A few days ago my car started to smell like a old wet sneaker inside! Water leak????

Yes, it is more than likely that you have water entering the vehicle. Do you see any moisture entry in the car such as damp carpets or upholstery? I have found that sunroofs are a common cause. Make sure your sunroof drain tubes are not clogged and are functioning correctly.

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1989 300CE

X2

I guess with a noticeable smell you'll get a noticeable wet feeling somewhere - have a good look under your mats as well.

Windshields are also known to leak front and rear - check the edges of the rubber where it meets metal.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Just took a quick look drivers side footwell carpet is soaked, Where should I start???

You could try to clear the drain tubes by running some wire such as trimmer line through them from the top down. There are also two drains near the front windshield cowel on the left and right hand side. Make sure there are no obvious obstructions such as leaves, twigs etc. Depending on how when the carpet is getting you could also consider a faulty evaporator drain if you have been using the A/C a lot recently. Those two drains come down next to the transmission tunnel and exit underneath the car.

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1989 300CE

Thanks I will check drains tomorrow

Checked the drains all seem fine??? water goes right through???? Hosed the car down NOTHING no water in the car??? Blew air through ??? No clue maybe with he bad weather and snow something froze up and got blocked and now its clear

I'd still check the windshield rubbers

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

i've had experiences in the past with the same odor for a different reason. if the car has been change to 134 in the a/c and if the evaporator is leaking, it has the same odor. r12 never smelled like that, but 134 seems to. seen it in factory and changed-over systems. hope i'm wrong. good luck, chuck.

Um, an 88? With how many K? In January? I'm seriously thinking it's heater core/lines leaking water/coolant into the carpet in the footwells and the pad beneath. Probably because that's exactly what our 87 smelled like- initially. It wasn't until 10 months later that she fogged up like crazy and took on the sickly, sweet odor of coolant...

its not the 88 its the 92 400E still no clue?

From everything I read previously, wet/damp carpets in the front footwells, unless you've been driving in seriously heavy rain, puddles, etc. is THE primary symptom of a dripping heater core/hoses. If you are running your ac- it could be water sitting/dripping from your ac evap core. Otherwise a leak could be from the windshield, door window seals or the cowl/vent- but these would only leak if you are driving in wet conditions which would cause water to come into the cabin. Hope you find the source of the steenky!

its possible that the evap has moisture in it and it can grow a smelly bacteria,maybe try spraying a disinfectant in it,also check the drivers side door moulding,with age they tend to slide down causing a gap where the window seals ,maybe causing an h2o leak.

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