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Dog as pet smell source in car (C) Daniel Friedman How to Find & Remove Odors, Gases & Smells in Cars, Automobiles, Boats, Trucks, Campers

  • POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about diagnosing and cleaning up mold or mold smells in vehicles: cars, boats, RVs, campers, airplanes, trucks

Car smell diagnosis: this article series explains how to find, diagnose, test, identify, and cure or remove a wide range of obnoxious or even toxic odors in cars, trucks, campers, boats, and similar vehicles.

Smells in a boat, car, camper, or truck may be due to a range of problems ranging from dangerous burning brakes or an actual engine fire, to leaks in the climate control system, to hard-to-cure mold contamination of carpeting, seating, headlines, and sound proofing.

This article explains the range of causes of odors in vehicles, what they might mean, and how best to get rid of the offensive, unhealthy, or unsafe smell.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

Boat, Car, Camper Odor Diagnosis & Cure Guide: How to Find, Test, & Remove Odors, Odor Detection, Smells, & Gases in Vehicles

Moldy car smell - how to find and get rid of car mold odor (C) Daniel Friedman

The photo at the top of this page shows how pet odors can become pervasive in a car, noticed more by occasional passengers than the car's owner.

But at left we are dealing with a car that stinks of mold, not dog odors nor cat pee. Details of this successful car deodorization process are included in this article.

Article Contents

Foul smells in cars tend to be particularly troublesome to drivers and passengers who find themselves enclosed in a comparatively small space where airborne particles, gases, smells, stinks, and odors may appear to be concentrated.

Lowering windows may provide temporary but certainly not all-season relief from car smells.

Car Burning or Gas Smell Safety Warnings: Vehicle Smells May Indicate Safety Hazards: Burning Brakes, Car Fires, Electrical Fires

Some vehicle odors need to be diagnosed virtually immediately if they might indicate a safety hazard. Some examples include:

Smoky burning car smells or odors - possibly traced to a locked emergency brake, a stuck, failing main braking system component, or even an engine fire: burning electrical components, an oil or gas leak in the engine compartment, or a similar condition can set a vehicle on fire.

Stop your car and investigate burning odors immediately or as soon as you can pull safely out of traffic.

But be prepared to quickly get everyone out of the car and to a safe location away from the vehicle if you see or smell smoke. As he drove down the Garden State Parkway, our brother-in-law smelled something like smoke coming from the foot-well or dashboard of his Corvette. When he slowed down to pull in to a toll booth, smoke began curling up from the car's dashboard.

David quickly realized that only the wind from highway speed had been keeping the car from bursting into flame. He leapt from the car, leaving it stalled right in the toll booth, and ran for a fire extinguisher. In moments the engine compartment was a roaring fire that in turn set the fiberglass Corvette body on fire as well.

Prompt aid from the fire department put out the burning car and saved the toll booth from more than Corvette-smoke damage. David was, however, not very popular with the toll booth attendants. The car was a total loss.

More recently, stopping to aid a motorist in the off-roads of central Mexico, we noticed the characteristic burning plastic odor of an electrical fire coming from the engine compartment of a pickup truck. Luckily, by quickly turning off the ignition switch (we might have needed to also disconnect the battery but not in this case), the electrical wiring stopped overheating and we were able to avoid a more serious fire.

Burning Smells in Cars: burnt oil, burnt plastic, nasty dead fish, maple syrup

Other burning smells from cars have been reported and discussed on Car Talk [NPR] and include sources such as

Car Odors - Animals that Cause Car Smells, Dead or Alive

Some possible sources of a "dead animal" smell in your boat, car, camper, or truck are worth checking out:

Animal urine,

vomit, feces from pets or from animals that you should never have let in your car or boat in the first place, like Laura's groundhog that we discuss at GOPHER HOLE DAMAGE.

Mice and rats

 like to nest in vehicles, both in the vehicle interior where there is lots of nice nesting material, and in the engine compartment where there are cozy, initially warm spots such as inside the air cleaner.

If you are having trouble starting the engine of a vehicle that has been stored over the winter, in fact maybe even before trying to start such a vehicle, check for a mouse nest in the air cleaner. It's a lot easier to clean out this mess before you try cranking the engine - a step that can actually suck nest material into the engine itself, causing worse problems.

Skunk smells on and in cars:

lots of drivers know what happens if you run over a skunk, even a dead one. The smell seems to stick to tires and to the car under-side. It goes away with washing and time. But sometimes it's worth checking further to be sure your vehicle is not a coffin.

In college, our friend Sam was the first kid to own a new car, a beautiful Chevrolet Impala that the rest of us envied. Some of the fellows were more resentful than the rest of us, after noticing that Sam was more of a car utilitarian than a car enthusiast (he had never opened the hood nor trunk of his new car even to look inside). This lack of red-blooded American car-enthusiasm got their goat. Or skunk.

In what started as a bad practical joke, two fellows (not including the author) found a dead skunk - nearby road kill, and managed to place it (thoughtfully wrapped in newspaper) in the trunk of Sam's new Impala.

The skunk stunk, worse day by day. Finally, even Sam noticed the smell and came to the author asking "Dan, can you help me figure out why my car smells funny?"

It didn't take long. We could smell the skunky Impala from 100 feet away. After a quick look under the front end for skunk parts, we noticed the smell was worse at the car's tail end - sort of like a skunk itself. We opened the trunk and quickly stepped back in disgust.

Removing the dead skunk from the trunk was not enough as now the whole car smelled horrible. Replacing the carpeting and mats took care of most of the skunky car trouble, and time did the rest. It was months, however, before anyone wanted a ride with Sam.

If you are struggling with a horrible skunk smell in your vehicle, and it's actually due to a skunk, check with a veterinarian who may have products and special advice for cleaning out skunk odors.

Squirrels

 also like to make a winter home in vehicles. Our friend Sam S. stored his Porsche boxer in our un-heated garage for months beginning in the fall. Other than driving the Porsche into the garage and turning off the engine, no other preventative measures were taken.

When Sammy returned to pick up his car we just handed him the key to the garage. A few minutes later he came back into our lab, scowling and angry. "It wasn't very funny what you did," he began. He went on to describe what he thought was our practical joke: filling the car's interior with leaves.

Dog as pet smell source in car (C) Daniel Friedman

We were not guilty. A closer examination showed along with leaves, lots of acorns, and worse, squirrel pee and poop throughout. The car was salvageable, but only after a lot of cleaning.

Pets in automobiles,

especially in family's who may bring along several dogs on long rides, can make a car smell doggy even if no accidents (pet urine) ever occur in the vehicle.

Our photo (left) shows Rudy who was a frequent traveler in our daughter's car. Although Rudy never had an accident in the car, and though he was well cared for, Rudy's frequent travel left the car hairy and doggy, noticeable to passengers if not to Rudy's family.

In our experience the pet odor is more noticeable to visitors and occasional passengers than to members of a family who live with the pets.

Urine smells in cars:

a urine smell associated with turning on the heater may be caused by a leaking heater core. But also check the heating and cooling system for mouse infestation of the ducts or heater.

Small animals may enter the vehicle's duct system or air box where they build a pee-smelling nest and where they might even continue to reside - until you start using the car again.

Because cleaning these components is time consuming, difficult, and costly, it may be less expensive to simply remove and replace these components unless on your particular vehicle they can be removed and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with reasonable effort.

Urine smells can of course be caused by a bigger animal (including a human) peeing in the car. Ex wife No. 1 hated our cat, who returned the sentiment. While transporting the cat to the vet, everyone was nervous, including cat, who peed copiously on Harriet as well as on the seat and carpeting of the passenger side of our 1969 Karmann Ghia convertible. Forever after, no matter how much we cleaned the carpets, if we left the car parked in the sun with the top up, it was impossible to tolerate the cat pee inside the vehicle.

Spraying a deodorant into the vehicle's climate control system 

ducts will certainly not be effective if there is a nest or a dead animal in the system. If the recirculating control is set to shut off outside air and the smell is reduced or stops, that probably indicates that the animal or nest is in the engine compartment rather than in the portions of the climate control ducting in the passenger compartment.

Because cleaning a car's A/C system ducts and other components is time consuming, difficult, and costly, it may be less expensive to simply remove and replace these components unless on your particular vehicle they can be removed and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with reasonable effort.

For details about animal smells in both buildings and cars, see our diagnostic article

ANIMAL or URINE ODOR SOURCE DETECTION.

Rotten odors that smell like a dead animal, or garbage,

may also be traced to food or drinks (including milk) spilled in the vehicle, especially if its passengers include small children.

Car Odors - Antifreeze Smell

Probably a leaky heater core - have it checked promptly.

See Car Odors - Climate Control System, below.

Car Odors - Body Odor or "BO"

A "BO" smell in a car might be traced to occupants who needed a wash, or to mold growth in the A/C system. Some molds are known to produce a "dirty socks" smell. Ask your mechanic to check the A/C evaporator system and its drain port for blockage. -- Car Talk

A similar complaint of "stinky feet" smell coming from the car's A/C system might have had mold as its origin.

Car Odors - Cigars and Cigarettes

These smells are difficult to get rid-of without removing and replacing carpeting, seat covers, headliners, other soft goods or fabrics.

Removing these, cleaning the vehicle, and installing new materials may be effective. Before trying an ozone generator (that might help if it's not over done) see our warnings at our more broad discussion of use

of OZONE MOLD / ODOR TREATMENT WARNINGS.

Car Odors - Climate Control System, Heating & Air Conditioning Causing Foul Car Smells

A/C evaporator leaks:

The New York Times reported ("Shaky Seats, Leaky Fluids", 01/24/10) that "... some Toyota models may exhibit intermittent foul odors from the climate control system." The Times continued to note that Toyota has issued technical service bulletins for the 2006-2009 Toyota Rav4, the 2007-2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser, and the 2009-10 Toyota FJ Cruiser, as well as the 2009-10 Toyota Corolla.

The repair to remove the foul odor from these models involves replacement of the air-conditioner evaporator. The Times article as well as your Toyota dealer can provide the technical service bulletin numbers and details for specific models.

Coolant leaks

 into the duct work of a car's climate control system can be a source of a sickly sweet odor or other smells. The climate control system might, under some circumstances, also conduct exhaust smells, burning oil smells, fuel smells,or other odors from the engine compartment into the passenger compartment.

A clogged A/C system evaporator drain

 can cause condensate to accumulate in the climate control system, leading to both mold and even potential bacterial hazards. See the general discussion

on Legionella BACTERIA & HVAC EQUIPMENT where we describe this hazard in building HVAC systems.

Spraying a deodorant into the vehicle's climate control system

 ducts will certainly not be effective if there is a nest or a dead animal in the system. If the recirculating control is set to shut off outside air and the smell is reduced or stops, that probably indicates that the animal or nest is in the engine compartment rather than in the portions of the climate control ducting in the passenger compartment.

Because cleaning a car's A/C system ducts and other components is time consuming, difficult, and costly, it may be less expensive to simply remove and replace these components unless on your particular vehicle they can be removed and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with reasonable effort.

More about how odors move from one location to another through climate control or HVAC duct work in buildings (a similar but bigger problem than duct work in a car) is

at DUCT & AIR HANDLER ODORS.

Car Odors - Exhaust Gas Smells Getting into Vehicles

Exhaust odors are a sign of trouble that may also be very dangerous: if you smell car exhaust while inside of your vehicle there may be a dangerous exhaust gas leak into the passenger compartment. Exhaust can enter the passenger compartment from the engine compartment, through the floor under the car, or even from an open car window, especially a back window or open hatch. CO hazards are discussed separately

at CARBON MONOXIDE GAS TOXICITY

Car exhaust is particularly dangerous for passengers riding in the enclosed or capped back of a pickup truck whose rear hatch has been left open, as air currents can draw exhaust into the vehicle even when there is no actual damage to the exhaust pipes or muffler.

Gasoline engine exhaust fumes are likely to contain carbon monoxide, a dangerous gas that causes first drowsiness (drive right into an accident?) and ultimately unconsciousness and death.

Have your vehicle and its exhaust system inspected by your mechanic if you smell engine exhaust in your vehicle. In driving your smelly car to the mechanic you might want to keep the front windows open as well.

More about the dangers of carbon monoxide and how we test for and correct CO gas leaks is found in these toxic gas articles - a sampling of a larger set of CO articles found at InspectApedia.com.

Car Odors - Gasoline

You will not normally smell gasoline inside of a modern car unless you stepped in gasoline and tracked some into the vehicle, say at a gas station. However some plastic odors are confused for gasoline or other chemicals.

Gasoline smells in some cars (Subarus) have also been reported and traced to rubber hoses connecting the fuel rails to the fuel injectors. Leaks may be at the hose clamps, not in the hoses themselves. The symptom was a gas odor that appears mostly when the engine is cold and first started.

Gasoline smells are often traced to the vehicle's fuel system, piping, filters where an adjustment problem, mixture problem, or similar malfunctions; gasoline odors may be carried into the passenger compartment through openings in the fire wall or by an air intake leak into the vehicle's climate control system.

Car Odors - Mold: Boat, Camper, Car, or Truck Mold Contamination Can Cause Moldy Smells and May be a Health Risk

Car mold smell traced to carpeting and insulation (C) Daniel Friedman

Mold growth in a vehicle such as a boat, camper, car, or truck can be hard to see but easy to smell, producing an obnoxious moldy or musty smell that some owners refer to as car "mildew".

Usually a moldy smelling car that stinks as soon as you open a door to enter it, with the engine off, is due to a water leak and mold contaminated soft goods such as sound insulation, carpets, or even seats or the head liner. Don't forget to check the trunk for leaks and moldy smell sources too.

A moldy smell "mildew smell" coming out of the heating/cooling vents may be associated with mold growth inside the A/C evaporator itself according to Car Talk whose hosts suggested trying to "kill" the mold with Lysol spray. In general we need to clean up or remove mold from problem areas; killing mold is ineffective, incomplete, and may leave harmful particles that continue to plague the car's occupants respiratory systems.

See MOLD KILLING GUIDE (for buildings, also applies to cars) for details.

Here is our step by step moldy car cleanup guide

The most reliable to find and remove the source and cause of a moldy smell in a vehicle involves several steps. We list the car deodorizing steps, and following the list we discuss each of these car smell cure steps in more detail.

Bottom line: as you'll read below, the combination of warmth or heat + fresh air ventilation with clean dry air are the key are the most-effective steps in speeding up the off-gassing and removing the smell of new car VOCs.

  1. Identify the smell

    in the vehicle: is it mold or something else? Most people can recognize the musty smell of mold and most can distinguish that odor from other smells such as the chemical smell of offgassing of carpets or plastic materials or the odor of pet urine that might be in a vehicle.

    Knowing the type of odor source is key in understanding what steps to take to get rid of it.

    For example, simply airing out a car floor carpet or seat that was peed-on by your cat won't solve the problem.
  2. Confirm that the moldy or "mildew" smell comes from inside the vehicle,

    ruling out having simply parked in a stinky area. Confirm that it's a moldy smell identify the smell in the vehicle to be sure it's "moldy" and not something else such as the other vehicle odors discussed throughout our vehicle-odor diagnosis article:

    BOAT & CAR SMELLS & ODORS
  3. Rule Out Indirect Odor or Smell Sources:

    Track the Stink to the Source, by ruling out odors that seem to be coming from a vehicle but actually come from an indirect source such as a boat cover, parking in a smelly area, etc.
  4. Find where in the vehicle the smell is strongest.

    Use the subjective test of a smell-test person, or if necessary, use

    our SMELL PATCH TEST to FIND ODOR SOURCE to confirm that the odor source is a specific item such as car carpeting, sound insulation, seat, or headliner.
  5. Look for and trace the source of water leaks into the vehicle.

    Mold needs water to grow, and food to eat - carpeting, plastic surfaces, cloth head liners, sound insulation, even paint will do. Mold does not grow on clean metal surfaces in a car.
  6. Remove moldy, smelly materials

    such as moldy carpeting or seats, clean the remaining car interior, and repeat the steps above. The moldy smell should be significantly less.

    It probably won't be completely gone, because the mold odor-source - the MVOCs that you were actually smelling, is a gas that also permeates other porous vehicle materials.
  7. Use "odor-killing" deodorants or ozone to get rid of moldy car smell?

    Generally we do not recommend car deodorants - they only cover up the smell, the do not get rid of the source. It will be back.

    Ozone generators produce ozone gas, a strong oxidant (and dangerous to breathe) that temporarily fills the car interior to try to "oxidize" or "kill" mold that your car cleaning company couldn't reach - such as sound insulation padding up high inside the front fire-wall of the car, under the dash board.

    Watch out: Expert use of ozone might help reduce odors in a car, camper, van, or RV. But be very careful if you're going to permit someone to ozone-treat your vehicle.

    If the ozone treatment is over-done, the ozone can oxidize other car materials, causing a more horrible odor than ever.

    Details about overdosing a car with ozone is

    at OZONE to GET RID of ODORS in a CAR
  8. Let the cleaned vehicle "cook" in sunlight

     on warm, dry days, with the car windows open.

    Watch out: when exposing the interior materials of a new car to heat to speed offgassing of VOCs, remember that you are actually increasing the rate of VOC emission, so be sure that you area ventilating the car interior with fresh air at the same time.
  9. Ventilate the vehicle with dry fresh air.

    Watch out: when leaving your car or other vehicle windows open to speed its deodorizing, take care not to leave the windows down if there is risk of rain, hail, sleet or snow - water blowing into your car can convert it to a mold palace that is beyond economical repair.

    While driving a new vehicle in which the VOC odor is strong, keep the vehicle's climate control system set to introduce fresh outdoor air or if weather permits, open its windows. That will reduce your exposure to high levels of new car VOCs.

    We emphasize: when leaving your car parked with windows down as a step in reducing that "new car" VOC smell, ventilate the vehicle only with dry fresh air and only as weather permits.

  10. If the boat, car, camper, truck, or other vehicle still smells

    as bad as before, you have not found the source and you'll need to be more aggressive in finding and removing smell-contaminated materials.

    Some sources suggest using a vehicle carpet shampoo or upholstery cleaner and HEPA vacuuming as well as wiping down hard interior surfaces such as the dashboard, door panels, and other plastic or vinyl surfaces.

    Really? OPINION: We haven't found that this made much difference when the VOC smell is coming from new car vinyl or plastic materials, but it won't hurt to give that a try.

    Other sources that we've reviewed suggest using "odor absorbing materials" such as baggies of charcoal, zeolite, odor eliminating pads or baking soda.

    Really? Our OPINION, based now on nearly seven decades of dealing with new car smells, is that those tiny band aids don't do anything meaningful in reducing new car smells. But driving around with bags of charcoal in the car does give you something to do while waiting for the normal passage of time and fresh air to actually do the job.

    Then go back to step 1.

Complete step by step details of how to find and remove moldy, musty, or "mildew" smells in cars and other vehicles can be found

at CAR SMELL - Mold DEODORIZING.

Car Odors - Plastic Odors or "new car smell" - may be toxic?

Lots of new cars give off a "new car" smell that is a mix of volatile organic compounds out-gassing from new plastics and vinyls used in the car's interior.

Usually this smell diminishes over the first few months of the car's life once it is in active use. However the out gassing from these materials can be substantial and is a respiratory irritant to some people.

Usually these new car "plastic" odors or "vinyl smells" are from VOCs from adhesives and vehicle interior components (vinyl and plastic headliners, dashboards, floor mats, carpets, etc) containing phthalates, an ingredient in vinyls and plastics used in cars, possibly also there may be VOCs and odors from paints and lubricants as well as in flame retardants used in some vehicles. .

According to a 2000 study by chemical engineers Grabbs et al, - these new car smells usually dissipate fairly quickly, 90% in 21 days, down to trace in in perhaps 60 days, especially in warm weather with windows open.

The authors studied four new vehicles and found that three of them had total VOC concentrations (TVOC) 300 to 600 ug/M3 on the first day of testing.

While over sixty chemicals were identified in the interior of the test vehicles, gases present at highest levels included toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and undecane. The study abstract did not mention vinyl chloride, nor "organotoxins" cited by other sources as a possible new car odor (and PVC vinyl shower curtain odor).

Watch out:  We have received and also read of complaints of burning eyes, headache, and fatigue that some vehicle occupants ascribe to these chemicals.

And indeed, as with mold exposure discussed above, particularly enclosing a sensitive individual (such as an asthmatic person) in a small space such as a new vehicle interior (windows shut, hot weather) where these gases are present could be a more immediate respiratory danger than the long-term exposure risks to carcinogenic chemicals that are unlikely to remain at high levels as the vehicle ages.

Also see Nitrogen Oxides GAS for a discussion of a possible problem with oxidized plastics that might occur if someone overdoses your car interior with an ozone generator while trying to get rid of an odor.

Also see OZONE HAZARDS.

Standards for exposure to "new car" VOCs and chemicals?

To compare a government exposure standard to an actual measurement of gases or chemicals present in a new car, one will need to compare the exposure levels found, both instantaneous and time-weighted average exposure, to existing exposure standards for those chemicals, standards which may not have been written for vehicles, nor reflective of the variables - windows open or shut, temperature, duration, etc.

Watch out:  But also watch what you spend on this topic: some of the car air purifier products sold to "remove" these gases may be both ineffective and unnecessary. It might be both effective and less costly to try opening the vehicle windows during the initial outgassing period for a new vehicle with smelly plastics or glues.

See PLASTIC ODORS for details about typical sources and cures for plastic odors and for the relationship between plastic and vinyl outgassing and heat or sunlight.

Level & Toxicity of "New Car" Odors, Offgassing, Formaldehyde and other VOCs

Car Odors - Sweet Smells

Antifreeze leaks in a vehicle may produce a sweet smell that enters the passenger compartment, especially if a heater core is leaking antifreeze into the duct system.

This smell has been described as sickly sweet, or even cupcakes.

 




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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2023-10-28 by InspectApedia DF (mod) - Current regulation of VOC emissions in new car interiors?

In the U.S. regulation of new car related VOCs has focused first on emissions from burning carbon based fuels such as diesel and gasoline (e.g. EPA 40 CFR Part 86 regulating air pollution from new motor vehicles & motor vehicle engines) and on reduction of VOCs associated with vehicle coating such as body paint and undercoatings.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has proposed improved car and other vehicle indoor air quality measurement guidelines and standards and according to the UN ECE document we cite below,

Many countries throughout the world have already introduced standards concerning vehicle interior air quality. Several countries have established regulations or guidelines regarding emissions from interior materials. Although these test procedures are very similar, there are many differences in test conditions.

Really? Don't confuse agreement on vehicle VOC testing standards and methods with agreement on acceptable VOC levels in new passenger cars or other vehicles.

And don't confuse measurement of these toxic gases - Nitrogen oxide (NO), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and Carbon monoxide (CO) discussed in the UN ECE resolution with other VOCs and odors discussed in this article. See UN ECE Mutual Resolution No. 3 also cited below for useful detail.

VOC Emission Rulings that Affect New Automobiles (or actually don't)

On 2023-10-27 by Anonymous - i heard that there is a regulation of dealing with the vocs before delivering the cars

@InspectApedia Publisher, i heard that there is a regulation of dealing with the vocs before delivering the cars to dealership. is it right?

On 2023-10-27 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - popular articles on new car VOCs are basically right

@Anonymous,

Thanks for that reference. It's a "popular" article, and in my OPINION could have been written more-clearly to distinguish between various VOC odors found in new cars and the formaldehyde concern which is a long-standing one that we discuss in detail.
But you're right:

Xylene, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde represent typical examples of relevant volatile organic substances (VOC) released from articles inside cars. (Schupp 2005 cited in our Car Odors article)

You'll read in our article that a combination of fresh air ventilation and warmth will usually reduce such car odors and offgassing rather quickly.

Additional scholarly research on the question of formaldehyde offgassing in new cars is cited in our article

BOAT & CAR SMELLS & ODORS

inspectapedia.com/odor_diagnosis/Odor_Diagnosis_Cars_Boats_RVs.php

Thank you very much for the question and comment - it helps us see where we need to add or clarify information. Working together helps us all.

On 2023-10-27 by Anonymous - I saw this article on cancer causing chemicals in cars

@InspectApedia Publisher,

google.com/amp/s/www.foxnews.com/health/love-new-car-smell-study-says-there-are-cancer-causing-chemicals-consider.amp there are a lot more, basically the same, all recent years

On 2023-10-27 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod)

@Anonymous,

please give us your specific article citations so that we can take a look and then comment further.

On 2023-10-27 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - worry about formaldehyde and other VOCs in a New Car?

@Anonymous,

Are you noticing odors in that car?

If so our car odor articles suggest some remedies.

Remember that the dose makes the poison.

On 2023-10-27 by Anonymous - tell me why I find tons of article says high formaldehyde level in new car? I

@InspectApedia Publisher,

InspectApedia DF, mind tell me why I find tons of article says high formaldehyde level in new car? I just bought a mustang that used plastic as main material for interior.

On 2023-10-27 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - do i have to worry about formaldehyde and other voc in a new car today?

@Anonymous,

Thank you for an excellent question. We have revised our earlier reply for clarity and accuracy.

We've published quite a bit on formaldehyde offgassing sources and remedies, and separately on odors in cars.

Bottom line: a broad range of VOCs in several chemical groups can be found at rather high levels in new cars - not just formaldehyde, but many other VOCs including (but not limited to) acetaldehyde, acrolein, benzene, ethylbenzene, formaldehyde, styrene, toluene, xylene.

Levels of toluene (and possibly others) in some vehicles examined exceeded WHO's exposure limits; at the very least these VOCs may be irritating to some people and might, depending on exposure level and duration, be a health concern in some cases such as taxi drivers who spend many hours in their vehicle.

The amount of fresh air ventilation and other factors affect the time required for the VOC level in new cars to diminish significantlhy, and some experyts (Faber, Chen, et als cited at this page) found that that total level of VOCs (TVOCs) could still be above 1500 milligrams per cubic meter a year after delivery to the car's new owner.

See our recommended articles at the bottom of these pages

FORMALDEHYDE GAS SOURCES & HAZARDS RESEARCH

and

BOAT & CAR SMELLS & ODORS - you are now on this page

On 2023-10-26 by Anonymous

do i have to worry about formaldehyde and other voc in a new car today?

On 2018-05-31 by (mod) - lingering odors after cat died between hull and floor of the boat.

Ken

See if you can borrow a borescope that might let you take a look into the hullspace.

Probably spraying a cleaner/disinfectant and vacuuming out a bit of wash water will improve things.

On 2018-05-28 by Ken

A cat died between hull and floor of the boat. Got it out. Don't know if there is another one. Hard to get to place.

On 2017-09-02 - by (mod) -

You could Use the on-page search box at the top or bottom of this page on this page to find our article on SMELL PATCH TEST to see an inexpensive and easy way to test if the carpet is the odor Source. If it is rather than spending a lot on further testing I would consider removing it and replacing it

On 2017-09-01 by David

I just purchased a 2005 Chrysler crossfire. Unfortunately, there is a bad smell in the vehicle. We think it might be the carpet breaking down?? Had anyone heard of this ? Would love Amy suggestions. l

On 2016-05-08 - by (mod) -

Brenda,

The camphor-like odor of mothballs or moth flakes is pretty distinctive. I would be surprised if it is coming from something other than someone having put mothballs somewhere in the car. You may be able to "cook" out the odor by leaving the car windows and trunk open and the car parked in sunlight in good weather. (Don't let it rain into your car). Else you might have to replace carpets or even a headliner.

Before replacing carpets or headliner, ry our Smell Patch Test Kit approach (search InspectApedia for that phrase) to see a simple, inexpensive diagnostic that might tell you which surface is the odor source.

On 2016-05-06 by brenda mcmillan

problem causing mothball smell in car

Question: Car Odor Source Tests - Is There a Test for Mold in Cars?

I have a toyota Avalon it has a bad smell when the a/c is on. Is there a test that I can do to check for mold contamination in my car? The smell makes my wife sick. - R.L.

Answer: Yes but ...

OPINION: Yes there are mold tests that will work inside of a car, particularly checking for airborne mold spores or a test for MVOC (mold-related volatile organic compound) gases.

But a visual inspection, finding and removing the problem source, would be a better way to spend the effort and money. A test itself wont' tell you what to do or where to find and fix the problem.

Start by tracking down water leaks that may have wet carpeting, sound insulation, door padding, or the headliner. Don't forget to check for leaks into the trunk area as well. If you can trace a moldy car smell to carpeting or floor mats, you are in luck since it's relatively easy to simply remove and replace those materials. Take a look at our moldy car discussion

at CAR SMELL - Mold DEODORIZING.

It is also possible to test for other gases or odors in cars. Identifying the gas that is associated with an odor might help track down the problem source. For example, a plastic odor that has become too strong might be traced to unusual oxidation of plastic or vinyl materials, as we discuss

at CAR ODORS, PLASTIC

In general we prefer visual inspection to simply "testing" because far too often even when a test identifies the type of odor source in a car or building, neither the test lab nor the test "expert" you hired to perform the test is sure what you should do next. In other words, don't spend money on a "test" if the results are not going to be diagnostic.

Question: My car rattles and smells like dead fish

Hello,I own a 2005 Chrysler 300c. The car is kept in garage and used only once or twice a week, especially during winter. I started car sunday morning ,smelled nothing when i opened the door,but strong odor of dead fish after I started car.

After I made 1 hr trip and car sat for 1 1/2 hrs i restarted car smell came back strong and a rattling sound and vibration from under or near floorboard drivers side close to door. Is this catalytic converter or is it possible animal crawled up inside left exhaust pipe and died? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR RESPONSE - R.M. 3/28/12

Reply:

I think I need more details than make and model of a car to guess at what may be causing a smell.

When did the smell occur?
Are there any leaks in A/C system, fluids, etc?
Has the interior been wet or invested by animals? Maybe a dead animal? Stored cars are mouse-hotels.

Follow-up:

The smell occurred after I started the car. The noises -rattling didn't start for about 1 hr after I started car. I did turn air on for awhile after that 1 hour period. I don't know about any leaks.the interior has never had any animal in it-dead or alive. Thank you for responding! I don't see any evidence of leaks, I will look more under hood. - R.M.

Reply:

A competent onsite inspection by an expert usually finds additional clues that help accurately diagnose the source of an odor. In this case my first guess is you need a clutch mechanic, second, to check for an antifreeze leak in your car heating and air conditioning system, third, an automotive A/C mechanic.

In the article above, we refer readers to a warning from Car Talk that a "fish smell" may be due to a clutch problem. If your car is an automatic, I'd look also into an antifreeze leak into the A/C/heating duct system.

Sometimes antifreeze, especially combined with various plastics, filters, lubricants in a vehicle, can make for some odd smells.

I don't rule out, therefore, that antifreeze, or a lubricant, has leaked onto your muffler's catalytic converter - which gets very hot. Just about anything, a plastic or rubber washer or mount part, or a leaked liquid, could make a horrible smell. So might a small animal that had crawled into there to make a nest, or sadly, to die.

In other words, I don't know what's causing the dead fish smell in your Chrysler 300c. But it's worth taking a look at the following:

  1. Exactly what is rattling on the vehicle. Fix it. I know some people just take off a loose heat shield and throw it away. The noise goes away, but I figure that the manufacturer of your car wouldn't have put that shield in place if it wasn't absolutely necessary, including protecting from the risk of setting the car on fire.
  2. What may have fallen onto or into the catalytic converter or muffler, engine manifold, or some other hot engine part.
  3. Is a leak of antifreeze or another liquid.
  4. Where are any leaking liquids coming from - that will be another repair job.

Especially when a car is left in storage, we find little animals often make a home somewhere in the engine compartment, under the car, or inside the car interior or its trunk - it depends.

Smells from the animalitos show up right away as a horribly musty urine smell if there's a big mouse nest inside the passenger compartment, for example.

But smells from a dead mouse inside the air cleaner, or a gopher up the exhaust pipe may not show up until you start the engine.

If the air intake or carburetor or exhaust are animal-clogged, the result can be that the engine won't start, or worse, when you suck seeds and nest crud into the carburetor the engine can be damaged.

Question: 2013 Avalon that smells like urine when you start the car

(May 10, 2014) pat said:
I have a 2013 Avalon that smells like urine when you start the car. What is the problem?

Reply:

Check for an antifreeze leak into the cars heating and air conditioning duct system.

Check for rodents in the heating/cooling ductwork.

Question: Toyota 2002 model Corola suddenly I noticed that it has a nasty dead mouse smell

June 2, 2014) lcd2000@hotmail.com said:
Hello:

I have a Toyota 2002 model Corola suddenly I noticed that it has a nasty dead mouse smell that

you can notice after I have parked my car. My car can be parked for 24 hours and when you go
inside you will notice a rotten dead mouse smell.

I cannot stand the smell and it bothers my concentration. Mechanic hoisted it but found noting.
This dead rat smell will not leave. have rolled the windown down but it does nothing for that
awful smell. Can someone please help what it could be?

Reply:

LCD you saw the article above on animal odors in cars, right? It's time to start looking for the carcass. Check trunk, under carpets, air cleaner, engine compartment, glove box, air vent system, etc.

Question: antifreeze contaminated my RV water system - smell is in the water and in the RV interior

(Oct 24, 2014) Mary B said:
I recently bought a nicely maintained older model RV. The previous owner put antifreeze into the holding tank. I flushed it once pretty thoroughly but it is still in my system and I am virtually unable to use the water.

The smell is obvious in the water but the interior of the RV has a sickly odor that permeates everything but does not smell the same. Does the antifreeze odor present itself differently in the atmosphere? Is it dangerous as an odor?

RE earlier comment,I also earlier identified a gas leak and have since turned off all gas until I am able to identify the source. Don't know if maybe the combination of the gas and antifreeze may have created the monster. I made the mistake of using fabreeze air freshener which only added to the sickening odor.

Reply:

Mary

Watch out: do not drink water from the RV system before you have had a sample tested by a water testing lab. It's possible that someone used a toxic type of antifreeze in the RV's water system.

The "antifreeze" smell in the RV interior may be from a spill or from antifreeze left in fixture drain traps.


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