My wife's 2008 Hyundai Accent,starting around an odometer reading1000 miles,had an intermittant smell once in a while, most strong when backing up into the garage. The dealer checked it but found nothing awry. Been waiting for the MPG to rise from the switch-over from lower energy winter mix gas to higher energy summer mix gas, but so far my expectation hasn't happened. Carefully checked MPG from the very beginning.Now my wife's 'check engine' light has come on. I feel like all three mentioned items could be related. We have an appointment with the dealer tomorrow. Does anyone else have information thatapplies to our situation?Thank you.

5/14/08
P.S....The dealer found that the check engine light came on because my wife didn't screw the gascap tight enough on the gas tank inlet. Oh, well. TheMPG is finally starting upward. Instead of 31MPG, the Accent is getting about 34MPG now.The intermittant smell is lessening. Can't believe its some strange 'new car' smell. The Accent runs excellently for my wife. She really loves it.

 

The smell might just be the coating on the exhaust system burning off. Hyundai coats the exhaust to prevent rusting during shipping. It usually burns off in a week or 2 depending on how much you drive it.

I would take the car to the dealer and let them check the codes that are causing the CEL.

 

Update to my wife's 2008 GS Accent:

The smell has finally faded away & my wife let me take Accent on 3 daytrips. Over moderately high mountain passes, Accent got 41.5, 42.6, & 45.1 MPG! Topnotch, & close to feather footer's reports for the Toyota Yaris & Honda Fit!

Accent drives wonderfully. We have the short shifter that is the second best shifter I have ever driven.