mildew/moldy smell

[matt2112]

hey, hoping you guys maybe able to help me out. i have a 2006z and in the past few months i have noticed when i get in my car it has a stronge smell of mildew and i have noticed mold spores on the seats and the seat belts smell of mildew! whe i run the ac the smell goes away, so i figure it may not be the ac unit. so..next thing is to look for any leaks right? well i have checked everywhere! nothing is wet/damp, i can see no visable water marks or leaks from anywhere, i have checked where the spare tire is and its bone dry etc, its driving me crazy! i have to keep a moister trap and oder illimenator in the car over night so it won't smell so bad when i drive it the next day! has anyone got any suggestions?

[nissangirl74]

when i run the ac the smell goes away, so i figure it may not be the ac unit.

the a/c pulls moisture out of the air by design so that's why the smell goes away

You're from NC so I'm sure the humidity contributes to it somewhat. Do you leave your windows down at night? Do you park in a garage where mold/mildew are a problem? Have you pulled up the carpet next to the firewall? If there was ever a leak inside the engine bay that could have leaked into the floorboards, it could be breeding there. The fact is mold / mildew can not grow unless there is moisture, heat, and darkness. i know you said you couldn't find any leaks but there HAS to be a moisture source SOMEWHERE or you wouldn't have the problem. If you can't find the source on your own, you should take it to a detail shop and let them find it. If you breathe that stuff, it can make you sick.

Good luck!

[Retired Chief]

Are you the original owner? If not, get a carfax and see if it ever had flood damage. Or the previous owner may have left the windows down in a really bad storm. When the inside gets really really wet it needs to be taken care of by a professional. If its left to sit the damage can be irreversible and in most cases things that are cloth/foam that hold a lot of water like seats, carpet, seatbelts, overheads can't be fixed and have to be replaced. This is one of the reasons, not to mention engine damage, that cars that are involved in a flood are totaled by the insurance company even though the car may look perfectly fine.

[BusyBadger]

^ ^ ^

I've always been careful about getting geographic details about a car I was thinking about purchasing. My post Katrina searches showed bundles of Z's & G's listed with flood damage.

Matt, hopefully you didn't get a flood damaged car, but don't wait on getting it checked out and taken care of.

[matt2112]

hey guys thanks for the replies. we had a rain storm last night and i checked the car this morning. i found a wet patch! it was in the passanger side foot well area. the carpet was wet where your feet go. so...thats why i'm getting the musty mildew smell., its probably wet for some time but when i've checked for wetness in that area before i've never felt anything. so...any ideas what it can be?? the humidy here in nc is very high and i hoestly thought that may have had something to do with the smell, but as i say, found the wet spot this morning and am now attempting to dry it out! any ideas what or where the leak could come from so i can fix asap!? thanks again guys.

[matt2112]

forgot to say, car is parked outside, its on a slight slope too so not sure if that makes any difference? i never leave my windows open and its not garaged at all

[matt2112]

could it be the power wire rubber boot? just i have seen other posts with people saying they had the same problem as i have and it was the power wire rubber boot. so...what is it and how do i check?? lol! i'm not really mechanically minded but..i maybe able to find it if i'm told where to look.

[matt2112]

can anyone recommend anything regarding the leak? could do with getting this sorted out right away as i don't want my z getting all crappy just because of some darn leak!!

[figgsy4ever]

has the windshield been replaced? the originial windshield has nissan stamped on the drivers side.

[matt2112]

as far as i know it hasn't but i can check to see if it has the stamp on it tomorrow. i've been reading for hours and hours googling for people whio have the same problem. some people are suggesting that it could be the fresh air drainage being blocked? apparantly it is under the winsshiled wipers and if it gets blocked it can cause a leak. i live near alot of trees and the car gets covered in leaves and debris from the trees etc all the time, and i'm always clearing away leaves/debris from that area so...maybe thats it?? it only happens when it rains so... i have looked along the windshiel seal to see if their are any cracks/gaps or damage and i see nothing, looks very tight all around. anyone got any suggestions on how best i can A, dry out the carpet and underlay and B, stop it from smelling like mildew?

[nissangirl74]

i have looked along the windshiel seal to see if their are any cracks/gaps or damage and i see nothing, looks very tight all around. anyone got any suggestions on how best i can A, dry out the carpet and underlay and B, stop it from smelling like mildew?

Do you notice any water on the inside of your windows? Might be a clue as to where the leak is IF it is coming from your windows. To dry out your floorboard.....use a shop vac to get as much water out of the carpet as you can. After that, use super absorbent towels to get the excess. A blow-dryer probably wouldn't hurt either. To kill the mildew smell, you need something that kills the spores. I would recommend Lysol unless you have white carpet. Baking soda is your friend. It will absorb the odors but you have to kill the source or you are fighting a losing battle. You HAVE to get rid of the moisture.

[matt2112]

thanks for the advice, really appreciate it. first thing i did when i started noticing the smell is get one of those baking soda odor obsorbers. after that i bought a moisture trap(they have crystals inside which absorbs moister in the air). i also put down odor neutralizer that you buy for pet odors etc, so i kinda went crazy as i don't want my beautiful z smelling of mildew! just woundered what other have or had used to kill any smells in the past incase i can try a diff method. i also used 91 percent alcohol on the saftey belts to get rid of any smells as well as lysol on them afterwards and i lysoled the carpets(their black). i actually have the car at a local mechanics this morning to see if they can diagnose the problem as i really don't want this happening everytime it rains!

[HeavyDuty]

If there's a factory wiring boot that is an issue, definitely check that.

But...afterwards, I would check to see if any aftermarket stereo crap has been installed by cutting a grommet and shoving a wire through the hole without sealing the grommet back together.

The HVAC drain tube could definitely be an issue as well. In Florida, at least, we get "dirt dobbers" or wasps(?) that will build a mud nest in the HVAC drain lines.

Also, if you have a sunroof(?) make sure the drain tubes for it are clear.

There's a company called "Water Doctors" http://www.waterdoctors.com/ (if they're in your area) that will find the leak and recitfy it.

It sucks, good luck.

[matt2112]

thanks heavyduty for the imput. i have no sunroof, my other car has a sunroof and about 3-4 months ago it had been raining and their was a small puddle of water that had come down from the sun visor area and had settled near the gear shift knob! the dealer put it right, it was a clogged drain that runs down from the sunroof! yeah, the hvac system was one of my first thoughts however, it seems to only get wet after rain fall! i have left the car at my mechanic today and he said straight away it could be the hvac system too as thats a common problem. well...we'll see what he finds! hoepfully its something simple and unexpensive!!!!

[matt2112]

wel,l just had a call from the mechanic, he said the hvac drainage vent/tube or something was blocked and also another drainage area was blocked, not in the hvac system, somewhere else on the car.......so, said it would be approx $50 ! not too bad then! hopefully thats the end of the problem!!! i guess untill next time it rains i won't find out! hopefully this thread will help someone else out if they have any simular problems like i have had. you guys/girls have been great with your ideas and help, i really do appreciate! now to try and get that mildew smell totally gone from my car!!!!!!

[HeavyDuty]

Cool, glad to know it was something simple. Stuff like this can be aggravating as hell, making a nice car smell like a POS.

[orangeNblue]

I have the same problem...hopefully the drainage problem is all mine is as well...

[matt2112]

on the passenger side of the car, under the windshield wipers, their is a plastic surrond. above the passenger side about 3" from the edge their is a drainage hole, make sure that is free from any debris/mud/leaves, that will cause flooding into the floorwell. also check the drainage tube on the hvac system. hope this helps.

[dyna962007]

Ok guys, great info, where exactly is this drainage tube and where can it be found? I have this same problem with a musty smell.I was in the spare tire area and noticed the tire was all wet. I was baffled as I have not driven the car in weeks but it had been sitting outside and it had rained its a** off for 2 days. But the carpet and nothing in the back of the car was wet, bone dry. Its almost like it was bad condenasation is that possible? Oh and where is that hose?? LOLMike

[matt2112]

hey mike, as above, the drainage tube is at the front of the car. outside of the car on the passanger side, just belowe the windshield, and right underneath the windshiled wipers you will see a plastic cover and you will see some airvents etc. now as your standing on the passanger side, about 3" in to the plastic, their will be a small hole, this is the top of a draignage tube. make sure this is clear and doesn't get any debris/leaves/dirt etc as this will cause you alot of problems if it gets blocked! you may even waht to take the plastic cover off to clean out any crap thats in their too. the hvac drainage tube is located on the same side, but you will need the car up on a ramp or something to get to it. if you pull back the passanger side carpet, you will see a tube coming down from the hvac system(which is located on the passager side) the tube is a drainage tube for the hvac system and if it gets blocked will back up the hvac and leak into the passanger floor well. basically underneath the car the tube sticks out alittle, this end can get blocked with crap from the road etc. if it is, get a wire coat hanger and gently try and remove any crap by putting the wire coat hanger up inside of the tube. if you have no water/damp on the passanger side, then it may not be the hvac or outer drainage system. if water is gathering in the spare wheel well then you may have a leaky seal around the rear trunk area of the car. this can either be the actuall seal that holds the rear windsheild in place(have you had the rear windsheild replaced before?) or it maybe the weather sealing around the actuall tail gate. water can also get in around the rear tail lights if you have after marker units and they are not fitted properly. is you car sitting at an angle? as you may have a leak and its running down from the leak and sitting in your spare wheel well.

[dyna962007]

hey thanks brother. That was invaluable info. I printed that.I JUST replaced the brake/tiallights with aftermarket. The seemed to fit ok but for sure the fit was not as good as the stock ones. There did not seem to be any kind of seal around them which I thought was odd. Hum, I will have to look into that again, very good thought, mike

hey mike, as above, the drainage tube is at the front of the car. outside of the car on the passanger side, just belowe the windshield, and right underneath the windshiled wipers you will see a plastic cover and you will see some airvents etc. now as your standing on the passanger side, about 3" in to the plastic, their will be a small hole, this is the top of a draignage tube. make sure this is clear and doesn't get any debris/leaves/dirt etc as this will cause you alot of problems if it gets blocked! you may even waht to take the plastic cover off to clean out any crap thats in their too. the hvac drainage tube is located on the same side, but you will need the car up on a ramp or something to get to it. if you pull back the passanger side carpet, you will see a tube coming down from the hvac system(which is located on the passager side) the tube is a drainage tube for the hvac system and if it gets blocked will back up the hvac and leak into the passanger floor well. basically underneath the car the tube sticks out alittle, this end can get blocked with crap from the road etc. if it is, get a wire coat hanger and gently try and remove any crap by putting the wire coat hanger up inside of the tube. if you have no water/damp on the passanger side, then it may not be the hvac or outer drainage system. if water is gathering in the spare wheel well then you may have a leaky seal around the rear trunk area of the car. this can either be the actuall seal that holds the rear windsheild in place(have you had the rear windsheild replaced before?) or it maybe the weather sealing around the actuall tail gate. water can also get in around the rear tail lights if you have after marker units and they are not fitted properly. is you car sitting at an angle? as you may have a leak and its running down from the leak and sitting in your spare wheel well.

[matt2112]

no problems mike, glad i could maybe throw some thoughts your way and hopefully you'll get that leak sorted! i know from expereince thats theirs nothing worse than having that damp mildew smell in your beautifull 350z! i'm pretty sure their should be a seal around the tail lights though, hey i maybe wrong and someone on here maybe able to say other wise bro, but, as its something that gets hit with outdoor elements their should be a seal surly??? check real carefully the seals on the tail gate/trunk, make sure their are no cracks/cuts or any kind of damage as water will get in anywhere their is the slightest chance. take out your spare tire(when your not using the car) put down towels and make sur eyou get all of the water out. put down moisture absorbers, i get thet them from the dollar tree, they trap water/moisture in a gel and will last approx 2-3 months, also get yourself an arm and hammer refrigurater odor trap, most grocery stores sell them, their approx $3 and they are made to get rid of odor from confined spaces, so ideal for your car.

[dyna962007]

thanks again buddy, I am now stalled in yet another Z project. went to install new drilled rotors and pads and discovered wheel bearing problems. Oh my! Cant wait to get into this one :-(thanks, Mike

[matt2112]

bearing problems! yeah, i had to do that on an older car afew years ago now, what a pain is the a$$ !!!!!!! good luck with that one mike!!!

[dyna962007]

Well thanks again. Yea It should be loads of fun.....NOT. :-)Mike

bearing problems! yeah, i had to do that on an older car afew years ago now, what a pain is the a$$ !!!!!!! good luck with that one mike!!!