Exhaust fumes in the cabin

[Uxxo]

Newbie here…
I have recently purchased a Pajero NT GL (diesel) and I believe that I have got a problem with exhaust fumes going in the cabin. With kids at the back this is a serious issue for me.
The entire car has a very strong smell, hard to describe but I am confident that it’s caused by exhaust fumes, and it seems to be stronger in the boot. I am not 100% sure about my theory but I think that the smell is coming from the vents in the boot.
Does anyone know how to remove the side panels in the boot? I am considering sealing both vents and see how it goes, I am not even sure what these vents are supposed to do.

[Seigried]

Get you exhaust checked for leaks. Pull out any rubber mats in case the are causing the smell.

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[eci_thump]

I think behind those vents is the flapper that prevents the cabin from increasing in pressure when you shut the doors, the vent just allows the air to pass through easier.

[spot01]

X2 for check exhaust system for leaks, etc. If unsure, go to an exhaust shop.

Other things to check:
- check the rear side flip out windows are properly latched & their seals are OK (I notice a lot of water marks in your photo that may indicate leaks at that window?)
- check the large rear door seal is in good condition & making good contact (easy way to check seals is to put thin strips of paper over the seal, shut door/window & try to pull paper out - repeat all around the seal)

[flyboy]

Do not drive this without all four windows down, and then only to your nearest exhaust shop.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill.

[dhula]

Click here for info on removing the rear trim

Click here for a picture and description of a vent in the back of the body that will be under the rear trim panels in the body itself. Sealing the vents you are referring to in the photos will do nothing to stop exhaust fumes coming into the car as it will get around the side of the trim panels as they do not seal, plus there is the big holds where the 3rd seat mech is that will let fumes in as well.

Other things that haven't been suggested that you should look at
* check the underbody grommets (wiring and blanking) and also drain hole grommets
* check the rear door for any areas fumes may enter the cabin (spare wheel carrier, molding mounting points, extra wiring that goes through the door skin that hasn't been sealed properly, etc)
* check the engine bay for any extra wiring that hasn't been sealed properly or extra holes that have not been sealed after having the wiring removed (thinking as your Paj is a GL it might be an ex mine/police car maybe) as this might allow exhaust fumes or engine smells to come into the cabin

[erad]

You are probably driving with the cabin airflow set to recycle. If you use the fresh air setting, this should slightly pressurise the cabin and you will not get fumes. Exhaust fumes, apart from smelling awful, are deadly.

Inside that rear vent should be a flap which is a form of non-return valve. This is supposed to prevent ingress of dust, fumes etc back into the cabin. Early NM models did have troubles with this flap.

[Uxxo]

Thanks for all the suggestions,
I have removed everything from the car, including rubber mats, boot liner, seat covers in case something else is causing (or masking) the bad smell.
I will give it another try at removing the panels in the boot, although it is not easy as it seems. I have removed the tail lights but I could not see any flappers or vents, so I am not sure if the NT still has them. I can definitely smell something nasty inside the LHS vent, so this is still the main suspect.

Next week I will take the car to an exhaust shop to check for leaks. I don't want to drive the car until I find a solution

[symo]

https://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=17423&page=3

[Uxxo]

False alarm.
As I have mentioned in my previous post I removed everything from the car and the bad smell is gone.
The culprits are the rubber mats. For some reason they don't smell at all outside of the car but they produce an awful strong smell (similar to diesel fumes) when they are cooking in the car.
I feel like an idiot but I am glad that it's nothing serious :-)

[Seigried]

My mats did the same for awhile. They still do it sometimes when parked out in full sun for a few hours. They paj is black too so it can get pretty hot inside.

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