Hi had it on my 180 SE TECH a few times when I first got it, really strong compared to other diesels I have owned, but now its just the odd smell if I am outside the car after a recent re gen but it most likely will clam down once things get going and I personally would not worry about it at all, in the early days it was sometimes noted after coming off a motorway run and stopping at a junction the smell sort of wafted around under the car and sensed it in the cabin through the air vents most likely but as I said its gone now and no adverse effects

 

Never had any smells after +40,000 miles on our MY17 ... until the DPF was replaced ... 70 miles after replacement got a overpowering foul smell and the dealer had advised it's a regen- after 70 miles???!?!?

 

I thought I'd share my experience from more than 88k miles in our DS (MY16).

As these cars cannot do any form of passive regeneration (a technical limitation in the design discussed elsewhere on the forum), you have to put the miles in to stop the DPFs clogging up and requiring replacement. The only way the soot can be shifted from the DPF is through a full active regen triggered every 250miles or so based on an algorithm in the cars computer and measuring the back pressure in the DPF. It does this by injecting extra diesel into the exhaust and heating the DPF up so that the catalytic reaction occurs inside therefore burning off the soot. It only works when the car is travelling above 30mph (approx?). So if you are a low mileage driver, you are more likely to have DPF problems with this car.

It is this burning process that you can smell along with the general heating of the DPF (SCRF) components and the odour that produces. Usually, this occurs during driving at speed so you don't normally smell it (its completed by the time you stop). Occasionally, when you come to a halt and have aircon/windows open or open the door and the active regen is still in progress you can smell the burning process as it wafts from underneath the car. As there is no ongoing passive regeneration you get stronger smells during the heating process because simply there is more soot to remove.

Apologies if this is overly verbose but I wanted to describe my own experiences with this phenomenon. I may have also misrepresented some of the technical descriptions so I refer you to other threads on the forum for more accurate details if you want them.

I would get worried if the smell was a burning plastic odour (quite a specific smell) or there were volumes of smoke coming from underneath the car. Get out and call your assist service asap.

Finally, "why doesn't my X brand of car do this?". Honestly, no idea. Each manufacturer tackles the emission regs in their own way (including cheating it) the tech that JLR chose for the DS produces an odour. I've smelt similar odours from other brands when stood nearby so I know its not unique to JLR.

Best

BB

 

Good replies thanks, just to further complicate matters: since I called LR Assist following my worrying smell (actually took several days to clear), my stop/start system hasn't operated and that must be 3 weeks now and prior to my issue the engine stopped every time without fail. Just to recap, LR Technician forced a Regen for me!!

 

Good replies thanks, just to further complicate matters: since I called LR Assist following my worrying smell (actually took several days to clear), my stop/start system hasn't operated and that must be 3 weeks now and prior to my issue the engine stopped every time without fail. Just to recap, LR Technician forced a Regen for me!!

Put the car on charge- the auto start should active when the battery is in good condition

 

If it's a burning smell it's the rocker cover being melted, that's what happened to mine but now that I fixed that I still get this oily odour, thick oily smell