Rotten Egg Smell

inertiadrifto86

Senior Member
First Name
Alex
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Threads
20
Messages
230
Reaction score
222
Location
Seattle
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Si Sedan(traded), 2011 Acura MDX Adv, 2019 Acura TLX A-Spec(traded), 2018 Civic Si Sedan
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
So I know there have been other threads about this but the rotten egg smell is really awful. I owned a 2017 Civic Si and there was no rotten egg smell at all, ever. One of the other threads discusses the issue here:

https://www.civicx.com/threads/rotten-egg-smell.15125/#post-279777

It comes on anytime I rev past 3500 RPMs, which for me isnt even spirited driving, usually trying to merge on the freeway or accelerating around traffic.

The smell fills the cabin sometimes but is most notable when I stop and get out of the car. Its really quite bad.

The thread i mentioned discusses how the smell is "normal" in cars since the 1970s, but Ive owned 5 cars built after 1990 and have never had this problem, ever. Like I
mentioned above I've even owned another Si and it definitely did not have this problem.

I cannot believe this is "normal" or "working as intended."

I have an appointment today to bring the car in to be checked. I am worried the service department will say that its normal. Doing some research outside of this forum I've read it could be an issue with the catilytic converter, a bad sensor or even a fuel leak.

Has anyone brought their Si (or even another 1.5 turbo) in for this issue? Any recommendations for arguments I can use with the dealer service people?

Would these possible bad sensors, converters or fuel systems still be under warranty? For reference im at 8k miles and the car is a 2018.
Sponsored

 

charleswrivers

Senior Member
First Name
Charles
Joined
Nov 3, 2017
Threads
43
Messages
3,736
Reaction score
4,468
Location
Kingsland, GA
Vehicle(s)
'14 Odyssey, '94 300zx, 2001 F-150
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
From my younger days of running without cats (no offense to those who do this... it's just not for me) that's the only time I ever got it. I don't know if dealerships have 'sniffer' devices if you live outside a state that does emissions testing... but it might be worth asking. I've had bad O2 sensors on a car with it's emissions systems intact and it never affected the smell... and there was a CEL on due to the failure as well. I don't know of any sensors other than the primary and secondary O2 sensors related to emissions equipment. Fuel-wise, there is a charcoal canister. It plays into the evaporative system... but issues with that usually just give you a gas smell, not a rotten egg smell.
 

SBPerformance

Senior Member
First Name
Steph
Joined
Feb 22, 2019
Threads
13
Messages
141
Reaction score
143
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
2003 Evo, 2003 350z, 1998 CRV, 2019 Civic Type R
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
With how many others are having the same concern and reporting it as "rotten egg smell" Honda might be working on the issue and will release a recall/TSB later on. I have only experienced this issue before on vehicles that had a faulty catalyst/catless cars.

Just be sure to be as descriptive as possible with the dealer so they can duplicate and document the issue. If they send you out the door with no answers I'd start documenting on a sheet of paper where and when you smell the eggs hiding in your car and take it back to the dealer at a later date.

Edited to add: Yes, you are still under warranty for all emissions/mechanical/electrical/etc issues. The standard limited (unless you purchased an extended warranty) is 3 or 36,000 miles from date of first use.
 
OP
OP
inertiadrifto86

inertiadrifto86

Senior Member
First Name
Alex
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Threads
20
Messages
230
Reaction score
222
Location
Seattle
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Si Sedan(traded), 2011 Acura MDX Adv, 2019 Acura TLX A-Spec(traded), 2018 Civic Si Sedan
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
So i dropped the car at the dealer and at first the guy said there was literally nothing he could do for me. He said he could have his techs take a look but itd pretty much be a waste of time.

I persisted and he finally agreed to ask his master tech about it. He brought the master tech out and the MT asked me a few questions (short drives, mileage, how often) and then smelled the dipstick.

They smelled gas in the oil, so theyre going to do the oil dilution update, even though my car does not have the recall for the VIN (I had just checked this morning) yet.

Hopefully this fixes it but we'll see.
 

dallasjhawk

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2016
Threads
24
Messages
4,174
Reaction score
4,124
Location
Royse City, TX
Vehicle(s)
2016 Civic EX-T, 2015 Acura RDX AWD Tech
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Rotten egg smell is your car running rich and burning that up in the cat.
 


OP
OP
inertiadrifto86

inertiadrifto86

Senior Member
First Name
Alex
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Threads
20
Messages
230
Reaction score
222
Location
Seattle
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Si Sedan(traded), 2011 Acura MDX Adv, 2019 Acura TLX A-Spec(traded), 2018 Civic Si Sedan
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
I picked up the car a couple hours ago and so far no rotten egg smell. Im driving around town and havent noticed it at all.
 
OP
OP
inertiadrifto86

inertiadrifto86

Senior Member
First Name
Alex
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Threads
20
Messages
230
Reaction score
222
Location
Seattle
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Si Sedan(traded), 2011 Acura MDX Adv, 2019 Acura TLX A-Spec(traded), 2018 Civic Si Sedan
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
After a couple days of driving and maybe ~200 miles, no egg smell.

So yeah, not sure if people who have issues with the smell have got the oil dissolution fix, but so far the issue has gone away for me.

Ill update again if it comes back.
 

joshhjackson2112

Senior Member
First Name
Josh
Joined
Jul 3, 2018
Threads
12
Messages
713
Reaction score
463
Location
Raleigh, North Carolina
Vehicle(s)
18' SI
Country flag
After a couple days of driving and maybe ~200 miles, no egg smell.

So yeah, not sure if people who have issues with the smell have got the oil dissolution fix, but so far the issue has gone away for me.

Ill update again if it comes back.
It will most likely come back. I don't know if there is a fix. I have it very randomly in my own car. Have had it before and after bolt on mods. Really doesn't offend me much. Some cars just stink sometimes. I usually move on pretty quickly with my day after I notice it. :dunno:
 

PhilF

Senior Member
First Name
Phil
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Threads
17
Messages
499
Reaction score
436
Location
South Central Pennsylvania
Vehicle(s)
2020 CRV EX-L Platinum White Pearl/Ivory, 2020 CRV EX-L Crystal Black Pearl/Grey
Country flag
Just some random thoughts, wondering if fuel brand/additive package would effect this? A Toptier fuel vs a no- brand, convenience store or supermarket gas, there is a difference in the additives. What effect it would have ??
 

GoodBytes

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
115
Reaction score
32
Location
Montreal
Vehicle(s)
Honda Civic 2016 EX
Country flag
I had this issue. It would go away once the A/C is turned on after a while.
Ended up having a leak in the condenser. A/C was also weak, but I never knew it was weak (during summer), until the day I serviced my car (oi change), and got a lift to work in a Civic 10th gen, and was amazed with how icy cold it was.

I compared again once I had my car once I had it back, and yea, it was cold, but not as cold on the lowest settings. I brought it to the dealership, to have it a look under warranty. They checked, and saw it was indeed low in the A/C gas, didn't find the leak, added a die, and told me to run a week or so with the A/C on and bring it back. I ran the A/C all the time, even if I was freezing inside as winter was coming and warranty would have ended before any more warm days would come. After a month or so, as I wanted to be sure that they see the leak from the pin hole that is somewhere. I brought it back, and they change the condenser, and some other parts, re-fill the gas. and now it seems good (hopefully there is no other leak that they missed)
 


WhatThePuck

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
567
Reaction score
300
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2006 Acura Rsx (sold), '19 CW CTR 23909
Country flag
I have had the car a day and there is a smell that you can smell if the windows are down, I smell it when I've parked and gotten out. I sure as hell know I don't kill the clutch so it isn't that. It isn't necessarily a rotten egg smell though. Kinda freaking me out
 

Zeffy94

Senior Member
First Name
Matt
Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Threads
77
Messages
1,850
Reaction score
1,486
Location
Doylestown, PA
Vehicle(s)
2017 Mazda3 GT Hatch 6AT, 2018 Honda Civic Type R (traded in)
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
I have had the car a day and there is a smell that you can smell if the windows are down, I smell it when I've parked and gotten out. I sure as hell know I don't kill the clutch so it isn't that. It isn't necessarily a rotten egg smell though. Kinda freaking me out
Could be the clutch breaking in - I smelt it a bit when learning how to drive it (as to be expected) but I haven’t really smelled it for a while now.
 

Carsnturbo

New Member
First Name
Joe
Joined
Mar 4, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
Location
New York
Vehicle(s)
2018 Civic Si
Country flag
Having this problem with my 2018 civic si. So i made an appointment with Honda to see what this could be. My car has almost 7k so im pretty sure engine parts are mostly broken in. Ill let you guys know what they have to say about it.
 
OP
OP
inertiadrifto86

inertiadrifto86

Senior Member
First Name
Alex
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Threads
20
Messages
230
Reaction score
222
Location
Seattle
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Si Sedan(traded), 2011 Acura MDX Adv, 2019 Acura TLX A-Spec(traded), 2018 Civic Si Sedan
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Rotten eggs are back. Not as bad as before, but its definitely back. So frustrating.
 

herox

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2018
Threads
8
Messages
407
Reaction score
339
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
'18 Civic Si
I've never had that issue even when I drive hard. Are you tuned? I would probably go see another dealer and see what they have to say.
Sponsored

 


 


Top