gt0279a

Starting a few days ago, I got in my car to go to work in the morning and the car smelled horriible. I would describe it as a funky, skunk-like smell.

But, after a few minutes with the heat on, the smell went away. This happens everytime I get into my car after it sits for a few hours. (The longer the funkier)

I searched and decided to do the following:

-use anti-bacterial spray on the exterior vents and ran the ac at max as suggested by a few threads

-replaced my cabin filter.

Even after this, the smell still comes back. I checked under the hood, grill, around the wheels, etc and found no evidence of a dead animal or anything.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

thanks

BackToStock

i was going to suggest the animal thing. well, since turning on the heat for a while makes the odor dissapate, i would think it would not be in the car, since heat makes dead animals smell even worse. maybe its something being produced by the car, itself?

davidspalding

Hrm.... You've already done most of what I'd suggest ... wonder if something's caught between the intake and the filter housing, and running heat/a-c dissipates the smell, but the car sitting without running, the odor accumulates. I'd call a dealer service manager and see what else they suggest (before "bring it in").

If there's a way to remove the outer intake cover and vacuum out the system, that'd be my next step. I have no idea how, though. I did something like this with my engine air intake system, as there were a few leaves in there after I bought it (CPO, 34,000 miles).

Addendum: Wait, what kind of smell is it? My old Jeep, the air heater works by way of a heat exchanger using recirculated coolant fluid. A leak in that system would smell like warm/hot antifreeze. I have no knowledge of the TSX' heating system, so I'm only guessing.

Mskierki

The TSX uses surplus heat from the engine to warm the cabin. If the antifreeze were to leak it would have a sweet smell not an animal smell. The smell probably wouldn't go away when you ran the heat for a little bit and you would start having liquid in the pasengers footwell.

Have the carpets been wet recently? You could have mold or something in them. Pull up the floormats and see if the carpet is damp. All you might need is a shampoo.

Also, I would not recomend spraying cleaning fluid into the vents. I don't have the ducting diagram for the TSX's HVAC system, but my old Legend had the blower motor before the heat exchanger. That is a pain to replace if it gets damaged.

moda_way

So let me get this correct, you just step into the car and it smells funky, right or do you have to turn on the vents (like just fan mode, no Auto)?

dwest1023

There IS something dead in your car somewhere. You are going to have to do a very thorough noise test to find it

arctic07

I am wondering about coolant as well. Yes, it smells sweet. But if its contaminated and sitting in places that it shouldn't, maybe it develops a skunky smell?

That, or maybe a water leak that is soaking some padding or carpet?

visuelz

Was the AC on when the stink started? If so, that's what happens to mine too. I was told it was normal.

gt0279a

Thanks for all the replies.

The car just smells after it sits for awhile, no need to turn the ac or heat on to smell it. And it smells inside the cabin and trunk as well. It only takes a minute or two for the smell to go away after the heat or ac is turned on.

I also checked the intake / removed the filter cover the other day and everything was normal. The smell was not coming from there at all.

The only thing I can think of is perhaps a skunk somehow 'sprayed' near the car. I might try an underbody car wash - but not sure about washing the engine area

SoCaliTrojan

Does it smell like rotten eggs? It may be your catalytic converter. Your fuel mixture might be too rich, and the smell will go away once your catalytic converter is warmed up. If so, try switching gasoline brands and see if that helps.

gt0279a

Yeah, I don't think it's that as I've smelled that before in another car (I perceive that as more of a sulfer like smell)

moda_way

^^Catalytic converter wouldn't smell when the car isn't running

xjohnkdoex

iTrader: (2)

if a skunk happened to tag your car, no amount of soap/water is going to get rid of the smell.

but if you can confirm that it was a skunk, some pet shops sell this spray that chemically breaks down skunk odor. all you need to do is spray your undercarriage a few times and it'll eventuall dissipate.

but that's only if it's a skunk. i found this out myself when i once ran over a skunk w/ my parents camry in the dead of winter. it didn't die, but it was freaked out enough that it sprayed the car and it reeked for weeks. no amount of car washes, air freshners, etc.. helped. but that spray did.

if it's mechanical, good luck!

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

It may be your BO accumulating thru the time while you're not driving, then the smell goes away because you get use to the smell.
j/k.

good luck with it!

mrgold35

When I lived in Phoenix, I always kept my A/C on max and cabin recirculation because it was the only way to cool the car down when it was +100 degrees. Most people did the same and most of the cars (including mine) had that funky musty smell from the A/C.

Sounds like you got mold/mildew caused by too much condensation in your A/C unit. I don't know where the A/C water drains are located at under the car? They might be clogged a little and retaining too much moisture. I wonder if that musty smell can’t vent overnight from the A/C and the smell is getting concentrated. Then smell gets flushed out and diluted with clean air when you run the A/C for a few minutes after the car sits.

I always run my system in Auto mode and I don’t have an issue with musty smells after 2 summers.

SoCaliTrojan

OP doesn't say whether the car is on or not, but (for me) implies that it happens for the first few minutes until he turns the heat or a/c on for a few minutes. Not enough details means that he will get advice from both sides.

LoveMyTL-S

Is the carpet behind the passenger side seat wet?

davidspalding

Ahem...

gt0279a

I use the all-season mats, and all those are dry as well as the floor carpeting.

gt0279a

I was hoping I wouldn't have to post again about this issue, but the smell is back.

I got an underbody car wash about a month ago and the smell was finally gone. Drove around for 2 weeks and everything was fine.

I went on out of town and left my car in the garage for another two weeks. Got back and the same smell was there again. I went to the same car wash, but the smell remains.

Here are the facts:

-smell is present when car is off.
-smell is gone after about a minute after the car is turned on w/ the climate control on.
-spraying exterior vents only masked the smell
-cleaning interior ony masked the smell
-changing cabin filter had no effect
-underbody car wash seemed to work, but after my car was in the garage, I can't imagine another skunk spray.

I guess I will be talking with the dealer for solutions as I don't know what to do next

LukeaTron

Maybe a previous owner stashed a brick of weed somewhere in the car, in which case you should start taking the thing apart.

Could it be some animal building a nest somewhere? Do you smell anything outside of the car? In particular, when it's in the garage?

bgriffin

My dad works for a GM dealership and they have this problem, too. They usually tell peope to run the heater on high for 15 minutes (approx) and that usually kills the mildew. Its not a permanent fix, but it helps for a month or two.

davidspalding

If you think it's something UNDER the car, by all means put it on a lift and really look around. But then ... how would that smell intrude in the car?

Did we ask already if, after you've driven a while with the AC on, when you park, is there a puddle under the front of the car, where the condensation drains?

I have no idea how this stuff is put together, but if you're not the original owner, maybe there's something caught or stashed between the carpeting and chassis. I almost wonder if an off duty cop or trooper who's experienced in car searches (my old pal in Texas is) could figure out if there's something hidden. That's a really wild stab in the dark.

gt0279a

I'm the original owner of the car, and have had it since January of 2006.

I haven't noticed any condensation puddles. I'm also pretty sure it's not a mildew type smell as I recall that from turning on the ac for the first time after the winter.

It's more of a funky smell and I will be working on inspected the car from a lift in the next week.

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

so what happen to the smell?

gt0279a

Turns out my wife forgot to mention to me she spilled some type of coffee drink w/ extra milk on the passenger seat.

The spill was in front passenger seat, between where the seat folds, so I had to move the seat all the way forward to find remnants of milk flakes

Anyway, I was in the process of deodorizing the area the other day, but a co-worker backed into my car last week, so it's in the shop now getting fixed.

Hopefully this is indeed the cause of the smell and I won't have to deal with it anymore.

davidspalding

I don't mean to cackle at your misfortune. I truly hope this "drink" didn't seep into the padding underneath the leather, in which case you've got a stinky seat until you can somehow get the spill out of the interlining or padding.

"Lucy, you got some 'splainin' to do!" I hope your Mrs. is making amends for doing this and just "forgetting" to tell you. I wouldn't accept that "forgot to mention" excuse for a brand new RL with gold-plated interior trim.

xjohnkdoex

iTrader: (2)

resurrection.

i seem to have this issue now. i last drove my car on sunday, parked it (always street parking).

i went out last night with my wife. went into the car cabin and it just smelled. not like skunk. more like.....festering trash. i opened the trunk, the smell was their too. my windows were closed, so there wasn't any moisture that i could tell that got in. pretty sure no one stepped in dog sh*t.

after a few minutes, the smell went away, but i'm not sure if it's b/c we all got used to it, or running the vent made it go away. went to run some errands, came back to the car again, the smell was back.

it think i'm going to try running the A/C and heat for 10-15 minutes tonight and see if that does anything. i don't recall running over any garbage, but i haven't done a visual inspection under the car.

the weather here in NY has been kind of wacky. this week has been relatively warm, melting all the snow away, and everything just seems to be damp. i wonder if it's some sort of mold/mildew issue.