MrTom

Many of the auto mags; Motor Trend, Car & Driver, Road & Track , have replied to this question. It is the sulphur content in the brand of gasoline you are using. California is the only state that has controls on the sulphur content. Check the posts and doubt you will find any complaints from Cal drivers.
Took a trip to Arizona and Nevada. After two fill-ups in Nevada the suplhur smell was obvious. After two-fill ups back in California it was gone.....
As you are driving a low pressure area is created at the rear of the vehicle. This is what allows drafting in NASCAR . If you open the rear window it will just suck all the fumes, monoxides, soot, etc in to vehicle... A great way gas your self on an extended trip....

Nitro Hotpants

babybuffett is in CA (she is my neighbor, thats how i know)
she seems to have it so bad that friends have gotten sick in her runner and thrown up. not a good sign.

-Casey

JGage

I gotta say that I too, at times, get the sulfur smell inside my cabin when all the windows are up and the A/C is set to recirc. I usually set the A/C to outside air and jack it up on high and it goes away.

Paintballguy59

The sulfur smell is from the cats being too efficient.... The smell will go away once the gov't passes the law for the reduced sulfur content in gas.

EDGE

Why I never drive with the rear window open, during warmer days you can really feel the exhaust heat which I do not like.

Where does babybuffett live cause if she has it that bad and her friends are throwing up thats not good.

EricM

Mine had gone away, but has now returned since the stations have cut over to winter blends of gasoline. It doesn't bother me enough to worry about it.

It can actually be an advantage at times... I had a guy in a convertible flip me off as I was leaving the gas station the other day (no idea why)... he pulled out behind me... I gladly accelerated extra hard to make sure I was spewing rotten egg smell in his face :-)

4Runner2003

I got the smell today, which I have not had in awhile. I was hoping after the 12k miles, it would dissapear, but no luck.

EricM

They've probably switched back to the non-summer blend of fuel in metro Atlanta around 10/1. I used to live over in Woodstock and seem to recall that May-Sept was the "low smog" fuel blend season. The price usually drops by a nickel in the fall when the switch occurs (I don't want to know how dirt cheap it is there either!)

4Runner2003

Don't worry, it is not dirt cheap......yet. I think 93 is going for 1.59/g I think. I've been on the road for the last 3 weeks and have not had to go to the gas station to fill up yet.

But, it could be just me, since I just expense fuel for the rental when I am traveling for work, but the prices seem to be close to the same. I paid 1.61/g in MN last week. I do remember California was kinda high when I was out there a few months back, but I also got gas right next to the airport where they know that they can charge what they want because you are typically running late trying to catch your flight

babybuffett

Thanks Casey! Anyways, I do live in southern california, and I've also taken my car to Arizona and Nevada on road trips. Still have that damn smell. I've taken it to dealer many times to see if they can fix it. Their response is "the smell is normal." I don't think so! They say it is the catalytic converter, but until MIL lights or check engine light comes on, Toyota can't do anything. My mechanic suggested taking it to get a pre-smog test. If it is burning raw fuel then it probably won't pass smog test, which makes it a big concern! Has anyone else taken theirs in for a smog test?

GATORSR1

I've got 10,000 miles and still have the smell. It doesn't seem to matter which grade and where I get the gas from. Glad to hear it's not just mine!

Also, my driver seat had a jiggle too!

Does anyone else's stearing wheel shake between 60 and 65 miles per hour? I've had it aligned but it still shakes!

babybuffett

GATORSR1
I have 16,000 on my 4runner. No seat problems, thank god. Its not the gas that is the problem. The Dealer told me that since Toyota completely redid the entire engine and body, there are oging ot be little quarks with the 2003. And until they figure out how to fix it, they've give you the brush off or "its normal, deal with it." Nice huh? have you taken your 4runner in for a smog test yet? did it pass with the sulfur smell?

GATORSR1

Being a new car and such, I haven't had to take any emissions test yet. After reading this thread today, I paid close attention to the smell on the ride home, and I do think that the smell is getting better! I was in stop and go traffic, and I didn't notice it as bad as before. SO, maybe it is part of the "breaking in."

babybuffett

i don't really smell it during stop and go traffic, mainly when i accelerate onto the freeway or toll road. And gain, it only lasts for a few seconds, maybe 15 at most.