Honda Car Forum

I have a 2004 Accord LX with about 1,400 miles. At times it gives off a
powerful odor like rotten eggs or sulfur. I've seen posting on several sites
where they say that the company is claiming that this is not a problem. Has
anyone else experienced this and had it taken care of by Honda?

I'm taking it in for the airbag recall in a week and plan on having them look
at & handle this problem but have heard that the dealers are dancing around it.
What have you experienced?

shamrock44@aol.comnojunk (Shamrock44) wrote in
news:20050115203612.21924.00000035@mb-m05.aol.com:

> I have a 2004 Accord LX with about 1,400 miles. At times it gives off
> a powerful odor like rotten eggs or sulfur. I've seen posting on
> several sites where they say that the company is claiming that this is
> not a problem. Has anyone else experienced this and had it taken care
> of by Honda?
>
> I'm taking it in for the airbag recall in a week and plan on having
> them look at & handle this problem but have heard that the dealers are
> dancing around it. What have you experienced?
>



This problem occurs because of sulphur in the gasoline.

Eventually the catalytic converter will get coated to the point where the
smell goes away, so this problem is self-limiting.

I cannot tell where you're from, but your jurisdiction has relatively lax
regulations on sulphur in fuel. Are you in Canada?

Try a different brand of gas. This may get rid of the smell as another
brand may use base stocks that contain less sulphur.

I'm surprised the dealer hasn't told you this.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

On 16 Jan 2005 01:36:12 GMT, shamrock44@aol.comnojunk (Shamrock44)
wrote:

>I have a 2004 Accord LX with about 1,400 miles. At times it gives off a
>powerful odor like rotten eggs or sulfur. I've seen posting on several sites
>where they say that the company is claiming that this is not a problem. Has
>anyone else experienced this and had it taken care of by Honda?

This problem is caused by gasoline with a high sulfer content. If
you're sure it's coming from your car, change your brand of gas.

" Most gasoline sold in the United States has fairly high sulfur
levels. The national average is 350 parts per million (ppm); as much
as one-fourth of gasoline has a sulfur level of 500 ppm or higher,
according to petroleum industry figures. On the other hand,
California, the nation's smoggiest state, now has a statewide sulfur
standard of 30-40 ppm. California's standard allows refiners to
produce gasoline in batches that meet a sulfur content average of 30
ppm, so that in some cases, sulfur levels in gasoline can be as high
as the state's sulfur cap of 80 ppm. Most northeastern states, also
suffering from high ozone levels, sell reformulated gasoline with
sulfur levels of 150 ppm"

http://pubs.acs.org/hotartcl/est/98/jun/put.html

Are you sure it's not coming from the car ahead of you? Try putting
your ventilation on recirc and see if it goes away.

TeGGer: maybe this should be in the FAQ?

John Ings <nodamned@spam.org> wrote in
news:m2kju0l9bcideis736gg77kp2sagug81qe@4ax.com:


>
> TeGGer: maybe this should be in the FAQ?
>
>


Good idea. Will add it.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

I have the same problem, my accord 2004 has 4000 mile on it. I live in
Chicago area, and I tried different gas from different gas station
without any positive results. Dealers are "dancing around it" without
giving any sensible explanations.
I hope smell will go away soon, my garage stinks really badly .
I am taking car to the different dealer, to fix problem with drivers
seat, which moves back and forward while stopping or accelerating, I
will see what this one say about it.

Also, I have a noise problem with my door or window - rattles and
squeaks. This is my first Honda and I don't know what to expect.




Shamrock44 wrote:
> I have a 2004 Accord LX with about 1,400 miles. At times it gives off
a
> powerful odor like rotten eggs or sulfur. I've seen posting on
several sites
> where they say that the company is claiming that this is not a
problem. Has
> anyone else experienced this and had it taken care of by Honda?
>
> I'm taking it in for the airbag recall in a week and plan on having
them look
> at & handle this problem but have heard that the dealers are dancing
around it.
> What have you experienced?

td wrote:
> I have the same problem, my accord 2004 has 4000 mile on it. I live
in
> Chicago area, and I tried different gas from different gas station
> without any positive results. Dealers are "dancing around it"
without
> giving any sensible explanations.
> I hope smell will go away soon, my garage stinks really badly .
> I am taking car to the different dealer, to fix problem with drivers
> seat, which moves back and forward while stopping or accelerating, I
> will see what this one say about it.
>
> Also, I have a noise problem with my door or window - rattles and
> squeaks. This is my first Honda and I don't know what to expect.

If its the gasoline as some claim it is very strange that all other new
cars and pickups don't have the same problem.
Live with it or sell it would be my advice.

On 19 Jan 2005 18:49:37 -0800, sskbutton@yahoo.com wrote:

>If its the gasoline as some claim it is very strange that all other new
>cars and pickups don't have the same problem.

Some folks noses are more sensitive than others.

"td" <t_lak77@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:1106182413.707658.43790@z14g2000cwz.googlegro ups.com:

> I have the same problem, my accord 2004 has 4000 mile on it. I live in
> Chicago area, and I tried different gas from different gas station
> without any positive results. Dealers are "dancing around it" without
> giving any sensible explanations.




The rotten egg smell is caused by the same thing that makes rotten eggs
smell like rotten eggs: Sulphur. Only in this case the sulphur is in your
fuel.

Eventually the cat will get coated to the point that the smell goes away.
Until then you can try different grades and brands of gas in the dim hope
of finding one that has less sulphur.

All it means is that your cat is working very, very well, and is attempting
to catalyze the sulphur in your gas into sulphur dioxide.

http://pubs.acs.org/hotartcl/est/98/jun/put.html

This will be added to the FAQ soon...

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

sskbutton@yahoo.com wrote in
news:1106189377.415519.228600@c13g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com:

> td wrote:

>>
>> Also, I have a noise problem with my door or window - rattles and
>> squeaks. This is my first Honda and I don't know what to expect.



ALL new cars are plagued with rattles, buzzes and squeaks from the
interior.

Since automakers have to reallocate their monetary expenditures in order to
satisfy regulatory and consumer demands for "safety" and emissions, the
money has to come from somewhere. The interior is one convenient place,
especially since it is not structural, is subject to few regulations and is
sheltered from the weather.

With Honda's stated aim of turning their cars into rolling rubber rooms,
expect ever cheaper, flimsier and rattlier cars. I'm hanging on to my '91
as long as I can.



>
> If its the gasoline as some claim it is very strange that all other new
> cars and pickups don't have the same problem.



Depends on where you live, the mileage on the car, and how perceptive you
are.



> Live with it or sell it would be my advice.
>



It will go away. Just wait. This has been going on since monolithic cats
became common in the '80s.



--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

On 19 Jan 2005 18:49:37 -0800, sskbutton@yahoo.com wrote:

>td wrote:
>> I have the same problem, my accord 2004 has 4000 mile on it. I live
>in
>> Chicago area, and I tried different gas from different gas station
>> without any positive results. Dealers are "dancing around it"
>without
>> giving any sensible explanations.
>> I hope smell will go away soon, my garage stinks really badly .
>> I am taking car to the different dealer, to fix problem with drivers
>> seat, which moves back and forward while stopping or accelerating, I
>> will see what this one say about it.
>>
>> Also, I have a noise problem with my door or window - rattles and
>> squeaks. This is my first Honda and I don't know what to expect.
>
>If its the gasoline as some claim it is very strange that all other new
>cars and pickups don't have the same problem.
>Live with it or sell it would be my advice.

Back when we had leaded gasoline, a strong smell of sulfur was a clear
signal that leaded gas had been used in a car with a catalytic
converter, and the converter was toast from the lead. Don't know what
component of current blends might do that, but I would sure suspect a
bad catalytic converter. For whatever reason.