[raz-0]

I had a slow (SLOW) coolant leak on my 15 TH for a long time. It eventually got a bit worse, and you could see crystals forming at the seam. The reservoir was defective and would leak slowly until the fluid was below the seam. Replaced it and no more leak.

It does not create an exhaust smell in the cabin, but at least for me it was not creating a burning coolant smell either.

There's also a fairly common issue with the lower coolant hose on the radiator weeping around the connection.

 

[raz-0]

I don't think the typical smell is burning coolant. I think it's just hot coolant.

I heated some up in a teaspoon once so my family would be able to recognize the smell; it didn't take heating it to boiling to definitely smell it.

I'd think the coolant in the overflow reservoir would be hot enough to generate the smell...

Regardless of being pedantic about burning vs heated, we are talking about the same smell, and it wasn't present.