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Massive Smoke Behind Car!!!

93K views 54 replies 38 participants last post by  kumarrohan81 
#1 ·
Hi Guys & Gals,

Had a very strange thing happen today. The weather in the northeast here was just amazing the past two days. So I took a nice ride in the car up through Granville, NY and over the back roads to Vermont. The whole trip I am kinda hyper-mileing getting about 40 MPG (or better) the whole trip, on one long strait road with a mild declining grade I got over 60 MPG!! The whole trip I did 40 to 50 MPH, just taking my time, once or twice getting to 60 MPH, just so I didn't hold up traffic on a couple main roads.

Ok, so I just get southbound on Rt 30 north of Manchester, VT. I am heading south. The road is posted at 50 MPH. I am doing about 45 MPH and come on a vintage car doing about 40 MPH, no problem, I am really not in a rush, I leave him lots of room. Just enjoying the nice day at a leisurely pace. But the guy in the vintage car pulls over to let me pass. Ok, so I go around him and continue on at about 45 MPG…

I quickly come up on a white Subaru I think it is, looks to be 8 or 10 years old, now this guy is slowing down to 35 to 40 MPH…..there is a big long strait away, and no on coming traffic, and this guy seems to not even be able to hold 40 MPH on this road posted for 50 MPH…….so I decide to pass him. So I step on the gas and pull out into the oncoming lane. Next think I know I see white smoke EVERYWHERE behind the car!!! And it appears to be coming from MY car!!!

Now in full panic mode I am trying to sense any odd noises or vibrations from my car, fully expecting my dash board to light up like a Christmas tree any second!! I am already hoping I have cell phone service so I can call for help! My car proceeds down the road, I back off the gas as much as I can while still trying to pass the car I was passing, get back in my lane and get ready to find a place I can pull the car off the road….

After several hundred more feet the smoke that appears to be coming from the back of my car, or under it, tapers off…I keep watching my dash board for any engine lights that might come on…..car seems to be running smoothly, but I now VERY nervous about driving it…..

No lights came on. No odd engine or car sounds or vibrations. I am stumped where all the smoke came from!! It was NOT just a little, it was like a James Bond car setting off a smoke bomb so the cars behind couldn't see! I mean, I could not see anything behind me, in two lanes, for several seconds. I was like "WOW!!" As I looked in my mirrors!

Anyone else has a similar experience? My 2011 Elantra has about 12,000 miles now. Never had any engine problems at all.

I have four theories of what the cause might have been:

1. When I hit the gas to pass that car high pressure in the engine somewhere forced some oil into the exhaust system somehow, and it had to burn off.

2. Just as I was about to pass that car I think I turned on the AC. Maybe as the AC belt was about to engage the high engine RPM caused the belt to slip and burn, and smoke, until I backed off the gas and it caught on the pulley properly.

3. Maybe the transmission dropped one too many gears, causing the tires to slip on the pavement when I hit the gas and I did a "burn out", "smoking the tires".

4. Maybe the smoke came from the Subaru. But replaying the whole thing in my head I know I saw smoke out MY back window when I was in the oncoming lane. I find it hard to believe the smoke did NOT come from MY car. Especially given it started exactly the time I hit the gas to pass him.

I am tending to think it was theory #1 above. But I just don't know. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Still love my Elantra, And the car seemed fine after that for the 60 or so mile ride home.

But I would love to know the real source of the smoke I saw!!

Jeff
 
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#2 ·
Have you read any of the threads about carbon blowoff? A forum search may aid you in your discovery.

Your engine had possibly built up carbon from all of your sane driving.

My car almost never does this because I'm always driving like a bat out of heck, lol.
 
#4 ·
Actually just yesterday I decided to put the pedal to the ground while getting onto the highway (rather empty). And I had the biggest smoke cloud ever LOL, the SUV behind me got scaarreeedd!!

However...my engine light came on and then turned off. TWAS SCARY, but I believe it's normal if you dont push your car to higher rpms on a regular basis
 
#5 ·
White "smoke" = water vapour. Quite normal as long as it dissipates quickly. If it leaves a long and lingering trail, however, or if your oil dipstick has a milky appearance, it implies a defective head gasket or other issue that needs prompt attention. This almost never happens on a newer car, however. Most threads like this are just nervous owners getting used to their first Korean car :)
 
#8 ·
It happened to me to once when I was cruising at 55 MPG and had to accelerate hard to pass the other car. My first thoughts were what the heck is that white smoke and is it really coming from my car? Then I started to laugh and felt like in James Bond Aston Martin DB5 equipped with rearward smoke defense gadget. LOL
 
#11 ·
What if you put the accelerator to the floor? lol
 
#13 ·
Oh dear....lol
 
#14 ·
I did keep an eye on the temperature gauge, it seemed fine. And today I saw no fluids under my car, sooo, I guess the car is Ok. To the best of my memory the "smoke" was very white, with maybe a very slight (if any) tint of blue (this was viewing it through my stock windows that have a little bit of tint to them I think).

As far as using this James Bond "feature" to evade the bad guys or cops.....I don't if I tick off the cops Miss Moneypenny will be able to make a phone call to bail me out LOL :)

Jeff
 
#15 ·
In a previous thread, I had same occur. On-ramp to interstate. Thought I'd give her a good run at the 3-lane coming off a hill. Smoke (whitish-gray) billowed outta the tail pipe. Had never done this before. Can't remember miles but was in 10,000 range, or so. Had babied her, possibly too much.

Anyway, tried to duplicate it several times since. Nothing! I quit banging her. Performance never faltered the entire time I owned her.
 
#17 ·
The same thing happened to me yesterday and my 2011 Elantra has about 24,000 miles. This was the second time-it happened before this past spring. Like OP, I was accelerating hard both times and I am usually a fairly conservative driver (though not an old lady!). I rarely go faster than 70 MPH and drive mostly highway-about 400 miles per week (I still don't get much better than 34 MPG though >=<...). In any case, I brought it to the dealer after the first time it happened and they said they could find nothing wrong with my car. Its been running fine since but I'm still worried. It doesn't seem normal for this to be happening in a fairly new car. Glad there's a 100K warranty. I will still be pissed though if I have to replace the engine.
My last car was a 95 Corolla that I inherited from my dad who beat the crap out of it and I never had to do anything for that car more than change the oil-I sold it at 167K miles because it needed a new catalytic converter.
 
#19 · (Edited)
If you have a respectable interstate on-ramp of some length, put the pedal to the metal. Hammer down. It will disloge and blow the carbon off the valves and cylinder head ports. Right thru the exhaust and tailpipe. DONE! Make sure the engine is warmed up prior to. Repeat, occasionally, as you feel is necessary, but don't overdo it.

I use only Shell 100% pure gas in mine and never had this recur. I do hammer down but nothing comes out the back. However what you describe did happen on my first E in 2011. I had gone to Virginia and couldn't get real gas for two weeks. I jumped on her when I got back and out the carbon came. And in went the Shell with nitrogen.


As one of the Mods on this forum once said: "Drive it like you stole it!"

Oh, one more thing: Techron fuel additive. About $6. I put in a bottle every 10,000 miles. It's also a Hyundai-recommended preventive maintenance measure. Most auto stores, Wal*Mart, etc.
 
#21 ·
If you have a respectable interstate on-ramp of some length, put the pedal to the metal. Hammer down. It will disloge and blow the carbon off the valves and cylinder head ports. Right thru the exhaust and tailpipe. DONE!
+1

a.k.a. the "Italian Tuneup"

There's a reason the engineers put 6,000 rpm on that dial, so don't be afraid to use 'em every once in awhile. :)
 
#24 ·
Hello Everyone ... I need an some help on Black smoke emission on I20 diesel Engine ....2011 Model ..

Recently I come across a situation where I see lot of black smoke emission , so I approached Hyundai service center to have proper fix ...
Km - 22000 km .

1st time - They said have updated the some software on the car & which will avoid the smoke .. But story did not end there ... same day still the blank smoke appears after the vehicle was delivered ..

2nd time - reached Hyundai service center to have throw check .. They said have cleaned few sensors & other stuff . But still I emits very bad smoke ....

Please share some ideas to rectify this so that I don't disturb others while driving on road ..
 
#26 ·
I have a 2012 Elantra and it did it once when the car was almost new. Went to the dealer to ask about it and they said it was just cleaning out the engine because it was new. I thought ok sounds reasonable. Now it is 2014 and I have 54000 Kms. on the car and I don't drive it casual. I am on the highway a lot with mountains and lots of passing lanes where I usually open it up. Was in town and leaving a red light I wanted to jump lanes so an opportunity arises and I take it. I look in my rear view and cars had to literally stop the white smoke was so thick. It was very embarrassing. Went back to the dealer and they said that they think it might be a ground on some module that needs cleaning. I am taking it in tomorrow so we will see what happens.
 
#26 ·
2013 hyundai smoke

I had it happen twice so far in a2013 hyundai elantra(30,000 miles). At the times it happened,there was also a 1-2 second time gap when the car felt like it was in neutral ; then it accelerated as if nothing had happened. I checked and all fluid levels are correct. There's no fluid showing on engine or in engine compartment- no leaks on the ground.The light gray smoke that came out the exhaust was a cloud big enough to obscure the two l
anes behind me the first time. The second time the cloud wasn't as large.The car is now at a hyundai dealer who says it's the O2 sensor.They're going to replace it in about a week(part has to be ordered!!!!). I'll get back on this. george in ct.
 
#27 ·
I bought a 2011 Elantra & it blew major smoke out the rear. My nephew was following & he said he had to slow down as he couldn't see. The car had 3,000 miles on it at that time. Couldn't have any carbon buildup. It did it again soon after but hasn't done it sense.

I took it to the dealer but they couldn't find anything. I wanted to have it on record.
Interesting its still happening to some..........

Bruce
 
#28 ·
I actually saw this about a week ago. Several cars were getting on the highway in front of me and I saw a huge black smoke cloud. I assumed it was the beat up old Buick but it was an Elantra and it kept pouring out smoke for at least a minute. Never seen this with my car before.
 
#29 · (Edited)
Just turned 20,000 on my 2013 Elantra, speed up, hit the brakes, huge blue/white smoke...
Took to the dealer, could not find anything, and they did not do a leak down test.
Picked up car in dealer lot, sped up, stopped quickly and brought the huge cloud into the service bay...
They did a leak down test, +30% in all cylinders, not good. All pistons, cylinders and valves scored and leaking oil....
New engine installed, this engine has only had Mobile 1 and Hyundai filters in it.....

I am worried about the future...Perhaps switch from the recommended 5w-20 to 5w30?

According to service dealer, they could not get short engine blocks last year, backordered all the time, is this a engine issue that is common?
Seems perhaps yes, my engine had to come from California, none avalible in Ohio....

Jim
Wisconsin
 
#30 ·
The same exact thing happened to me. I also drive extremely conservatively.

My wife and I were attending her grandfather's funeral and we have a 3 year old that needed to use the potty after the church service.

The procession left without us and of course I missed the green (and yellow) light by 2 seconds. So I was first in line at the signal and I gunned the car for the very first time.

It is a 2013 GLS with 28,000 miles and I crop dusted the equivalent of a 9 hole golf course. It was pretty wicked and I freaked out. But the car continued to drive fine the rest of the day and even up to now.

I'm glad I found this thread. Hopefully it was a carbon blowoff, but the 3 mechanics I talked to said it sounds like oil in cylinders based on white cloud coming from exhaust.

Next oil change I go for I'm taking one of the dealership mechanics for a quick ride and we'll see if we can re-create what happened.

Thanks all,

Love the forums!!
 
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