car smells of death
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| I think something died in my car. I looked everywhere and I took it to the shop today and they can't find anything. the next step is to look behind the dashboard or in the vents at a cost of $4000. The car is older and I'm concerned that they won't find anything. Anyone have this happen? will the smell eventually go away when whatever it is is done decomposing? the mechanic thinks it will stink forever. please help! |
Anonymous
| mouse died somewhere. keep the windows open as long as possible (days and weeks). |
Anonymous
| It will eventually go away after the body dries out/dessicates. I would not spend 4k. |
Anonymous
| it will go away - just takes time. Where is your car parked? If you are able to leave it baking in the sun, it will speed up the process |
Anonymous
| It’s likely worse in summer and won’t be present next summer |
Anonymous
Just make sure the windows are DOWN |
Anonymous
|
Mask the smell
Use baking soda and activated charcoal Get a new air filter |
Anonymous
| Did you check the spare tire well? There was a leak somewhere in one of my old cars that filled that well up and it stunk in the summer. |
Anonymous
yes - we looked everywhere inside - pulled the spare tire out, moved/flipped the seats, looked in the door jams, took the air filter out. |
Anonymous
|
I would not put $4k into an old car for that.
If the mechanic didn't see it in the undercarriage, trunk, glovebox, or center console storage, chances are high it's in the air ventilation system, engine compartment, or inside of a seat. Have they checked inside the seats? Mice can squeeze between seat cracks and die down inside the seat. Maybe you can ask on a FB group if there's any mechanic who would like to make some cash on the weekend helping you find the smell. Have them start with removing the seats to look inside of those first. That's much easier than the air ventilation system or engine compartment. You can also get a tiny endoscope camera & light system that will fit in tiny cracks for ~$30-40 on Amazon. You could use that on your own to look in various small cracks on your vehicle. |
Anonymous
| Agree, sucks but just need to wait it out. |
Anonymous
Have them check IN the seats. That's where our smell was coming from. A mouse had gone down inside of the seat to make a nest and died. I posted below, but you can get this item below on Amazon for cheap to feed down inside of the seats. https://www.amazon.com/Endoscope-Adjustable-Semi-Rigid-Waterproof-Inspection/dp/B0CNZSQS12/ref=asc_df_B0CNZSQS12?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80883013970084&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=91541&hvtargid=pla-4584482478629553&psc=1&msclkid=d2f62246d95b195f68f94a33966892d0 |
Anonymous
|
Go to Home Depot and get the heavy duty odor absorbing bags. We had something die in our wall right before we left on vacation. I put a few of those down, along with some smaller charcoal bags I already owned, and the smell was gone when we got home a week later.
Something like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/OdoBan-32-oz-OdoRocks-Natural-Volcanic-Rock-Odor-Eliminator-Unscented-Non-Toxic-Rechargeable-Odor-Absorber-Bag-for-Car-Home-979561-2P/318994859 |
Anonymous
LMAO, sounds like you are getting scammed. Shops will put a dirty cabin air filter with a dead mouse or something in a suspects car and then charge big money to get to it later, talking about how hard it was to get to, etc. Most are just behind the glove box. |
Anonymous
Go wash it and vac it out good. IF there is something dead in it, and you never find it, it will stop smelling in a few weeks. Big box of baking soda in a few containers placed around in vehicle. You SHOULD be able to find the source of the smell though if you use your nose like a dog. Get in there and get to sniffing everywhere up close. |