Strong silicone smell from vents

about two to three times a week for the past year, the vents in my car omit a VERY strong silicone smell, almost burning my nose hairs. The a/c is on when this happens. Took it to the dealership and they cant figure it out of course because its not doing it now.

what is going on?

When the engine is cold, open the coolant expansion tank and smell the antifreeze mix. Does it resemble the odor from the vents?

Your heater core is probably leaking.

Make this one more vote for the probability that your heater core is leaking.
Check the coolant level when the engine is cold in order to see if the level has dropped.

Can this be fixed and what’s the cost

What is the make,year and model of your car because repair price may differ from brand to brand? Its been 10 years since this post was written and the original poster may not come back to answer you.

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2011 Chevy impala

@Michael_Binkley Please go to the main page of Car Talk Community and start your own thread . This old thread is about a different vehicle then yours and the poster never did say what the real problem was. As for cost , that is almost impossible to say over the web without knowing where you are or what shop you might use.

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Average repair cost for the heater core replacement for your car.

https://repairpal.com/estimator/chevrolet/impala/heater-core-replacement-cost