T6 - Diesel smell in the cab

thebueso

Member
Hello everyone.

I Just discover this forum searching in google about the problem with my T6 and I decided to open a Post to share with all of you what happens to me and the steps I'm getting... Maybe will be interesting for someone...

My problem is that I have exhaust smells into the cab of my T6. I have a 2.0 150cv Bluemotion with 120.000km. This smell is not continuous. I realized about this problem 2 months ago and from this date it happend 4 or 5 times. The main pattern I have found it's that it happend (or I realize) when the van is stoped but with the engine turn on, after a drive for example. The smells cames from the engine bay, under the bonet, on the right side. When the problem appears it smells a lot from outside of the van, and if i have the ventilation turn on it smells into the cab...

I don't know if it will be related with a regen of the DPF, I don't know how to confirm that the DPF is regenerating...
Another curious thing is that if I stop the engine when the odor start it continious smells during some minutes... For example the last time it occurs I left the van parked and, after 10-15 min, i came back to the van and it continious smelling...
Another aspect to be mentioned, I don't know if if will be coincidence, but the last 3 times it happend there was raining just before or I just been washed the van...
There is nothing wrong with the engine, I don't feel any power leak, I don't hear any blowing on the engine, There is no fault code on the OBD2...

As I read into another posts, I checked the EGR Pipe. This is the most common problem, but unfortunately in my case the pipe and the joints was perfect, I unmounted it and there is no leak... I made a visual inspection of the exaust system, from the catalized until the end of the exaust and it seems to be perfect, without any leak.

The next step i'm going to check is check the air entrance of the engine (to confirm that there is no blocked) and try to check the gas inlet manifolds to look for some leak.

This problem disconcert me, if the smell will be continious i would think about some leak on the exaust circuit... I'm also think about the possibility that the smell will be of "burned oil" and not exaust fume... but it seems to be exaust fume...

I'll keep the post updated, any idea is welcome.

Regards!
 
Your problem appears to be related to exhaust system and it could be famous EGR pipe.
Are you getting gentle hissing noise at low rpm which disappears once you rev up your engine?
Is your EGR pipe old or new design?
Did you note its part number?
 
Your problem is definitely related to exhaust system and I am pretty sure it is famous EGR pipe.
Are you getting gentle hissing noise at low rpm which disappears once you rev up your engine?
Is your EGR pipe old or new design?
Did you note its part number?

Thank you for your response!

I was convinced that the problem was the EGR pipe until I dissasembly it and check that it was in mint condition...
The part number of the Pipe is 04L 131 521 AG V100.
I don't hear this hissing noise that everyone tells...

Looking the Values of the DPF regeneration with OBDEleven I discover that the smell appears when I stop the drive and the DPF is regenerating. If there is no DPF regeneration in process there is no smell...

My theory is that there is some kind of "dirt" (mainly oil of some leak) located on the exterior of the DPF filter and when it starts to get warm all this "dirt" burns and it smells on this way...

Another action that I make was change the intake air filter (the previous was very blocked) and the frecuency of the smells has decresed...

Another thing that don't make sense it's that, there was a day that the smell was emanating of the engine bay around 15-20 min after stop the engine, so, I suppossed that, if the cause of the smell is the exhaust gases why persists the smell 20 min after turn off the engine?
 
Are you sure it’s not the auxiliary water heater, now the temperature has dropped?
 
Are you sure it’s not the auxiliary water heater, now the temperature has dropped?
Maybe i don't undertand you welll, but I don't have any "water heater" on my T6... Or I am not aware of it.
If you refeer to the water of the internal engine refrigeration circuit I don´t appreciate any variation, and all the levels are ok..
 
Maybe i don't undertand you welll, but I don't have any "water heater" on my T6... Or I am not aware of it.
If you refeer to the water of the internal engine refrigeration circuit I don´t appreciate any variation, and all the levels are ok..
Some T6 have a diesel coolant heater in the left wing that heats up the engine on cold days.
Do you have any stickers on the edge of your door?
 
Some T6 have a diesel coolant heater in the left wing that heats up the engine on cold days.
Do you have any stickers on the edge of your door?
OK. Yes, I have an sticker on the pilot's door. Must be an especial code in this sticker? What I have to look for?
 
OK. Yes, I have an sticker on the pilot's door. Must be an especial code in this sticker? What I have to look for?
Here are my labels, I have 2 diesel heaters, one for the rear cabin and the other for the engine coolant.
If you have the Webasto label, then you don't have the heater.
IMG_1290.jpeg
 
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Here are my labels, I have 2 diesel heaters, one for the rear cabin and the other for the engine coolant.
If you have the Webasto label, then you don't have the heater.
View attachment 91344
I only have the webasto label, with the same code that you, 5Q0.010.014.D. So I suppose that I have the one that helps the engine get warm faster...
 
Hi all I have a t6 2017 5 speed with 40 thousand miles on the clock. I have been getting a bad smell in the cab. Its smells like bbq fire lighters, its not as bad when the windows are up but if I have the windows down and am in traffic its unbearable. Has anyone got any idea what it could be ?
 
Check the small egr stainless pipe on the back of the engine - they are known to crack.

VW have produced an upgraded part. Search the forum there have been previous posts with pictures.
 
It’d be interesting to know the outcome…. will you let us know when you hopefully get it sorted? :thumbsup:
 
I have found what is the cause of the smell in the cab. I think it is the egr pipe as pointed out by T6 Legend. I have added a photo. ThanksIMG_0953.JPG
 
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