Found the source of moldy smell...
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: SW Ohio
Found the source of moldy smell... Pulled up the carpet on the passenger side in the back seat area and the padding was soaked with water. The padding under the passenger seat was soaked too. The passenger seat front foot well was dry. This car has not been in the rain for six months! I have washed it twice by hand. There was like a cup or two of water (8-16oz) in the padding! Maybe once water gets in the padding it never evaporates? Who knows how long it has been there. I think it was there when I bought the car six months ago. 
I have torn out most of the padding (all that is wet) on the passenger side. I will take the driver side up tomorrow since I felt some moisture under the padding of the rear seat foot well there too.
This explains why the car would start to smell when driven since the floor pan would be heated by the exhaust pipe and produce the "wet gym sock smell".
Hopefully ripping out the wet padding, letting everything dry out, and putting in new padding will cure the odor issue. Any other suggestions?
Thanks,
I have torn out most of the padding (all that is wet) on the passenger side. I will take the driver side up tomorrow since I felt some moisture under the padding of the rear seat foot well there too.
This explains why the car would start to smell when driven since the floor pan would be heated by the exhaust pipe and produce the "wet gym sock smell".
Hopefully ripping out the wet padding, letting everything dry out, and putting in new padding will cure the odor issue. Any other suggestions?
Thanks,
RIP April 14, 2008
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,603
Likes: 0
From: the land where cars repeatedly hit my bumper when I'm in the store...
oh yuck. good thing you found it. i can only imagine that **** heating up and releasing its stench. like dead people under your carpets. but i wouldnt knwo what that smells like. anyway good job.
Brad
Brad
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: SW Ohio
Low cost padding replacement. Went to the local "hardware store" and picked up a 3'x8' section of anti-fatigue padding for less than $20 since it had a small tear on one edge! This is padding put down on concrete floors to make standing for long periods of time less tiring. It is closed-cell, about 3/8" thick, and should do a good job of vibration and sound dampening.
I only put some sections down at the lowest spots to try and separate the carpet from any water that might pool up underneath it from condensation.
I only put some sections down at the lowest spots to try and separate the carpet from any water that might pool up underneath it from condensation.
