[chaddyhyundai]

Ever since I bought my i30 in April 2015, it has had a problem of a 'rotten eggs' / sewer gas / sulphurous smells intermittently being experienced inside the cabin.  Hyundai suggested using different brand of fuel and higher octane rating fuels.  I have used every type of petrol brand and petrol octane rating, but the smell has refused to go away.  For years I only used BP Ultimate petrol because I thought it caused fewer occurrences of the smell than others, but it is only marginally better ( in terms of how often the smell occurs) than the cheaper Caltex Unleaded 91 which I am now using.  On the other extreme, Shell (91, 95 and V-Power 98) have the most occurrences of the smell, while Costco 91 and Mobil 91 petrol did not make the smell go away either.

Hyundai dealer said:
Diagnosis: Hot sulphur oxidise on catalytic converter causing smell
Advice: Suggest using different brand fuel and higher octane rating fuels.

Observations:
Smell comes from: Air outlet vents (instrument panel vents from where you get fan or air conditioner air delivery)
Smell is best described as: Sewer gas / rotten eggs sulphurous smell
How often: Can be as often as a couple of times a day, or not happen at all for a few days
For how long: A couple of seconds
Where: Has happened in all parts of Melbourne and outside of Melbourne, so it has had no relation to the surrounds
 
When this happens, the following have always been true:
The smell is not coming from the surrounds, it emanates from the car's air vents (we open the windows to reduce the smell)
The car is stationary and the engine is running (e.g., stopped at a traffic light or stopped in a parking bay or garage), or the car is moving (with or without cruise control on)
The blowers are always on (fan speed control is on a non-zero position); has happened at all settings of the blower temperature control, whether set to cold or warm or hot
The air conditioner may or may not be on; has happened at all settings of the air conditioner temperature control, whether set to cold or warm or hot
The air intake control could be set to the outside (fresh air) position or inside (recirculating) position

Has anyone else experienced the problem and successfully resolved it?

Has anyone returned their i30 back to the dealer because of Hyundai being unable to fix the problem?

Thanks!

[Lorian]

Rotten Eggs OR Sewer smell?

If it's sewer smell (decomposing smell), given when/where it doesn't happen perhaps its bacteria in the aircon system.

In the UK we use one of these things to attack it. Single shot cans that recirculate round the car without you present inside!

Halfords Air Con Purifier 150ml

If the smell is Hydrogen Sulfide (rotten eggs) then that needs more thought.

[Dazzler]

Wow! Living with that for over 4 years.  You have been very patient! 

Can't recall many (if any) reports of similar in the 11 years this site has been active. We have had the odd report of smells but not usually in a new car and no mention of Surfur/rotten eggs...

As Lorian mentioned you can get something (a bit like an insect "bomb") to fumigate the ventilation system but not confident this will work in your case. Certainly worth a try though.

Don't know what else to suggest. Very frustrating for you.

[Surferdude]

Ever since unleaded fuel came in you get that smell from a car that's not running well. Often noticed in traffic.
But if it's your car causing it I don't think it should get into the ventilation system. Would be more obvious to the car behind you.
Your summary is very thorough so I'm sure you've considered this bit is it possible it's coming from cars around you?

All that aside, I'd give the aerosbomb a go first.

[chaddyhyundai]

Thanks.  It is a sulphurous (rotten eggs) smell, and the aircon system was ruled out as it's been coming from the time the car was new, and the smell varies depending on the petrol brand/type used.

[chaddyhyundai]

I am very sure the smell isn't from cars in front of me as I have had it in a stationary running car, as well as on the open highway with no other cars in proximity. 

Besides this 2014 i30, I have also noticed the same intermittent smell when I specifically use Shell Unleaded 91 petrol in my other car too, which is a 2007 Toyota Aurion.  Compared to the i30 which has the smell with every brand and type of petrol available in Australia, the good thing about the Aurion is that it does not have that smell at all when I use Caltex Unleaded 91 petrol.

[CraigB]

Probably about time to run a tank or two of 98 just to clean out the whole system.

[chaddyhyundai]

I have run the i30 mainly on BP Ultimate (98) for much of the last 4 years - of all the petrol brands/types I have tried, BP Ultimate has the least occurrence of the said smell, but that still doesn't solve the problem.

[mickd]

Hmm, at a loss for a reason with that.
Usually,  anything like that is self generated. 

[chaddyhyundai]

LOL...but, this smell thing happens regardless of who is driving / inside the car:)  A few others have reported this problem in the i30 / Elantra...

1. rotten egg smell from exhaust

2. https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2649238

3. Rotten Egg/ Fart Smell | Hyundai Forums

[Dazzler]

LOL...but, this smell thing happens regardless of who is driving / inside the car:)  A few others have reported this problem in the i30 / Elantra...

1. rotten egg smell from exhaust

2. http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2649238

3. Rotten Egg/ Fart Smell | Hyundai Forums

Interesting... I searched Sulfur and also Rotten (I think) without picking up that first one.. Still none the wiser. 

[Lorian]

There is one other possible source.

Perhaps you have a battery that is producing gas.

Battery leaking? Battery tray wet/corroded?
Battery terminals corroded?

[chaddyhyundai]

Thanks - I did have the battery checked at Kmart Auto and at the Hyundai dealer recently - all OK with that.