# Bad Smell coming from vents only when car is stoped and heater is on?HELP PLZ



## Enriquee9 (Oct 10, 2019)

Hello everyone! First time posting here. I have a 2013 Chevy Cruz 1.4 that has been giving me some trouble for some time now. The problem is when you turn on the heater on cold days, I get this horrible smell from the vents! When you start driving the smell goes away. As soon as you get to a red light it comes back! I have changed the cabin air filter and CarMax has tested the heater core. Everything’s perfectly fine. No one can figure where this smell is coming from. I think it may be a coolant leak near the catalytic converter! But how is that getting into the heater?


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

That would be the exhaust manifold and that hose is a common leak. I’m guessing you only have the bad smell once the engine heats up? Probably dripping onto the exhaust and then burning giving you the bad smell.
I had the same issue with mine. Replaced the pipe and the problem went away.


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Welcome Aboard!

Antifreeze Smell Thread
Cruze Cabin Odors, Sources, and Resolution Summary
2013 Cruze oil smell from heater
Heat Is Causing A Bad Oil Smell?
EDIT: One more - 
Burning oil smell solved


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## Enriquee9 (Oct 10, 2019)

Yeah it’s when the engine heats up. The smell travels that far? Everyone said it was the heater core but it’s perfectly fine !


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Enriquee9 said:


> Yeah it’s when the engine heats up. The smell travels that far? Everyone said it was the heater core but it’s perfectly fine !


It's a small car. Smells can travel a long ways in this car.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Because of where the air intake is located, you're going to smell anything coming off the engine. Take a good smell around the engine under the same condition. If you can smell it, you can cross anything to do with the interior off your list.


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## Enriquee9 (Oct 10, 2019)

Thank you so much for all the help !!


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Enriquee9 said:


> Thank you so much for all the help !!


So what is the diagnosis?


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## [email protected] (Sep 17, 2016)

Enriquee9 said:


> Hello everyone! First time posting here. I have a 2013 Chevy Cruz 1.4 that has been giving me some trouble for some time now. The problem is when you turn on the heater on cold days, I get this horrible smell from the vents! When you start driving the smell goes away. As soon as you get to a red light it comes back! I have changed the cabin air filter and CarMax has tested the heater core. Everything’s perfectly fine. No one can figure where this smell is coming from. I think it may be a coolant leak near the catalytic converter! But how is that getting into the heater?


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Welcome Aboard!

What was your comment?

Don't forget to introduce yourself and your Cruze here.


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