Weird Unpleasant smell when car is reversing

[Alannah]

Hi! I’ve recently just got my car, it’s a 2019 Toyota Aygo automatic, and it only had 4000 miles on when purchased.
I’ve had no faults at all with the car until the other day I was reversing on a bank to do a parallel park and I got an overwhelming smell of what I can only describe of cabbage / drainage smell. I was just wondering if this is something I should worry about as heard it’s a thing that occurs with certain cars when reversing but as you can imagine it’s not very pleasant! It’s happened a few more times recently when reversing or my car rolls back! Thanks :) 

[Dave the aygo]

I get this on one of our other cars

I do get what you say it stinks

Someone else may have ideas but I believe it's exhaust fumes from unleaded petrol but I might be wrong 

[Bper]

Are you sure it doesn't smell like rotten eggs. If it does it could be the catalytic converter.😀

[Alannah]

52 minutes ago, Bper said:

Are you sure it doesn't smell like rotten eggs. If it does it could be the catalytic converter.😀

It was more of a cabbage smell than rotten eggs! I’ve seen this issue a few times about the catalytic converter, is it something to worry about would I be ok still driving? 

[Derek.w]

Have you checked the cabin filter out.

[martswain]

Probably fumes from a slipping clutch.

[Hybrid21]

Hi Alannah,  most likely a combination of exhaust fumes and/or catalytic converter fumes, nothing to worry about, and quite common 👍

[Bper]

11 hours ago, Alannah said:

It was more of a cabbage smell than rotten eggs! I’ve seen this issue a few times about the catalytic converter, is it something to worry about would I be ok still driving? 

Hi Alannah, You say you recently brought the car if so I assume it was from a dealer and it came with a warranty. It maybe just a one off and nothing to worry about.

Since this first happened have you noticed any similar smell when reversing normally than when you first noticed this. If all is fine then nothing to worry about. If you have then contact the dealer and ask them to take a look for you.

Cars often give off occasional smells but they are often from outside sources but obviously come through the ventilation system etc which makes you think something is wrong with the car. Hope this helps😀

[Alannah]

8 hours ago, Bper said:

Hi Alannah, You say you recently brought the car if so I assume it was from a dealer and it came with a warranty. It maybe just a one off and nothing to worry about.

Since this first happened have you noticed any similar smell when reversing normally than when you first noticed this. If all is fine then nothing to worry about. If you have then contact the dealer and ask them to take a look for you.

Cars often give off occasional smells but they are often from outside sources but obviously come through the ventilation system etc which makes you think something is wrong with the car. Hope this helps😀

Hey! Thanks so much for replying. Yes it happens when my car reverses, mostly on inclines but has happened when I was on a flat surface too. I think it may be when I’m putting a lot of revs on the engine perhaps? If it starts to happen more frequently I definitely will take it back to the garage as I did get a warranty with it :)

[Cyker]

It might just be water and petrol fumes and others exhaust gasses mixing up, esp. if this is done while cold.

I was behind some sort of SUV at a set of lights today, and when they floored it away from the lights, the amount of water pouring out their exhausts was hilarious, like twin waterfalls!