apc143

Hi,

I recently purchased a very nice CPO 2009 A4. I really like the car but it has an interior smell that is bothering me. It's like a leather/vinegar smell.

The first time I drove the car prior to purchasing it I did not notice any unusual interior smell. I inspected the car a second time a few days later and noticed an interior smell when I first got in the car.

The dealer suggested that the smell was from the cleaners used by their detailing shop and would disappear. The dealer acknowledged that explaination in writing i.e., "...odor would disappear".

Currently, after the car sits with windows closed for a while, the smell accumulates and is quite strong when first entering the car.

I have a service appointment coming up to address some minor mechanical issues with the car as well as the interior smell.

Any suggestions on how best to navigate the smell issue with the dealer/Audi?


Regards,
apc143

bigdadi

There is one called "ozone" something ... that can neutalize the smell, even cigarette smell, urinte smell. if the smell you have is not keep generating mechanically, then this will help.

Edit:
You can rent or buy. Below is one of them
http://www.odorfreemachines.com/?c1=...Fcuh4AodqDgArA

tinfoilman

How long have you had it now? I was annoyed after paying too much money to Audi to have it detailed on my A4's first birthday. My wife told me to do it as a Christmas present. Besides putting swirl marks in the clear coat on the hood, they used all kinds of cleaners on the interior that ruined the new car smell that still remained after a year. Every time I opened the door to get in I could smell the chemicals they used to clean the interior and it pissed me off. I wouldn't say it was disgusting, and probably not the same as what you described, but it took months to go away. Don't expect the smell you have to go away too quickly.

From what I've read years ago, the only way to get rid of smells is to either remove the stinking source (not always possible or easy to do), mask the smell with something more powerful (typical scented air fresheners) or numb the sense of smell (the air fresheners that usually don't have a smell).

apc143

Sorry to hear what the detail shop did to your ride. There's just no excuse for swirl marks and stink from a Detailer...

I've only had my 09 A4 for a week as of today.

My nose is telling me that the smell is most likely coming from the leather seating. I sniffed the dash plastic, headliner, carpets, and floor mats and they don't seem to be the source of the smell.

I have motorcycle leathers, chaps, bags, etc., and they have a nice subtle, natural leather smell that is very faint, nothing like the strong chemical smell that seems to be coming from my Audi leather seats.

Repro is easy for the smell issue, just let the car sit for a few hours with windows closed and the smell will accumulate.

Regards,
apc143

Nostromo

FWIW, I'm going to plug Leatherique as the best leather cleaner I've ever used. Their website is amateur, their product labels look hand made, but it works great.

http://www.leatherique.com/products.html

I use it twice a year. Mostly on my steering wheel. It gets all the slickness from dirt and oils transferred from your hands out. Comes out with the supple, soft feeling like when I first bought the car. Smells like leather should smell.

Crucible35

^^^+1. I use either Leatherique or Einszett Lederpfleger. Unless the smell is coming from mildew or mold (or something left under the seats and rotting) you should have no problem "replacing" the smell you hate with something you like. I use the Lederpfleger twice a year and a couple of days later, it has that new car smell again.

iconoclast

if it is a vinegar smell it could be coming from the air ducts of the hvac system. you can use a product from 1z that eliminate odor and kills the bacteria/mold/mildew etc. in the ducts. in addition to that i would purchase a new cabin filter (charcoal) and swap that out as well.

apc143

Thanks for all the suggestions I'll keep them in mind when I take the car in for service later this week.

Another source for bad interior smells that I ran across is coolant leaking from the heater core.