Jeep, musty only in rain...kinda rant

[mesoam]

99 jeep grand Cherokee LTD...



Musty, funky smell when it rains…not bad any other time



P.O. definitely lied to me stating it wasn’t smoked in, he had it masked pretty well with something when I purchased the car but within a week after I bought it, the thing stunk…I’ve dealt with it for a while but now its getting annoying.



I definitely have a sensitive nose, but then again I’m not a smoker.



In the spring I’m going to strip the interior and pick up a steam cleaner something like below



Quicksteamer Multi-Surface Deep Cleaner



I have heard spraying the carpets and headliner w/ a 1:1 of vinegar and water really helps but am definitely concerned about a vinegar smell afterwards…



The headliner on this car seems to be much more delicate (ok…cheaper) than on my Volvo and am a bit concerned about hitting it with anything strong…



I have scrubbed the carpets with cleaner and every time it only seems to keep sucking out dirt, I feel like the thing never gets really clean.



Any tips e/t/c would be helpful



Also any temporary fixes are welcome, I’m running to AutoZone today to get some cheapy air fresheners for today as today seems it’s the strongest its been (maybe the switch from bitter cold to this weird *** weather)

[David Fermani]

Sounds like you have a water leak. I`d search for water damage. Cleaning it might not help until you find the root of the problem.

[reaper34]

is it a musty wet smell or a smoky smell? If its musty wet is it when you turn the a/c on? jeep put out a tsb about the a/c evaporator. if that is the case you need to clean the ducts and evaporator. autogeek sells the clean air a/c cleaner, but you might check your local napa because that is where I got some. if its a water leak pull up your carpet on the passenger side if its all wet thats your problem.

[David Fermani]

But that doesn`t explain why it only happens when it`s raining? The condition reaper34 explained should be occuring when the A/C is on and have nothing to do with rain.

[imported_Detailing Technology]

It may have a water leak. Does it have a sunroof? Make sure the drain holes in the roof are clean. Jeeps are notorious for these holes getting clogged.

[mesoam]

yes it has the sunroof...there is no interior water leak, all carpets are dry, i`ll check the drain holes anyway



and yes its ONLY when its raining or extremely humid...but i find that in that weather it brings out smells in anything (key example, wet dog!)



it never smelled like this in the summer w/ the AC running full blast



i know this thing was definately a soccer mobile

[David Fermani]

Water could be under the carpet or behind the dash and soaking the sound deadening pad. Pull up the carpet & back seat. These problems can get you real sick. It`s not a good to postpone mold. It will only gets worse.

[salty]

It could be caused by many things. Some already stated above. Also, if it smells like a dog, is it a dog? The Jeep could have been cleaned before you bought it, and/or covered up with a deodorizer. Wet dog smell can be hard to totally clean out, as is tobacco. When it gets humid out it brings out the smell again.



The heating cooling system might be moldy. Not sure if that is the term.

The cabin air intake, usually by your wipers, might have plugged water drains.

Water under the carpet.



Ozone treatment would be a start.

[mesoam]

the one thing i haven`t checked is for a cabin air filter. WJ`s did not come from the factory with a cabin filter



i assure you guys this is not a moldy smell, this is definately just a funk that has soaked into the upholstery from poor care over time, i know the smell of mold



i feel the carpets and fabric have never received a DEEP cleaning and this is what i continue to smell

[salty]

If it smells like dog, smell different parts of the carpet and seats. This should give an idea of the area that the dog sat. Like I said, humidity will reactivate the smell. If the previous owner tried to cover it up with Febreze, it will come back when humid.

[kkjv1]

Aside from the good tips mentioned above, you can also clean the headliner with a woolite mix. You can use an extractor to deep clean carpets and such.

[Saumil]

no random dead leaves under the carseat...that will def do it as well..