2006 Convertible - smells like fish!

[zoldar]

Hi all:

We picked up a 2006 Solara SLE convertible last night (Red with black top). The car was originally from Florida. When we first got in the car for a test drive it smelled like we were at the ocean - had a slight "fishy" odor. I though maybe it was due to the car sitting on the lot for a few weeks in the sun?

Has anyone else ever experienced this odd odor? Otherwise its a great car.

Thanks,
John

[Biggi_e]

did you have a female in the car with her legs open?? lol jpjp

i honestly have no clue. just try and let it air out, if the smell doesnt go away i say change your cabin air filter and try and clean the vents

[zoldar]

LMAO - I was waiting for a reply like that! Maybe the previous owner had hygiene issues....?


According to CARFAX the cabin air filter was replaced about 4k miles ago.

[Pogs]

a true pimps car. a member on here... i think their username is tresula has done extensive cleaning on her interior. If you want to know how to get the smell out im sure she would know.

[yaddadaimsayin]

Yeah I'd say if its gotta weird smell, it wasn't properly cleaned then before passing on to you. Spend a lil bit of extra bank and just get the whole thing extensively cleaned top to bottom. If the smell is still there, i'd say change the cabin filter as well. Welcome to SG!

[cklinh]

Febreeze it.

[gnegroni]

Keep an air ionizer in the car while driving it.

[Chinky420]

take it to an auto detail shop. specify that you want them to remove the smell (as well as detail the car, since you're already paying them $$$)

it's probably stuff stuck in your mats, or possibly other upholstery.

but detail shops can steam clean it out, and if it doesn't pass your nose-test, you can have them resteam it.

just make sure you have an employee/manager sit in the car with you when you drop it off, and have them acknowledge the smell before you let them work on it. otherwise you might get the "what smell, i don't smell anything." or "that's how it's supposed to smell".

[PhreakdOut]

Change your cabin filter - located behind the glove box. They can get damp and musty.

[Garrryyunit]

flooded car? like that big scandal where people would bring their cars from florida after the hurricane and sell it in other states because they're cars has been submerged in water.

I dont know what the exact term is, but i think you guys get what im trying to say.

edit: scratch what i said.. katrina came in 05. LOL uh... probably the car has been to the beach one too many times.

[fzzyrn]

ike was in '08.

[zoldar]

flooded car? like that big scandal where people would bring their cars from florida after the hurricane and sell it in other states because they're cars has been submerged in water.

I dont know what the exact term is, but i think you guys get what im trying to say.

edit: scratch what i said.. katrina came in 05. LOL uh... probably the car has been to the beach one too many times.

I sure hope that is not the case. Car has a clean CARFAX report.

[youngblood]

flooded car? like that big scandal where people would bring their cars from florida after the hurricane and sell it in other states because they're cars has been submerged in water.

I dont know what the exact term is, but i think you guys get what im trying to say.

edit: scratch what i said.. katrina came in 05. LOL uh... probably the car has been to the beach one too many times.

I sure hope that is not the case. Car has a clean CARFAX report.

My first thought was flood damage, also. Seems like it would be more of a mildew smell than fish, though, unless you left it on the beach at high-tide! Grumpy old men?

Carfax may be wrong or incomplete. It wouldn't be the first time.

[zoldar]

Thanks for the replies.

After a few nights in the garage with the windows down all is well. Airing it out has helped.

Must have been sitting on the lot in Fla with all the windows up for a few weeks.