Car Smells Of Weed - WTF?

[EViS]

As of a two weeks ago, the interior of our Z4 e85 has a pretty pungent smell of what can only be described as a weed aroma. The smell is obvious when getting into the car after it's been sat overnight. This seems to almost entirely clear once the air vents have blown through and the car's driven. However, once it's sat around again for a couple of hours and upon returning to the car, the weed smell is obvious again.

The car is always locked, no one else has access to it, and we do not smoke or ever come into contact with weed ourselves. The car is always well maintained and cleaned and there is no obvious mould growth. So, where could this smell be originating from? Could something have crawled in somewhere and died (although I feel like that would be a very different smell)? Any pointers on where to look and what to check for would be great .

 

[smorris_12]

Used any scented sprays to clean it? There's a few churches I've been to that seem to reek of weed but I put it down to a polish or something that they use!

 

[EViS]

Used any scented sprays to clean it? There's a few churches I've been to that seem to reek of weed but I put it down to a polish or something that they use!

Nope, haven't used any interior cleaners, other than an APC deep clean about a year ago.

 

[Pondrew]

If you've never come into contact with 'weed' how do you know what it smells like?

Could be the a/c evaporator. The condensate they produce can get a little funky if it hasn't dried out, or the drainage tube is blocked. They tend to smell like pungent fish, though!

 

[EViS]

If you've never come into contact with 'weed' how do you know what it smells like?

Could be the a/c evaporator. The condensate they produce can get a little funky if it hasn't dried out, or the drainage tube is blocked. They tend to smell like pungent fish, though!

I also don't come into contact with Armani Code, Chanel no 5, or a strangers arse gas whilst sharing the same lift as me. But I sure can distinguish between them and know I was not the original source. Smart ass .

Thanks for the heads up on the AC. But as you say, probably a different smell from those.

 

[pvr]

Definitely air vents. Just be careful of legionnaires disease if they have never been cleared. You can buy a “bom” to clean it all out from the bacteria

 

[grannyknot]

Maybe a neighbours kid who goes out for a smoke at night who thinks he's funny by blowing smoke in the air vent.
There are many different HVAC cleaners like this one.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/203613464296?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1TCjM4J3FSLqGtQNetewCgQ46&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=203613464296&targetid=1644837434763&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=1024403&poi=&campaignid=16743749222&mkgroupid=138744546207&rlsatarget=pla-1644837434763&abcId=9300842&merchantid=101684232&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5uLnv52r-wIVKGtvBB2slgsFEAQYAyABEgLNpfD_BwE

 

[RKM]

Are there skunks in your area?

 

[EViS]

Definitely air vents. Just be careful of legionnaires disease if they have never been cleared. You can buy a “bom” to clean it all out from the bacteria

Got straight onto this. Cause possibly found . The filter is obviously caked with decaying leaves and wet towards the bottom. I vacuumed around and within the filter box and ran the fans on full blast for 10 minutes without the filter to hopefully clear anything which may still be trapped. Time to order a new filter and see whether that is in deed the cure.

 

[EViS]

Maybe a neighbours kid who goes out for a smoke at night who thinks he's funny by blowing smoke in the air vent.
There are many different HVAC cleaners like this one.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/203613464296?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1TCjM4J3FSLqGtQNetewCgQ46&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=203613464296&targetid=1644837434763&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=1024403&poi=&campaignid=16743749222&mkgroupid=138744546207&rlsatarget=pla-1644837434763&abcId=9300842&merchantid=101684232&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5uLnv52r-wIVKGtvBB2slgsFEAQYAyABEgLNpfD_BwE

Is this different to the "bom" which @pvr referred to above?

 

[skelters]

You don't change the pollen filters every year?

When the filter is replace get one of the antibacterial AC cleaner spray things that you let off in the car and run the AC while it's doing it's thing.

Instructions come with them.

 

[EViS]

You don't change the pollen filters every year?

When the filter is replace get one of the antibacterial AC cleaner spray things that you let off in the car and run the AC while it's doing it's thing.

Instructions come with them.

Clearly not, doh! A bit of an oversight. Will do them annually together with the oil change now. Any particular brand of AC cleaner you recommend?

 

[pvr]

If you search on air con bomb in Amazon you get the ones with the best reviews. I bought the highest rating one

 

[EViS]

If you search on air con bomb in Amazon you get the ones with the best reviews. I bought the highest rating one

Thanks. Purchased a canister of Bilt Hamber Air-Con Bomb. Presumably it's best to run one of these before installing the new filter?

 

[smorris_12]

The filter is just an intake filter so it won't make any odds. I've also a feeling they run with the system set to recirculate to get it to circulate instead of being blown straight out anyway.

 

[Pondrew]

There's a few churches I've been to that seem to reek of weed

What can I say; I get invited to a lot of weddings! Man! :lol:

 

[Zedebee]

When I pulled out my cabin filter it looked like it had never been changed. Didn’t smell of weed though :-(

 

[skelters]

If you search on air con bomb in Amazon you get the ones with the best reviews. I bought the highest rating one

Thanks. Purchased a canister of Bilt Hamber Air-Con Bomb. Presumably it's best to run one of these before installing the new filter?

Doesn't matter whether the filters are changed before or after but best to clean everything out, change the filter and then do the Air Con bomb thing.

 

[patriot66]

EViS, if the old filter is wet then water is leaking in from the air intake under the scuttle cowl probably because the drain holes are blocked with accumulated leaves (the same ones as in your filter) and detritus. Time to remove the wiper arms, the scuttle cowl and clean it all out. You can wax/ceramic coat everything and clean, check and lubricate the wiper linkage at the same time

 

[Motionblurrr]

Do not use an air con bomb or those Meguiars Odor Eliminator cans that you leave the car running with it inside for 15 mins...

Ask me how I know. Although it smelled nice, the cabin air filter got absolutely soaked in that new smell, so everytime I turned on the AC or heater -- I would get a horrible blast of strong perfume smell from the air con bomb. I would not go away even though inside the car the new smell went away but it lingered horribly in the vents.

I took the cabin air filter out and it smelled like the entire air con bomb. Had to change it with a new one (it also had been a few years). I would vaccum your carpets, clean your dash, plastics with the appropriate product, clean and condition the leather seats and you're good with a new cabin air filter. It should be smelling nice and clean and neutral.