was not tightened properly after an oil change at the dealer and the oil got all over the underside of the car. I've had the car back to the dealer a number of times (to clean up the oil etc.) but the odor inside rhe vehicle persists. The inside of the car has also had "enhanced detailing" (carpet cleaned ). Also the cabin (A/C ?) filter has been replaced and a deodorant sprayed into the air ducts. The odor persists.

Any one else had this or a similar odor problem ? Any suggestions?

Jabberwock

Does the smell come from the ventilation system or is it specific and localized to inside the cabin? Try turning the vent system completely off when you turn the car off, then start the car with the ventilation system turned off a few hours later. On starting the car if the smell is there then its likely localized to something dirty, spoiled or moldy in the cabin. But if the smell only comes back strong when you turn the vent system back on then the smell is something rotten, dirty, or moldy in the vent system. Is it possible the oil fumes may have been sucked into the ventilation system? If so the inside of the system maybe coated in oil film and you will have that oily smell for a long time. I'd declare that unacceptable and insist that the dealer clean it out completely or replace the whole system if necessary. Its too bad for the dealer but maybe they will be more careful with tightening oil filters in the future.

SteveM

I had the EXACT same thing happen on my ES300 in the fall. The "technician" doing my oil change neglected to tighten the oil filter enough and I was getting a very strong sulphourous smell inside my cabin when I ran the car on the way home. Oil had spilled into places which got hot when running the vehicle and the smell I was getting was that spillage burning off. When I first drove it I could see blueish smoke eminating from under my hood. I was quite angry and returned to the garage and did some *****ing.

They topped off the oil, cleaned the spill as best they could and I told them they needed to be more mindful of doing simple things right.

Jabberwock is quite right in his suggestion of locating the source of a smell in a vehicle. If the smell is strong with the engine off and no air blowing then it is most likely something localized within the cabin. If it comes strongest when the engine has been running for a few minutes and vents are open and the blower motor is turned up, then it probably is coming from the engine, or pathway between engine and cabin: air system.

In your case, which sounds very similar to mine, I would, as Jabberwock correctly suggested, say that while the engine was burning the spillage the fumes came through the air system and coated the inside. So now every time you run your air system the remnants are still coming through. It's alarming and unhealthy as those fumes would always give me a headache. I agree with Jabberwock that if the problem is really persisitent they owe you a solution and you'll get one if you be firm with them. On the other hand my smell (which was horrible and long lasting) faded rather quickly (2 weeks) so feel comforted that it will end on it's own soon enough. Once air flow has removed the sediment particles there wil be no more odor.

When was your botched oil change? And has the odor gradualy lessened?

GLIDESUL

I had a rotten egg smell in my ls when i stepped down on the gas sometimes. The difference is i had a check engine light on, dealer said it was 02 sensor bank 2. So then i got a 2nd opinion same result. So i went and got it replaced and no more smell. Maybe that oil found its way in one of the sensors on your ls.Good luck those sensors are expensive to get changed unless you DIY.

Paul4906

I didn't sense a build up of the odor when the car sat a long time in the sun during my vacation. It seems to come out of the vent system but in spurts.That is it can diminish and then intensify. More inetnse with the AC on then off. This problem occured last May. Initially I expected the odor to gradually go away so I did not make a big stink with the dealer but now I see that I have a permanent problem.

SteveM

Since this happened a considerable time ago I would think the spillage burnoff would cease smelling or at least decrease in intensity by now. It seems the simple solution I had isn't going to happen or at least as quickly.

Also if you run the car and then open the hood when parked does the same smell eminate from the engine? That might help localized where it's coming from. I found spillage locations they had initially missed cleaning.

If it's been that long I think you may need to return to the dealer and tell them you've been very patient and diligent looking for solutions but in the end it was their error and they need to fix it properly, whatever that may take.