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Originally Posted by PhillySilver
Watching this one because my 2020 4Runner proper stinks right now. It has been freezing here in the Philly metro lately so have not gotten to digging into the issue. At first I chalked it up to the dog in when wet but he has long since gone to the big doghouse in the sky and it has gotten worse so that can't be it. I have the kit to clean the evap coil but been too cold.
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humans don't deserve the loyalty and companionship of dogs... if I could I'd adopt every dog in every shelter... but I digress
here are a couple ideas you could try to pinpoint the smell
- check the top of the carpet everywhere in the vehicle. under the seats, under your floor mats. anything wet? if so dig deeper, literally. pull up the carpet (can be done without removing seats, just remove some trim panels) and see if the jute backing / whatever insulation is there is wet
- if the carpet on the top is dry but there's still a stink then you have to pull up the carpet everywhere. if the backing is dry everywhere and the sheet metal floor is dry then it gets much harder
- usually the problem is AC related if you have smells when running the AC. if your vehicle is parked and you smell it as soon as you open the door it's probably not the AC
- aftermarket roof racks are common leak points, sunroof drains and AC line clogs and windshields. but those will show up as wet carpet/ floor boards. check rear hatch and drain holes in doors and rear hatch. run water through them to make sure there's no clogs in the drain holes
- when you find the leak and if it is the insulation backing on the carpet, don't bother trying to dry it. just rip it out. it separates very easily from the back of the carpet. just pull it out, throw it away, prop some wood 2x4 sections under the carpet and run a space heater for a day or so. that will dry the carpet. the top of the carpet will dry easily without the insulation backing. vinegar and water is great to disinfect as well
- baking soda will absorb any residual lingering smells, it works well and is cheap. if your vehicle is parked outside though and there's rain/mud from your shoes on the floor mats and you leave your rig parked for a few days and the weather is wet,damp and rainy, sometimes that inside air can get that stale smell. but it should go away rather quickly and shouldn't be that strong. this time of year/early spring when there's lots of rain and damp sometimes can make smells