[Lex_in_WDM]

So I don't drive my car a ton right now since we are at home so much. A few weeks ago, I went to get gas for my mower and got a tiny bit on my WeatherTec floor mat (I wiped it up.) I don't know if it reacted with the floor mat or what, but my interior smells really bad now. It doesn't smell like gas either. It smells a little like the leather seats, but only way worse. It's so hard to describe! Anyone else's interior gone from that "new car smell" to something way worse????? I don't know what to do to get rid of it either.

 

[Lex_in_WDM]

I did do the protection on the interior in December, but am just now starting to notice the bad smell within the last few weeks. I have seen in other forums, that other owners have reported a bad smell as well.

 

[saxman242]

I did do the protection on the interior in December

This seems to be a fairly common theme with most of the smell complaints (although not necessarily all). I wonder if as it gets warmer out and things start to off gas more if we're going to see this popping up more often.

 

[Stormy]

I feel that it is heat related because I detected the smell for the first time today. Here in Las Vegas right now the temperature is 107 F. We leave our car in the garage most of the time but today we were out and about and parked the car in the direct sun for a while. Of course it got much hotter than usual in the car and, upon reentering the car, we both noticed what smelled like someone's breath after eating garlic when we didn't have any ourselves. Everybody knows that smell. I have no idea how to solve this.

 

[CVP33]

Just open the windows?

 

[Stormy]

I never thought of that!

 

[SuperDave]

So I don't drive my car a ton right now since we are at home so much. A few weeks ago, I went to get gas for my mower and got a tiny bit on my WeatherTec floor mat (I wiped it up.) I don't know if it reacted with the floor mat or what, but my interior smells really bad now. It doesn't smell like gas either. It smells a little like the leather seats, but only way worse. It's so hard to describe! Anyone else's interior gone from that "new car smell" to something way worse????? I don't know what to do to get rid of it either.

Yes and after it's been sitting in the sun I don't even want to get in it.

 

[retgi]

I feel that it is heat related because I detected the smell for the first time today. Here in Las Vegas right now the temperature is 107 F. We leave our car in the garage most of the time but today we were out and about and parked the car in the direct sun for a while. Of course it got much hotter than usual in the car and, upon reentering the car, we both noticed what smelled like someone's breath after eating garlic when we didn't have any ourselves. Everybody knows that smell. I have no idea how to solve this.

Have you ever been to S. Korea? They eat kimchi a spicy pickled/garlic cabbage that smells like that. Maybe a factory worker had lunch in your and left some in your car.

 

[Stormy]

I spent a year in Korea (Osan Air Base) while in the military. In my civilian life I made several business trips to Korea and have had many Korean meals and enjoyed them all, kimchi and all. The Koreans are wonderful and very hospitable people. They also have a sense of humor and would laugh at your joke about leaving some part of a lunch in my car. I sometimes make and eat kimchi so maybe it was my own breath blowing back in my face.

What's this got to do with anything? Just trying to add a little jocularity to these trying times we're living through. Stay healthy and happy.

 

[Jeffylub]

I have noticed a smell also. Bought the Limited in Feb. Not super hot where I am in Ohio, always parked in our garage and we aren’t driving much. But it went from new car smell to a sort of musty/moldy. Not outright awful, but the odor just isn’t quite right. What could do that?

 

[Gene]

I spent a year in Korea (Osan Air Base) while in the military. In my civilian life I made several business trips to Korea and have had many Korean meals and enjoyed them all, kimchi and all. The Koreans are wonderful and very hospitable people. They also have a sense of humor and would laugh at your joke about leaving some part of a lunch in my car. I sometimes make and eat kimchi so maybe it was my own breath blowing back in my face.

What's this got to do with anything? Just trying to add a little jocularity to these trying times we're living through. Stay healthy and happy.

I also spent time in Osan in the early 60's. Don't think the smells were that bad. At that time very poor country but also friendly

 

[Gene]

Put a couple of activated charcoal bags in the car, under seats work. cup holder in third row
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[SuperDave]

Have you ever been to S. Korea? They eat kimchi a spicy pickled/garlic cabbage that smells like that. Maybe a factory worker had lunch in your and left some in your car.

Yes lived there for 2.5 years and I know that smell. It's exactly what it smells like.

 

[NBC]

This is crazy. I just got into my car this morning and wondered why it smelled like garlic breath. I blamed it on some Parmesan wings I brought home from a restaurant the other day, but now I’m wondering. This is the first warm stretch that Minnesota has had this year- near 90 degrees in the Twin Cities, and now I’m wondering if the phenomenon you all are talking about is what’s happening in my car.

 

[MikeB]

I've had mine 2.5 months and the smell is getting worse. Everyone should look up acrylonitrile- its an adhesive used in vehicles and it smells like garlic/ onions. Read the dangers yourself. Not sure how to get an air test in a vehicle.

 

[CVP33]

It seems to be localized to the headrests. I don’t think it’s the adhesive you speak of. It is definitely annoying though.

 

[RTBoston]

There was a thread on another board about this.
Taking the back headrests off, taking the cover off then cleaning drying and reinstalling seemed to solve it.
Seems to impact the leather palisades more?

 

[saxman242]

Seems to impact the leather palisades more?

It seems to be almost completely isolated to limited trims with the beige interior.

 

[Jeffylub]

I posted on the smell 2 months ago. We have a white Limited with beige interior which we drove off the lot March 2020. 2 weeks ago we took it to a full service wash which included cleaning the rubber Weathertech mats. This was the first wash of the mats, in which they actually remove the mats and run then through a cleaner. The smell is gone. My wife specifically commented today that the smell is gone and the kids agree. Seems like it was the mats. Maybe had some factory residue or something on them that the kids dragged in or spilled. Hopefully that takes care of it for good. Otherwise we love this vehicle and have had no other issues!

 

[Lex_in_WDM]

I have Limited with black interior and the smell is horrible. No idea what to do. Took it to the dealer and of course by the time I got there the smell was gone. It’s horrible right away when I get into the car and then I can’t smell it really after like 10 min. I told the dealer that they need to come to my garage in the morning and smell it.