My Jeep Smells Bad

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2011 11:58 am

I recently moved closer to where I work, so I've been driving a lot less frequently. Jeep ends up sitting for a week or two at a time. About a month ago I get in and it just smells bad. Kind of a musty smell, smells sort of like dirt, I guess.

- It only smells inside the car, which I think eliminates the "something died in the engine or the undercarriage" possibility.
- It smells when I get in, but dissipates quickly
- turning on the fan (any setting) or opening a window makes the smell go away (or at least makes it so I can't smell it anymore)
- smell comes back if I leave the car with the windows shut and fans off for ~10 minutes or so and come back

I did a lot of looking online, and everything seemed to say "it's gotta be the A/C". I got a can of foaming A/C evaporator cleaner. Came with a tube that you stick into the drain for the A/C and just fill it up with foam. That didn't fix anything. I took EVERYTHING out of the jeep. floor mats, things in pockets, even removed the glove box. I pulled off some of the panels and pulled the carpet up in the passenger seat and in the cargo area to see if there was any mold or mildew there. I sprayed lysol into the air intake. I took apart most of the cowl and cleaned in there as well. I tried running the fans with max heat for a period to see if it would dry it out, no luck.

I'm out of ideas. The smell is still there, but I can't find where it's coming from. It doesn't seem to be in the vents because the vents themselves don't smell, and the air coming out of them doesn't smell. I think my next step is to go to a detailer and get them to steam clean all the carpets.

Anybody have any other ideas of what else I can check?

67Customs · **Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2011 12:06 pm

I would check for a small leak of some kind getting the underside of your carpet wet and creating mold/mildew.

That would create enough of a problem that you would smell it when you get into your car, but your nose would acclimate to it fairly quickly and you will get "comfortable" enough with the smell that you think you don't smell it. But, when you get back into the car, guess what, there it is again.

Just a guess.

My first course of action would be to clean the vehicle's interior very well and see if you still smell it. If so, then start checking under the carpet.

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2011 12:16 pm

67Customs wrote:

I would check for a small leak of some kind getting the underside of your carpet wet and creating mold/mildew.

That would create enough of a problem that you would smell it when you get into your car, but your nose would acclimate to it fairly quickly and you will get "comfortable" enough with the smell that you think you don't smell it. But, when you get back into the car, guess what, there it is again.

Hmm, I guess that's possible. The smell is pretty strong, so I'm surprised that I'd aclimate to it so quickly. I'll try just sitting in the car without doing anything with the vents or windows and see if I still notice it.

Quote:

My first course of action would be to clean the vehicle's interior very well and see if you still smell it. If so, then start checking under the carpet.

I gave it a pretty good cleaning, but I haven't gone as far as thoroughly cleaning the carpet or anything.

Any idea where I should look under the carpet? I don't see or smell anything under the passenger side carpet (I looked there because it's by the A/C and air intake). I briefly looked in the carpet in the back, but I need to buy a giant torx bit to take the rear seatbelts off to get the panels off back there (to get the carpet up without destroying it).

Blue KJ in PA · **Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2011 12:59 pm

Look up...you have a sunroof...check to see if drains are clogged. Water could have gotten in to the roof padding. Also since you have a Renegade the roof light could be leaking. Just my :2cents:

for guesses

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:25 pm

Blue KJ in PA wrote:

Look up...you have a sunroof...check to see if drains are clogged. Water could have gotten in to the roof padding. Also since you have a Renegade the roof light could be leaking. Just my :2cents:

for guesses

I've been reading more and more about the sunroof drains, that's a pretty good thought. I'm trying to find a photo of where the drains are because I wasn't completely sure when I was poking around in there a week or so ago. I haven't noticed any water leaking or anything, but maybe it's just a small amount.

No roof lights, so at least that won't be a problem!

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2011 5:08 pm

Just have to say it...........

maybe you need a new drivers seat!!?? :ROTFL:

ramlebliberty · **Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2011 6:54 pm

tommudd wrote:

Just have to say it...........

maybe you need a new drivers seat!!?? :ROTFL:

Only smell it when you get in an enclosed area, maybe you should be looking at something other than the Jeep? :-)r

http://www.oldspice.com/?gclid=CO2mysmH ... 7AodtUya6g

blackwidowkj06 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 01, 2011 9:49 pm

I ripped my carpet out cause it was wet on the driver's side. On the underside, it was moldy and musty. The Jeep smelled like crap with it in there. Now the Jeep is carpetless and smells better; along with my black ice air freshner. :mrgreen:

My Jeep Smells Bad

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