Does any one know why I regularly get a strong smell of fumes in and around my car (vRS TDI)? I have looked underneath and don't see any obvious leaks in the exhaust. It can happen during driving but is most noticeable when stationary.

Excision

There does not need to be a hole or leak where there is not supposed to be.

There is an exit point on the exhaust at the very rear of the car, that is one place fumes can from.

Liable to be more noticeable when stationary, when you are moving you share the fumes with the community.

 

Maybe pull into an Exhaust Centre (Not with kwik Flit Dancers) & have them look under the car.

Are we talking unburnt fuel?

The heater intake is in front of the screen, so if your getting exhaust gases in through there, then it could be a leak between the exhaust manifold/downpipe, the manifold has cracked or the turbo.

Have you tried the "rag over the tailpipe" trick?

That's how I've always traced small leaks but I'm not sure if it works with modern diesels...

Thanks for the replies to my OP. I think I need to have a more detailed inspection of the exhaust from underneath.

Excision, did you ever find what was causing it? Cheers.

CO poisoning is no joke.

 

Pop the bonnet with a hot engine running and check for smells.

 

You need to differentiate between hot diesel, engine oil and exhaust fumes as they will originate from different sources.

Thad the same problems,had it investigated,tracked to a blocked breather, which leaked engine oil onto a hot exhaust, a new oil breather and clean up cured my problem.