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.

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

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

CAR SMELL & ODOR Diagnosis
• Car BURNING & Gas Odor Safety
• Car Odors - ANIMALS
• Car Odors - ANTIFREEZE
• Car Odors - BODY ODOR
• Car Odors - CIGARETTES
• Car Odors - CLIMATE CONTROL
• Car Odors - EXHAUST GAS
• Car Odors - GASOLINE
• Car Odors - PLASTIC & VINYL
• Car Odors - SWEET SMELLS

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

• "Smelling oil that's dripping from the backside valve cover, onto a hot catalytic converter"
• "Brakes - Smells metallic/electrical type smell and you will burn your self by touching the rims."
• "Clutch - Smells like nasty fish."
• "Heater - smell like maple syrup", white mist comes out of supply vents - traced to heater core leak?

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.

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.

• CARBON MONOXIDE - CO
• CO EXPOSURE LIMITS
• POISONING SYMPTOMS - CO

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

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

• Buchecker, Florian, Helene M. Loos, and Andrea Buettner. SMELLS LIKE NEW CAR OR RATHER LIKE AN OLD CARRIAGE?‐RESOLUTION OF THE DECAY BEHAVIOR OF ODORANTS IN VEHICLE CABINS DURING USAGE [PDF] Indoor air 32, no. 9 (2022): e13112.
  
  The typical new car smell is not only perceived directly after vehicle delivery. Vehicle interiors maintain their characteristic odors for a period of time during use even though the gas composition of the vehicle interior changes due to external influences.
  
  To obtain deeper insights into the odorant composition of a passenger cabin, this study aimed at characterizing the gas phase of two vehicle interiors at defined time intervals after vehicle delivery, and use by a customer in a controlled environment using a targeted odorant analysis.
  
  Thereby, the decrease in the general emissions in the cars did not coincide with the decay behavior of the odorants due to the chemical characteristics such as polarity of the odorants.
  
  Identification of the odorants in the vehicle interior during use revealed three groups of odor contributors exhibiting different decay behaviors:
  
  (i) odorants vaporizing rapidly via elevated temperature;
  
  (ii) odorants released by continued diffusion from materials; and
  
  (iii) fragrance chemicals of the customer.
  
  After 23 weeks of vehicle use, octanal, p- chloro-m- cresol, nonanal, p- tert- butylphenol, γ- nonalactone, and unsaturated aldehydes and ketones represented the most important odorants in the vehicle interior constituting the investigated car odor.
  
  The results of a descriptive sensory analysis corresponded with the identified odorants.
  
  KEYWORDS descriptive sensory analysis, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry/olfactometry, interior emissions, passenger cabin, smell, whole-vehicle test stand
• Brodzik, Krzysztof, Joanna Faber, Damian Łomankiewicz, and Anna Gołda-Kopek. IN-VEHICLE VOCS COMPOSITION OF UNCONDITIONED, NEWLY PRODUCED CARS [PDF] Journal of Environmental Sciences 26, no. 5 (2014): 1052-1061.
  
  The in-vehicle volatile organic compounds (VOCs) concentrations gains the attention of both car producers and users. In the present study, an attempt was made to determine if analysis of air samples collected from an unconditioned car cabin can be used as a quality control measure.
  
  The VOCs composition of in-vehicle air was analyzed by means of active sampling on Carbograph 1TD and Tenax TA sorbents, followed by thermal desorption and simultaneous analysis on flame ionization and mass detector (TD-GC/FID-MS). Nine newly produced cars of the same brand and model were chosen for this study.
  
  Within these, four of the vehicles were equipped with identical interior materials and five others differed in terms of upholstery and the presence of a sunroof; one car was convertible.
  
  The sampling event took place outside of the car assembly plant and the cars tested left the assembly line no later than 24 hr before the sampling took place.
  
  More than 250 compounds were present in the samples collected; the identification of more than 160 was confirmed by comparative mass spectra analysis and 80 were confirmed by both comparison with single/multiple compounds standards and mass spectra analysis. In general, aliphatic hydrocarbons represented more than 60% of the total VOCs (TVOC) determined.
  
  Depending on the vehicle, the concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons varied from 12% to 27% of total VOCs. The very short period between car production and sampling of the in-vehicle air permits the assumption that the entire TVOC originates from off-gassing of interior materials.
  
  The results of this study expand the knowledge of in-vehicle pollution by presenting information about car cabin air quality immediately after car production.
• Chen, Xiaokai, Lili Feng, Huilong Luo, and Heming Cheng. "Analyses on influencing factors of airborne VOC S pollution in taxi cabins." Environmental Science and Pollution Research 21 (2014): 12868-12882.
  
  Abstract excerpts:
  
  Due to the long time in vehicular cabins, people have high exposure to the airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCS), which will lead to negative effects on human health. In order to analyze the influencing factors of in-car VOCS pollution concentrations, 38 taxis were investigated on the static and closed conditions.
  
  ... The average concentrations of in-car benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, styrene, butyl acetate, undecane, and total VOCS (TVOC) were 82.7, 212.3, 74.7, 182.3, 24.7, 33.5, 61.3, and 1,441.7 μg/m3, respectively. Furthermore, the VOCS and TVOC concentrations increase with the rise of in-car temperature and relative humidity, and decrease with the increase of car age and total mileage.
  
  In addition, the VOCS and TVOC concentrations are higher in vehicles with small cabins than in ones with big cabins, and change with different sampling sites and various vehicular grades.
  
  Finally, according to the multiple linear regression analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis, car age is the most important factor influencing airborne VOCS and TVOC pollution concentrations in vehicular cabins, followed by interior temperature and total mileage.
• Dudzińska, Marzenna R. VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN PRIVATE CARS AND PUBLIC VEHICLES [PDF] Rocznik Ochrona Środowiska 13 (2011): 101-116. Lublin University of Technology, Poland
  Excerpts from Introduction:
  
  Research on indoor air quality in car compartments was rather scare until very recently. Toxic substances originate from interior materials, gasoline loss, infiltration of outdoor air pollutants.
  
  Some of published in-vehicles studies have identified elevated levels of many unleaded and diesel fuel related pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, and particulate matters compare to other indoor environments.
  
  Yoshida and Matsunaga [31] identified over 160 substances in the cabin of the new car, including BTEX and formaldehyde, but their research was limited to one private vehicle only.
  
  More research was done by Zhang et al. [32] in unoccupied, parked cars. The main gaseous substances identified were: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX). The same substances are found to show the higher levels in the buses in China [3], Hong Kong [17], Taiwan [12] and Spain [25].
  
  Concentrations were strongly influenced by trip time and area (such as downtown compare with suburbs), so emission from fuel was the most probable dominant source.
  
  Besides BTEX, eye irritants including a number of aldehydes, should be of special concern [29]. Due to the analytical methods some aldehydes are measured, although levels of only a few of them are regulated, due to known hazardous effects.
  
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, USA (NIOSH) established recommended exposure limits (REL) in the work environment for some of them: formaldehyde (methanal), acetaldehyde (ethanal), valeraldehyde (pentanal) and acrolein (propenal) [21].
  
  Only formaldehyde is regulated in most of countries (including Poland) but in workplaces, which does not include automobile compartments.
• Engelmann, Rudolf J., William R. Pendergrass, J. Randy White, and Mark E. Hall. "The effectiveness of stationary automobiles as shelters in accidental releases of toxic materials." Atmospheric Environment. Part A. General Topics 26, no. 17 (1992): 3119-3125.
  Excerpt:
  The protection offered occupants of stationary automobiles against airborne gases and respirable particles, such as might result from an accidental release, was measured and found to be substantial.
  
  For the four autos tested with the air conditioning (AC) system on and in recirculate position, the equilibrium ratios of inside/outside concentrations (I/O) for 2-μm diameter particles were less than 0.2, and some ratios were as small as 0.014. With both the AC compressor and the system fan off, the I/O for five autos ranged from 0.04 to 0.18.
  
  These low ratios are primarily a result of deposition within the autos. However, three of the five autos had substantially higher I/O ratios when the AC fan was on than when off, indicating that for some autos the AC caused significant added intake of outside air.
  
  Air exchange rates for the five stationary autos were on the order of 0.5h−1 with AC off, and 2.5 h−1 with AC on.
• Faber, Joanna, Krzysztof Brodzik, Anna Gołda-Kopek, and Damian Łomankiewicz. AIR POLLUTION IN NEW VEHICLES AS A RESULT OF VOC EMISSIONS FROM INTERIOR MATERIALS [PDF] Polish Journal of Environmental Studies 22, no. 6 (2013).
  Abstract excerpt:
  
  Indoor air composition inside the cabins of five new vehicles were examined. Air pollution was assessed on the basis of dtermination of volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrastions, which were emitted from interior materials.
  
  Conclusion excerpts:
  
  Taking into account the fact that new vehicles were examined, it can be stated that all compounds identified originated from off-gassing of interior materials.
  
  The concentrations of in-vehicle organic compounds were at a rather high level, for that reason a vehicle’s interior should be well ventilated before use.
  
  Johansson [34] claimed that within weeks or months the VOC concentration inside a car cabin decreases to a low level, but complete elimination of those compounds is impossible.
  
  Therefore, it is appropriate to make all efforts to minimize the presence of VOCs and their concentrations in vehicular passenger compartments in order to reduce possible negative health effects.
• Gołda-Kopek, Anna, Joanna Faber, Damian Łomankiewicz, and Krzysztof Brodzik. "Investigation of volatile organic compounds in the cabin air of new cars." Silniki Spalinowe 51 (2012): 39-48.
• Grabbs, James S., Richard L. Corsi, and Vincent M. Torres. "Volatile organic compounds in new automobiles: screening assessment." Journal of environmental engineering 126, no. 10 (2000): 974-977.
  
  Abstract
  
  Four new vehicles were tested to assess the nature (constituents and concentrations) of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with new vehicle interiors.
  
  The total VOC (TVOC) concentration within the interior of one vehicle (minivan) was 7,500 μg/m3 on the first day of sampling (second day after purchase), approximately two orders of magnitude higher than the outdoor TVOC concentration.
  
  The TVOC concentration in the minivan was observed to decay significantly with time, with an approximate 90% reduction in concentration after three weeks of testing. The other three vehicles had TVOC concentrations that ranged from 300 to 600 μg/m3 on the first day of testing.
  
  Over sixty chemicals were identified inside the interiors of the four vehicles. Compounds identified in all four vehicles and their GC/MS area percent ranges were toluene (2.2–12.6%), ethylbenzene (0.5–2.2%), xylene (2.4–10.7%), and undecane (0.8–7.5%).
• Gschwind, Florian. NEW CAR ODOR: SENSORY AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF ODORS AND POTENTIAL SOURCES OF SMELL IN THE VEHICLE INTERIOR [PDF] PhD diss., Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 2022.
• Johansson, Ingegerd. THE ROLE OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN THE ASSESSMENT OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY [PDF] PhD diss., Kemi, 1999. Department of Chemistry, Division of Analytical Chemistry Royal Institute of Technology, Institute of Environmental Medicine Karolinska Institutet Stockholm, Sweden, 1999 ISBN 91-7170-472-8
• Lv, Mengqiang, Wenjie Huang, Xing Rong, Junzhou He, and Xudong Yang. SOURCE APPORTIONMENT OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCS) IN VEHICLE CABINS DIFFUSING FROM INTERIOR MATERIALS. PART I: MEASUREMENTS OF VOCS IN NEW CARS IN CHINA [PDF] Building and environment 175 (2020): 106796.
  
  Highlights
  
  Field tests regarding VOC levels in 86 new vehicles were performed.
  
  41 species were identified as “noteworthy” VOCs in new vehicles.
  
  Significant correlations were found for approximately half the 820 possible pair combinations of the 41 VOCs.
  
  Excerpts from conclusions:
  
  Aliphatic compounds, carbonyl compounds, and aromatic compounds played a dominating role in the commonly observed VOCs in new private-use vehicles, constituted over 70.0% in numbers.
  
  A total of 41 compounds from 6 to 12 carbons were selected as the noteworthy VOC species in new vehicle cabins based on a consideration of prevalence, possible health risks, possible odors, characteristic nature, and high concentrations
  
  The concentration levels of benzene, toluene, and xylene were observed obviously lower than those in new vehicles manufactured approximately 15 years ago, indicating the improvement of air quality in new vehicles as time went by.
  
• Rhodes, Kyleigh, Thomas Jobson, Manuel Raul Pelaez‐Samaniego, and Vikram Yadama. EFFECT OF THERMAL AND ULTRAVIOLET EXPOSURE ON VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS EMITTED FROM BASALT‐HEMP REINFORCED POLYPROPYLENE [PDF]  Polymer Composites (2023).
  
  In recent years, the “new car smell” has been linked to materials off-gassing toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) within the chamber of vehicles.
  
  Previous studies collected air samples directly from the vehicle chamber and analyzed them using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS).
  
  However, there is a lack of data regarding which materials are responsible for each compound and the resulting concentrations.
  
  This preliminary research was focused on analysis of VOC emissions emitted from basalt fiber and hemp hurd-reinforced polypropylene (PP) panels, glass fiber reinforced PP panels, and PP panels intended for interior automotive applications such as dashboards and door panels.
  
  The panels were subjected to various temperatures and UV radiation that may be experienced within a vehicle. Results showed increasing concentrations as temperature increased, and a reduction in off-gassing in the presence of UV radiation.
  
  The major compounds detected were acetaldehyde (<41 μg/m3), acetone (<29 μg/m3), and various alkanes (<6786 μg/m3).
  
  Overall, the concentrations detected from all panels were below the suggested standards and limitations.
• Schupp, Thomas, Hermann M. Bolt, and Jan G. Hengstler. MAXIMUM EXPOSURE LEVELS for xylene, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde IN CARS [PDF] Toxicology 206, no. 3 (2005): 461-470.
• UL, "Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCVs): A Brief Regulatory Overview - retrieved 2023/10/28, original source: ul.com/news/volatile-organic-compounds-vocs-brief-regulatory-overview

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 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)

• ISO 12219_1:2011 "Interior air of road vehicles - Part 1: Whole vehicle test chamber – Specification and method for the determination of volatile organic compounds in cabin interiors".
• UN ECE, MUTUAL RESOLUTION No. 3 (M.R.3) of the 1958 and the 1998 Agreements Concerning VEHICLE INDOOR AIR QUALITY (VIAQ) [PDF] (2018) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Tel.: +41 (0) 22 917 12 34 Email: unece_info@un.org - retrieved 2023/10.28, original source: unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/main/wp29/wp29resolutions/ECE-TRANS-WP29-1143e.pdf
  
  This document cites example vehicle VOC regulations from China, Korea, the Russian Federation and an ISO standard.
  
  Excerpts:
  The text reproduced below was adopted on 14 November 2017 by the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) regarding the Agreement Concerning the Adoption of Uniform Technical Prescriptions for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and Parts which can be fitted and/or be used on Wheeled Vehicles and the Conditions for Reciprocal Recognition of Approvals Granted on the Basis of these Prescriptions (1958 Agreement) and on 15 November 2017 by the Executive Committee AC.3 of the Agreement Concerning the Establishing of Global Technical Regulations for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and Parts which can be fitted and/or be used on Wheeled Vehicles (1998 Agreement) (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1118, paras. 99-100 and 101). It is based on document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/136.
  
  1. A variety of materials are being used for the construction of the interiors of vehicles. The materials used in the manufacturing of the vehicle include plastics, adhesives, cleaning products, plasticizers, paint, sealers, lubrication compounds, and many others. 2.
  
  Various kinds of chemical substances may be emitted from the interior materials inside the vehicle cabin. Some of the chemical substances may contain components, such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) including carbonyls like the aldehydes, some of them are not harmful to the human body, but some of them are known to cause various health issues.
  
  The amount of chemical substances emitted from interior materials may be particularly high, especially during the early stages of vehicle life.
  
  3. Health effects vary depending on the individual driver and passenger’s health and physical condition as well as exposure time and concentration of chemical substances. This Mutual Resolution supports the effort to insure that levels of these chemical substances are measured under real exposure conditions.
  
  4. 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.
  
  5. This Mutual Resolution outlines the provisions and harmonized test procedure for the measurement of interior emissions, taking into account existing standards.
  
  It will encourage the reduced use of materials, and chemicals that can be harmful to humans. It also encourages the increased use of emission-friendly materials, improving the air quality inside the passenger cabin.
• U.S. EPA Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Control Regulations - home page: /www3.epa.gov/region1/airquality/voc.html
• U.S. EPA National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards For Consumer And Commercial Products 40 CFR 59 [PDF] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  § 59.100 Applicability and designation of regulated entity. (a) The provisions of this subpart apply to automobile refinish coatings and coating components manufactured on or after January 11, 1999 for sale or distribution in the United States.
  
• U.S. EPA, 40 CFR Part 86 Control of Air Pollution From New Motor Vehicles and New Motor Vehicle Engines; Non-Conformance Penalties for 2004 and later Model Year Emission Standards for Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines and Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicles [PDF] 51464 Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 153 / Thursday, August 8, 2002 / Rules and Regulations - retrieved 2023/10/28, original source: govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2002-08-08/pdf/02-19981.pdf
• U.S. EPA 40 CFR 59 regulating VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds emissions for consumer & commercial products.
• U.S. EPA Rule regulating VOC emission standards for automobile refinish coatings - 42 U.S.C. §7511b(e), retrieved 2023/10/28, original source: epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/automobile-refinish-coatings-national-volatile-organic-compound
  
  

  This action promulgates national volatile organic compound (VOC) emission standards for automobile refinish coatings pursuant to section 183(e) of the Clean Air Act (Act).
  
  This final rule is based on the Administrator’s determination that VOC emissions from the use of automobile refinish coatings have the potential to cause or contribute to ozone levels that violate the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone.
  
  Ozone is a major component of smog which causes negative health and environmental impacts when present in high concentrations at ground level.

  The final rule is estimated to reduce VOC emissions by 31,900 tons per year (tpy) by requiring manufacturers and importers to limit the VOC content of automobile refinish coatings. These reductions represent a 33% reduction from the 1995 baseline emissions estimates.
  

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.

...

Continue reading at CAR SMELL - Mold DEODORIZING or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• BOAT & CAR SMELLS & ODORS
• BLEACHING MOLD, Advice
• CAR MOLD CONTAMINATION- vehicles mold-contaminated beyond salvage
• CAR SMELL - MOLD DEODORIZING
• CARPET MOLD / ODOR TESTS
• CARPET PADDING ASBESTOS, MOLD, ODORS
• FLOODED CAR DETECTION
• OZONE MOLD / ODOR TREATMENT WARNINGS
• SMELL PATCH TEST to FIND ODOR SOURCE

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