Smelling Car Exhaust Fumes That Aren't There!

I have fibromyalgia and feel the shocks, also. I am on a medication for restless leg syndrome that I have read causes the shock/jerking sensation. I just started smelling the fumes last Friday. I had a migraine when I woke up Friday morning and was afraid that it was carbon monoxide poisioning from my furnace. Had my carbon monoxide detectors checked and they are fine. I really thought I was the only one with this weird problem. I guess I will call my doctor and go from there. I am going to try the B12 though.. I hope it helps :(

I had the phantom exhaust smell problem in 2017 and it resolved after a short time. It just started again a few days ago. My research indicated colds or flu can bring this on. I have neither but I got a pneumonia shot [Pneumovax 23] 2 weeks ago and a flu shot yesterday so I wonder if the vaccines triggered it. The exhaust smell subtle and just mildly annoying. My googling didn't turn up associations with fle or pneumonia vaccines..so if this is the trigger, it's uncommon. I'm certain this smell is not related to any vitamin deficiency..my diet is very healthy and I take vitamin supplements. Stress is not a factor either. I know the exhaust smell is phantosmia because my younger girlfriend, who has a better sense of smell than I do, doesn't experience it.

 Hello to everyone suffering from this! In the beginning of June I got a very bad cold and it lasted on and off for two months. I tried to or three rounds of antibiotics because my doctor thought it was a sinus infection or maybe allergies. I never have had allergies. Then, in early September I noticed that some of my sense of smell was distorted… There was a common smell that tied coffee, tuna fish, my chocolate smoothie together. 

 Then about six days ago, I started smelling car exhaust fumes. It’s like there’s a car in the house with the engine running although not as smoky. It makes me a little bit queasy and sometimes it makes the back of my nose burn. It’s insane! I live up in the mountains and the air is very clean and clear and it’s definitely not coming from anything environmental.  Strangely, I don’t notice it nearly as much when I’m outside, especially when the air is cold like it is now. 

 I am waiting to schedule an MRI.  About seven weeks ago  I had a CAT scan and an x-ray of my sinuses (because of the sort of dry congestion and smell distortion) and nothing bad showed up either there or in my brain.  It’s hard to describe… I don’t really have congestion and I have no drip but it does feel like my sinuses are sort of dryly inflamed, if that makes any sense. 

 I quit smoking about 14 years ago and I’m not taking any meds that have been mentioned or that could cause this. I eat well… Lots of fruits and vegetables and I take vitamin supplements, including B complex. I’ve worked with Procion fabric dyes for 20+ years but most of that has been outdoors with little to no fumes. Has anyone else who is experiencing these car fumes worked with Procion fabric  dyes? 

 I hope we all get some answers and some relief ASAP!

I was smelling gasoline or car exhaust fines for two weeks. It drove me crazy. I though my husband has had on his clothes. When he told me his cloths were clean I knew I had a problem. So I went on the internet and read other people were having simular experiences. Long story short, I figured out that I had recently started talking a generic gotten off Claratin for seasonal allergies. I stored it last Monday and by Friday NO MORE GAS SMELL!!! Oh God I'm so happy that I figured it out. I can't imagine smelling it for a longer period of time. I hope this might help someone else.

It is comforting to know I am not the only one. I will be trying Vitamin B for sure.

i have been dealing with this for 2yrs now. VIt b and vit d usually work but not this time. Have you had any luck finding out a solution?

I had this issue last spring for about 2 months...i thought it was my prescription prolosec causing it because when i didn't take it - things subsided for a bit. So just recently I started smelling them again. I'm off the prilosec and I have been feeling well no other issues..then I remembered that every spring I get a very bad cold and I use Vicks vaporub on my chest, neck and I put a little in each nostril. I did this just recently two weekends ago...and I am wondering if it is due to this as what a coincidence that each time i smell exhaust fumes just a couple of weeks either I used Vicks vapo rub...just a thought

hi, I know it has been a while since this post but this just happened to me. I went on a day antique car ride and the smell of fumes has not left my nose for a week now. Just a migraine the next but no more. Smells still around. Advice?

I have been so distressed with this “exhaust” smell.
I am a migraine sufferer but thankfully found Emgality works for me and I’ve used it for almost a year now, no migraines! (Knock wood) Now, I have had phantom smells before (never knew this was a thing til googling today) of smoke and that has lasted days or weeks. But this exhaust odor is maddening!! Like I’m sitting in a garage with cars running when I’m in my living room. Yes, I have a smidge bit of relief knowing I’m not alone in my experience but it’s still an almost unbearable smell and won’t go away!!

Luckily I have a neurologist already due to the migraines so I will be contacting after the Labor Day , but my goodness this is quite frustrating.

Just wanted to vent. (Pun intended!)

So glad to stumble upon this topic here. Late night I have been smelling this ever so slight exhaust fume odor. I think its possible that it is coming from my hard drive of my computer. I started haivng problems with errors coming up on pc around this time the odor came around about a month ago. I also thought it might be related to having COVID in the past. But not sure based on the fact people seemed to be reporting this odd odor prior to covid?? I was talking to my girlfriends 20 something year old son yesterday about this and he mentioned that he looked it up on Google and found a website that mentioned that if you smell toast then you could be having a stroke. I wouldn't call this a burnt toast odor more like exhaust fumes. Well just wondering how many of you are smelling this odor while working on your computer or within 20 feet of your computer. It might be interesting to see if its just the smell of electronic getting heated up. Let me know...

I'm here to find clues to why I am also smelling exhaust fumes. My sister and I have commented about this and she lives in Massachusetts on Cape Cod and I'm in Georgia. By the way Nantucket blessings are not that bad! Regards, Rick

Any word as to the cause

I'm having the same exact issues described above, smells like car exhaust fumes constantly 3 days now! Going to see emergency room

Did you figure it out because I'm where you were right now I'm smelling like gas exhaust fumes all the time

Did you figure it out because I'm where you were right now I'm smelling like gas exhaust fumes all the time