MSG C5

I have a 2002 Acura daily driver that I am about to hand over to my teenage daughter. The car is in excellent shape, however I've noticed lately that there is an old car smell or musky smell inside. I don't keep any equipment or clothes in the car/trunk so it's nothing in the car causing the smell.

I had to park it outside at the airport last week when traveling and noticed it had gotten worse, probably due to the heavy rains that ran through the area when I was gone.

I know to change the cabin filter, however what other proactive or preventive maintenance can I perform outside of an air freshener?

Plus, once I get my new daily driver, the Acura will need to be parked outside in the (Florida) driveway so it will be exposed to the heat, rain and humidity.

TOGWT

Mould in vehicle interiors is unfortunately more common than you would imagine. Although car manufacturers do their best to keep water and even moisture from getting into your vehicle, over time, seals wear out and eventually will start to allow water ingress, or something as simple as forgetting to roll up your windows or closing the sunroof during a rain storm

Without identifying and eliminating the source of the mould you can't get rid of it, there are many Counteractant type products that only mask odours; what you need to do is remove, clean and thoroughly dry the whole area; carpets, and any padding or under-carpet materials, upholstery (inc foam and etc) that is affected, including the headliner and metal floor pan (don’t forget to clean/replace the cabin air filter).

Google "Mould (Mold) Remediation"

MSG C5

Thanks. I'm going to perform a good detail on it next month and swap out the cabin filter which I do annually. I'm also thinking of placing some of those Silica Gel moisture shipping packets under each seat and in the trunk. That might help as well.

I keep all the vents open to make sure there is no condensation build-up inside the vents, however I also just realized that over the time I have owned the car, I never had to have the AC system recharged. I wonder if recharging the system with some fresh freon would help?

0Killrwheels@Autogeek

Einszett makes a product to clean air vents and the blower called Klima Cleaner. I also suggest using an air purifier versus masking scent to get rid of stale smells.

http://www.autogeek.net/so2pure-air-purifier.html

wu6fiend

Does the car have a sunroof? Hondas are notorious for blocked sunroof drain tubes (the tubes run down the A-pillars, inside the trim, and drain out the bottom of the car). When they get plugged, water can get into the interior, hence the musty/moldy smell. Make sure you don't have water getting into the interior, and soaking the underlay of the carpet.

MSG C5

Yep, it has a moonroof although I rarely drive with it open and vented. I will check that as well.

msslp04

Buy a new car!

0David-Fermani

It usually requires more then just an air freshener or vent cleaner to rid your interior of foul smells. These things will only treat a specific item and might not even be what is the root of the problem. Basically, you are just putting a band-aid on the real problem alowing it to further compound into a greater one. What is important is determining the cause and origin this issue and using the proper product/process to remove it.

MSG C5

I live in Florida and I was watching a local TV show on cars that described my issue perfectly. Due to the high humidity of the summer months, much of the musty, old car smell is a result of condensation built up in the vents of the car. A simple trick to help remedy the situation is to turn off the AC for a minute or so at the end of each drive and run the fans on high to blow out any moisture from the AC. When shutting down the AC at the same time as the car, it leaves condensation in the vents which then develops an odor over time.

I think they may be onto something because I have only noticed the smell since late July. My first step is to perform my annual cabin filter change, however I am going to try this tip as well.

0David-Fermani

Yes, that is great advise, but please keep in mind that when there is an odor in your vehicle, it requires "freshening up" of not just the component that caused the problem, but the entire interior. That smell can and will soak itself into all the fabric (headliner/carpet/trim) and should be cleaned to remove it entirely.

I'm in S. Florida too. (Wellington)

0Killrwheels@Autogeek

If you choose to clean the air vents and the blower, do a little research on the Einszett product I offered. It has been very effective for many and certainly can help in some situations. Changing the filter, if car is equipped, is best bet also and consider the more expensive charcoal based filters.

http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einszett-...freshener.html

Here's the application guide:

http://www.1z-usa.com/Klima-Cleaner-...plication.html