ARGH! Smell Doing my Head In!

[munkimafia]

Guys,

My 52 Reg Leon absolutely stinks of mold/mildew!

I have had the air con re-gassed and cleaned, checked the windscreen wiper motor after reading a post in here, and checked to see if any damp is anywhere, but all dry.

Someone suggested an animal had crawel in and died, but i think even that would have completely decomposed and stopped stinking by now!

Its driving me (and my family!) crazy, as anything that goes in the car comes out stinking pretty quickly.

Ive searched in here, but all the normal suggestions dont seemed to have worked so far, just wondering if anyone had a brainwave as to what it might be?

As ever, you lot are legends and all help is greatly appriciated!

 

[Kartracer69]

A good way of getting rid of smells i've heard, is lay a big bit of newspaper on the rear seats and lay over lumps of charcoal, and leave over night.

Coal attracts and eats up smells

Won't find the cause, but worth a shot

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

Have you gone all round the carpet, under the seats, right up the footwell, in the boot in case it's the washer jet hose loose.

I know it sounds daft but shake some talc powder around, use a pressure and spray against seals etc for a couple of minutes. The powder will highlight areas of water coming in you may not spot plus it's easy to hoover up

 

[munkimafia]

A good way of getting rid of smells i've heard, is lay a big bit of newspaper on the rear seats and lay over lumps of charcoal, and leave over night.

Coal attracts and eats up smells

Won't find the cause, but worth a shot

thansk for the suggestion, unfortunately didnt have much affect. Ive got 3 Neutradols in there at the moment, but even then it just smells of neutradol and awful smell!

 

[Kartracer69]

o dear, sorry mate.

Rocky sounds clued up, good suggestion.

Gotta love forums for thinking outside the box

 

[james walker]

take it for a good quality full valet mate.

also have you changed the pollen filter recently?? if not id start there if youve done the aircon.

look for leaky door seals as suggested.

wet carpets etc.

 

[Willie]

I'd say one of your mates has stuck something in your pollen filter (done this before).
Check this. If it's not this then check and change you washer bottle fluid with proper VAG stuff and bleed through a few times.
There has been a few posts on this also.
As above, check under seats, carpets for mold/mildew.

 

[godber225r]

Was just about to mention the washer fluid change and clean the bottle out!!!
Also i would pull the plastic trim up on the side of the door sill and get your arm right under the carpet to feel the foam underneith and see if thats wet/damp. Change pollen filter too!!!

Hope you find the cause of the smell

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

these cars have got to be on a par with a 206cc for leaking, my ibiza was like a cullinder (sp) too and the doors need sealing on the LCR

 

[andycupra]

try closing all air vents and leaving window open.. then this may give you an idea if the smell is inside the car, or introduced via the vents and narrow it down.

 

[dg-1984]

Remove the 2 front seat and then lift the carpets and check the underlay, it stinks when wet and unless its really soaking wont notice feeling the carpets as it has a hard backing, my floor was soaking on drivers side and is coming in from somewhere I cant find actually think its the windscreen seal as I have sealed averything and it still leaks on heavy rain.

 

[Jerry*]

I would deffo change the pollen filter.

This was a problem on my old MG ZS180. Whenever you turned the aircon off you were greeted by a God awful mouldy/damp smell through the air vents.

Turned out to be masses of mould on the pollen filter. Once replaced for a new one the smell disappeared!

J

 

[oldman]

nobody mentioned boot to see if that is wet, and assume all ok with rear washer?
if not then see if tube has come of the T splitter under nearside rear plastic shelf area where the boot light (stupid word, as doesn't do feck all) is

 

[lordgibbness]

A good way of getting rid of smells i've heard, is lay a big bit of newspaper on the rear seats and lay over lumps of charcoal, and leave over night.

Coal attracts and eats up smells

Won't find the cause, but worth a shot

According to an Honest John article, vinegar also works:

Have you ever spilt milk in a car? The smell is revolting. The answer is to mop up the excess with kitchen roll (never wash with water) and then stand a glass of household vinegar in the car overnight. The smell of vinegar quickly disappears the following morning, along with the awful milk stench. I've no idea why it works but apparently French butchers keep a bucket in the shop to eliminate the smell of meat.

But worth replacing the pollen filter as well...

 

[dg-1984]

Yeah cups of vinegar supposed to remove smells, good when getting smells out of rooms, may work, I would lift all carpets you can and check them definately do what I said about the fronts.

 

[munkimafia]

thanks for all the suggestions guys. Its in my local garage at the moment, he is a friend who is very reliable so I trust him. He said over night the car has stuck out their workshop! He is convinced its coming from the near side, somewhere, but hasnt located it exactly yet. Its a nightmare!
Ill let him know of these suggestions, cheers for the help, Ill let you know any joy!

 

[af1]

my missus has a 206cc and it never leaks!

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

thats the first i've heard of that hasn't

 

[af1]

lol i think my leon does though!

it seems to only be when the fans are on!
also when i open the drivers door when its been raining, there is a LOAD of water on the sill, but i have always thought, if it is there then it cant be on the carpet?!
car smells like an old mans wee stained pants YUMMY

 

[oldman]

try this:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...-musty-smells-from-you-car---Honest-John.html

but yours sounds terminal if it killed a workshop overnight