Exhaust Fumes In Car.

[ordbrae]

In six years my car has travelled 5,420 miles.Could a series short journeys ( av.3 mls.) result in accumulations that could cause fumes (carbon monoxide)to enter the passenger area of the car?

[woofgang]

shouldn't do unless there is a hole in the exhaust.

[paddywak]

I'm no expert but I wouldn't have thought so. If you're getting exhaust fumes in the car while you're traveling I'd definitely get it checked before something really serious happens.

[Khandro]

You shouldn't ever get fumes inside the car, do you think it is entering through the heating system? What is the make and model?

[RATTER15]

No, not unless there is a hole in the exhaust as woofgang mentioned.

[furrypusscat]

I would think the exhaust pipe wants checking. Take it to the garage and have it checked out sooner rather than later.

[ordbrae]

Thank you Kandro.The car is a Fiat Punto.The fumes seem to be entering via the ventilation ducts. There is no ''air conditioning''; ventilation is achieved by constantly running the fan. This is a major shortcoming in this model.

[Khandro]

Obviously, exhaust fumes should leave the engine, pass through the exhaust system and be emitted at the rear of the vehicle. If fumes are entering through the ventilators then you have a leak at the front, most likely at the manifold, as the car is virtually 'new' it won't have a hole in the exhaust pipes. Run the engine with the bonnet open and see if you can hear of feel any gasses escaping around the manifold (where the exhaust comes out of the engine block). It might be a matter of simply tightening the bolts, I suggest you pop along to Kwik-Fit, if there are no parts involved they probably won't even charge.

[Teddio]

It may be oil vapour fumes from the oil filler cap or the breather. I would advise you to take the car for a high speed run, say 10 miles at 70mph on a motorway. If your exhaust pipe was clogged you would suffer a severe drop in engine power.

[TWR]

Have you forgotten to close the boot tail gate Properly?

[Hopkirk]

TWR say what I thought.

If the tailgate is slightly open, the airflow will draw exhaust into the car.

[pdq1]

Yes TWR maybe right. A courier friend had a diesel van and the back door got damaged. He started to get asthma symptoms from the exhaust gases swirling back into the van.

[davidanthony]

I had the same problem on a 5 sreies BMW, fumes coming in through the heater ? AC vents. These come not from the exhause system although they do smell a bit carbon monoxide-ish, but from the top of the enhine via, the valve system as someon earlier mentioned. They are not exhause fumes as we know them. Get the dealer to check the top end of the engine